SUMMARY

The behavioural/mental health sector is a $99 billion industry, yet mental health still remains to be one of the most neglected and under resourced areas in public health, regardless of the fact that the need is ever growing (Bhattacharya et all. 2001). In the diagram displayed below, it is clear that mental disorders represent one of the top burdens worldwide, therefore has more than enough reason to take action more seriously in terms of funding.

Figure 1: Burden of diseases worldwide (World Health Organization, 2003)

One common theme found in the mental health care industry is the deficiency of acknowledgement, in terms of overall health status and the well-being of the people involved. The consequence and cause to this is the fact that mental health research is poorly funded and developed due to politics, the economy, and stigma. Even with the limited imbursement given, money is being spent with limited value and accountability (Bhattacharya et all. 2001). Despite all this, mental health is not even considered near to the same degree as importance as physical health, so its neglectfulness results in this area of public health to be poorly studied; hence suffering people who don’t receive treatment to its full potential (World Health Organization, 2003).

This report is created for the general public, researchers, decision-makers, and primary care specialists, to make them more aware of the severity of this problem due to the fact that it is one of the highest ranked types of needed research in the health care industry today. But more importantly to establish and outline the underlying main reasons behind why there isn’t an increase of funding, along with examining how an increase can benefit the 450 million people who suffer with a mental disorder worldwide (World Health Organization, 2003).

Overall, with an increase in funding in the mental health industry, people and its communities can have the chance to seek for the help they need. Along with being able to handle conflicts that are part of their everyday lives even with the poor economy, therefore are able to enjoy a better quality of life. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary……………………………………………………………. 1

List of Illustrations ………………………………………………… 3

1.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………. 4 1.1 The Problem ………………………………………………… 4 1.2 The Purpose………………………………………………….. 5 1.3 Background ………………………………………………….. 5-6

2.0 Low Funding Analysis …………………………………………. 6 2.1 Politics ……………………………………………………….. 6-7 2.2 Stigma ………………………………………………………... 7-8 2.3 Economy……………………………………………………… 8-10 2.4 Solutions …………………………………………………....... 10-11 2.4.1 Overall ………………………………………………………………. 11

3.0 Conclusion ……………………………………………………….. 12

References …………………………………………………………. ... 14

Appendices …………………………………………………………… 15 A: Involvement of Mental Health…………………………………. 15

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figures

1. Burden of diseases worldwide 1 2. The Mortality Rate of Increase in Canada due to Mental Disorders 4 3. Prevalence of Depression 6 4. Challenges faced in the mental health care sector 6 5. Poverty and mental disorders: a vicious circle 9 6. Burden of neuropsychiatric disorders vs. budget 10

INTRODUCTION

The Problem

"I do drink a lot, I think it's symptomatic of my depression, I'm a Manic Depressive, I'm not an alcoholic" – Amy Winehouse (Vasey, 2011)

“Now Amy Winehouse is dead. Addiction is a serious disease; it will end with jail, mental institutions or death. Whether this tragedy was preventable or not is now irrelevant. It is not preventable today. We need to review the way society treats addicts – not as criminals but as sick people in need of care” – Russell Brand (The Guardian, 2011) Amy Winehouse passed away due to her addiction to drugs and alcohol because of her life long battle of manic depression, also known as Bi-Polar disorder. She was fortunate enough to receive treatment and rehabilitation to overcome her addiction, unfortunately that didn’t become the case for her. Unlike her, a lot of people in this world cannot afford to go to rehab. Most of these people who try to reach for help either don’t know where to turn to get the help they need or there simply is no accessible help in their reach for the care they need for their mental conditions. When this happens, often enough suicide is their only resort. Ninety percent of suicides are related to the top mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse (Conference Board of Canada, 2011). Mental illness is also the second leading cause of hospital admittance among Canadians between 20 and 44 years of age (Health Canada, 2002). All in all there continues to be a rise in mortality because of mental illness, and Canada’s mental health services are in desperate need of restructuring. Figure 2: The Mortality Rate of Increase in Canada (Conference Boar...

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