Mental Health Statistics: Men & Women
- Women are more likely to have been treated for a mental health problem than men (29% compared to 17%).This could be because, when asked, women are more likely to report symptoms of common mental health problems. (Better Or Worse: A Longitudinal Study Of The Mental Health Of Adults In Great Britain, National Statistics, 2003)
- Depression
is more common in women than men. 1 in 4 women will require treatment
for depression at some time, compared to 1 in 10 men. The reasons for
this are unclear, but are thought to be due to both social and
biological factors. It has also been suggested that depression in men
may have been under diagnosed because they present to their GP with
different symptoms. (National Institute For Clinical Excellence, 2003)
- Women are twice as likely to experience anxiety as men. Of people with phobias or OCD, about 60% are female. (The Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity report, 2001)
- Men are more likely than women to have an alcohol or drug problem. 67% of British people who consume alcohol at ‘hazardous’ levels, and 80% of those dependent on alcohol are male. Almost three quarters of people dependent on cannabis and 69% of those dependent on other illegal drugs are male. (The Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity report, 2001)