The survey, which was published by the NHS Information Centre, showed that of the 1,741 adults who were interviewed in 2011, 77 per cent agreed that ”mental illness is an illness like any other”, compared to 71 per cent in 1994.
Figures such as these suggest that more people than ever before are informed and understanding when it comes to mental illness, though there were some individuals who expressed less favourable views.
In addition, other positive findings included an increase in the number of individuals who said they would feel comfortable talking to their family about their mental health (increasing from 66 per cent in 2009 to 70 per cent in 2011), and also a decrease in the number of people who said they would feel uncomfortable discussing their mental health with their boss (50 per cent in 2010 to 43 per cent in 2011).
Despite the increase in positive views, experts are saying that attitudes could take up to a generation to shift significantly with only one in four people surveyed trusting a women who had been in a mental hospital to babysit a child, and 17 per cent believing having a mental health facility in their local area downgraded their neighbourhood.
Chief executive of mental health charity Mind, Paul Farmer, has said that though some significant progress has been made in tackling stigma and discrimination, shifting peoples perceptions of mental health still remains the task of a generation.
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