New research by Savage Cabbage has revealed 1 in 8 Welsh people wouldn’t ask for mental health support.
Louise Farey from Savage Cabbage urges people not to suffer in silence.
It’s been revealed that 1 in 8 Welsh people wouldn’t speak to anybody if they were struggling with their mental health.
Savage Cabbage analysed the latest YouGov mental health data, which also revealed people in Wales are most likely to speak to a partner about their mental health (48%), followed by a close friend (46%), and then a parent or sibling (25%).
In fact, Welsh people are more likely to speak to a close friend, their parents, or their siblings than anywhere else in the UK.
| If you were struggling with your mental health, would you, or would you not, talk to the following person / people about it? | |
| My partner | 48% |
| My close friends | 46% |
| My parents | 25% |
| My siblings | 25% |
| My GP | 21% |
| A therapist | 16% |
| My friends | 13% |
| I would not talk to anybody | 13% |
| My colleagues | 7% |
| My boss / manager | 7% |
| Don’t know | 7% |
| An anonymous helpline | 5% |
| None of the above | 5% |
Across the UK, the most popular option was a partner (50%), followed by a close friend (39%) and then a GP (32%).
| If you were struggling with your mental health, would you, or would you not, talk to the following person / people about it? | |||||||
| UK | London | South (Excluding London) | Midlands | North | Scotland | Wales | |
| My partner | 50% | 39% | 53% | 52% | 51% | 50% | 48% |
| My close friends | 39% | 40% | 42% | 35% | 38% | 36% | 46% |
| My friends | 11% | 12% | 10% | 9% | 12% | 9% | 13% |
| My parents | 17% | 22% | 18% | 9% | 18% | 12% | 25% |
| My siblings | 16% | 16% | 17% | 12% | 16% | 10% | 25% |
| My colleagues | 6% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 7% |
| My boss / manager | 6% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 7% |
| My GP | 32% | 27% | 33% | 29% | 34% | 37% | 21% |
| A therapist | 18% | 22% | 18% | 15% | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| An anonymous helpline | 6% | 9% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 5% |
| None of the above | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 5% |
| I would not talk to anybody | 12% | 8% | 10% | 17% | 14% | 15% | 13% |
| Don’t know | 6% | 9% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 7% |
Louise Farey from Savage Cabbage said: “It’s reassuring to know that so many people across the UK have somebody to speak to when they are struggling with their mental health.
“For me, talking to my family is essential to keeping on track with my mental health, the same goes for my friends, without them I’d really struggle.
“It’s also nice to see that a relatively high number of people are comfortable speaking to their GP, as seeking professional help is vital if you’re struggling.
“However, it is disheartening to see people respond saying they would not talk to anybody, or don’t know who they’d speak to. There’s absolutely no shame in talking about your mental health or asking for help.
“I strongly implore anybody who’s struggling to reach out to their loved ones or a professional – you are never alone in your mental health journey.”
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