Nearly 3 out of 5 internet users would seek help for mental health problems on the net

Nearly 60% of people have experience of mental health problems, either personally or through someone close to them.

A new MORI survey reveals that approaching 60% of people who use the Internet would seek help for mental health problems on the net. People value not only the wealth of information available but also the convenience and anonymity offered by the Internet.

Interestingly, only 3% of those who would be likely to use the internet for mental health said they were not satisfied with information from their GP. This finding supports an earlier MORI poll survey for the BMA, which showed that 87% of people trust their doctor to tell the truth.

On behalf of emental-health.com, a new mental health website launched on 13 February, MORI asked 2073 members of the general public about their experience of mental health problems and their views on using the Internet.

According to this survey, around one in three adults overall use the Internet. Interestingly, among those who currently do not use the Internet, one third said they would seek help on the Internet for mental health problems if they had access to the Internet. People who had already had some experience of mental health problems are more likely than those with no experience to log on.

Four out of ten people had experienced (directly or in others) stress, which is a precursor to many conditions such as schizophrenia and depression. Another third reported they had experience of depression.

In rarer conditions such as schizophrenia, the findings also highlighted the impact of illness on family and friends. Although only 3 or 4 people in 1000 have schizophrenia at any one time, the current survey found that ten times as many people (4%) reported experience of the condition.

Dr Chris Manning, co-chair of Primary Care Mental Health and Education and Vice-Chair of Depression Alliance believes the poll is good news for GPs; "This should encourage GPs to continue to develop relevant services and to use all available means and agencies to help in the management of their patients."

Dr Tonmoy Sharma, a consultant psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry and creator of emental-health.com was encouraged by the results: "It is revealing that over half our population now report experience of mental health problems. It shows us that mental health problems are no longer something we can push under the carpet, but instead something we have to address openly.

"We believe resources like emental-health.com can support GPs and health professionals to help people with mental health problems and those working in mental health."

Notes

• Emental-health.com is a new site covering depression, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and manic depression (or bipolar disorder). In conjunction with the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Changing Minds: Every Family in the Land campaign, emental-health.com aims to challenge the stigma of mental illness.
• Emental-health.com is a not-for-profit project, created by Zeus, a company specialising in communications about mental health.
• MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 2073 adults aged 15+. Interviews were conducted face-to-face, in homes across 194 sampling points across Great Britain. Interviews were carried out between 4 and 8 January 2001. Data have been weighted to the known profile of the British population.3000.

Key facts from the MORI survey:

Internet use for mental health problems

• One in three adults use the Internet
• 57% of Internet users are likely or very likely to seek help on the Internet for mental health problems.
• 32% of people who do not currently use the Internet would be likely to seek help on the Internet for mental health problems.
• 70% of Internet users who would seek help for mental health problems on the Internet report some experience of mental health problems.

Views on the Internet

Of those who would use the Internet for help with mental health:

• 48% see there is a lot of information available on the Internet
• 44% would seek information on the Internet because of its convenience
• 23% value the Internet because they can obtain information anonymously

Of those who would not use the Internet for help with mental health:

• 26% don't like computers/are uncomfortable with technology
• 9% believe that information on the Internet is not trustworthy/is unreliable

Role of the GP:

• Only 3% are not satisfied with the Information from their GP; 49% of those that would not use the Internet to help with mental health are satisfied with the information and support from their GP

Experience of mental health problems

• 3 in 5 people report some experience, either directly, or in someone they know, of a mental health problem
• 1 in 5 people report experience of 3 or more mental health problems
• 40% of people report experience of stress. This is particularly common in those at work or those who are divorced or separated.
• One in three people report experience of depression
• 5% report experience of manic depression (which is also called bipolar disorder)
• 4% report experience of schizophrenia