Which mental health myth do you think does the most damage in the UK?

The pressure on British men to suppress emotion, crack on, and never admit they're struggling has contributed to a male suicide rate that remains devastatingly high. Three-quarters of all UK suicides are men — and yet we still tell them to just get a grip.

There's a deeply ingrained British suspicion that seeking therapy means you're either wallowing or showing off. Meanwhile, waitlists for NHS IAPT services stretch to months and private therapy costs a fortune. The stigma and the system are failing people simultaneously.

While movement genuinely helps, the relentless 'exercise your way out of depression' narrative lets governments and employers off the hook entirely. It reduces complex mental illness to a lifestyle choice and quietly blames sufferers for not trying hard enough.

Invisible illness is still treated with scepticism in Britain — from GP waiting rooms to HR departments. If you're functioning, smiling, and showing up, people assume you're fine. The pressure to perform wellness while falling apart inside is absolutely exhausting.

Young people especially are told their anxiety, depression, or breakdown is simply growing pains — something to outgrow rather than treat. With CAMHS services overwhelmed and school counsellors stretched impossibly thin, dismissing it as 'a phase' can have lifelong consequences.