Mental health — the final taboo

TODAY is World Mental Health Day. I’m generally dismissive about these sorts of initiatives but, since I wrote in last week’s Mail about my struggles with antidepressants, I have been overwhelmed by the response from readers detailing their own murky adventures with the black dog.

Reading your many letters has been both heart-breaking and humbling — and has convinced me more than ever that mental ill-health is one of the greatest problems of our time, a hidden epidemic that is limiting the potential of millions of Britons.

The key to resolving this is to lift the stigma surrounding depression, anxiety and similar conditions — which is why it’s so heartening to see Health Secretary Matt Hancock announcing his ambition to achieve ‘ parity’ between physical and mental health in the NHS.

It really is one of the last taboos — and it’s only by speaking openly and honestly about it that we can even begin to tackle the problem.