Mental illness is among the top ten leading causes of disability worldwide, with depression ranked third in the global burden of disease. According to the World Health Organization, suicide is a leading cause of death internationally, and premature death, as a result of severe mental health conditions, affects global life expectancy by as much as two decades. Most people with mental illness do not receive appropriate treatment, for example, only a third of people with depression receive treatment. This may be due to systemic or personal factors, including under-resourced mental health services or a belief that professional services cannot help them.
Research indicates that social networks (family, friends, co-workers) can play an important role in facilitating help-seeking, but members of the public often lack the skills and confidence to provide appropriate support. This is where community interventions, like mental health and suicide first aid training can help, as they teach course participants the skills to have supportive conversations with those experiencing a mental health problem or crisis.
We welcome your new research paper, brief report, review, case report or conference paper to this special issue.
