1 in 4? Or ALL of us....?

One of my colleagues made an interesting comment this week about the "1 in 4" mantra which is so regularly quoted.... in the sense that 1 in 4 of us will experience mental problems, or illness, or distress (it's that language question all over again....) She said, "...actually, I find that the "1 in 4" term is discriminatory, as it implies that 3 out of 4 people won't experience mental distress in their lives, and I believe all of us do to some degree at some point." So that's an interesting comment in itself, and well worth debating.

But, anyway, the fact is that people are now starting to tell their own personal stories in a bid to reduce stigma and discrimination, and it is clear that the "1 in 4" term can be useful in helping this process along a little. Just yesterday on the Time to Change Wales blog  several of our Welsh Assembly Ministers wrote about their own experiences.

Llyr Huws Gruffydd AM said: "Nearly ten years ago I had been diagnosed as suffering from depression. Standing in a room crying for no apparent reason isn’t something a 30 year old bloke would usually admit to – but that is where I found myself at that time."


He and other Assembly Ministers Eluned Parrott, David Melding and Ken Skates then spoke in the Welsh Assembly chamber in a debate about stigma and discrimination.

You can find out more and watch the video of the debate on the BBC website here.