Recession is especially bad news for those with mental health problems

In December, the Guardian reported on the effect the credit crunch is having on elderly people who are struggling to pay care home costs. This month, it describes how the cash crisis is likely to people suffering from mental health problems much harder than most. Novelist Clare Allan, herself a former psychiatric patient, explains how people suffering from serious mental health complaints are three times more likely than average to be in debt, and a third of them already are. Clare pinpoints a number of benefit-related reasons for this, including the ease of obtaining credit as opposed to applying for benefits; lack of knowledge about benefits; disruption to benefits due to hospital stays; and delays in processing claims. However, she acknowledges that the nature of a person’s problem can also serve to make the situation worse, such as in the case of manic spending sprees or if a person finds it hard to communicate and therefore get access to help and advice. Conversely, the pressure of debt and living on a low income can make the person’s illness worse – creating a vicious circle for these vulnerable people.

Clare eventually managed to pay off her debts, with the help of Government benefits, but is concerned that the recession will lead to cuts in mental health funding just as patients are in most need of support. Read Clare’s article in full on the Guardian website.