2025-05-19
Social Determinants and Mental Health
Mental health isn’t just about what’s going on in your brain, it's about your life, the world around you.
Mental health isn’t just about what’s going on in your brain, it's about your life, the world around you. Where you live, your income, the work you do, the people you connect with and even the policies in place where you live. All these factors play a huge role in shaping how you feel, think and cope. These are known as social determinants of health, and they’re powerful.
Stress Hurts – And It’s Unequally Shared
Some stress is a normal part of life. But too much, especially if it's constant, becomes toxic. People living in poverty, unsafe environments, or facing discrimination deal with chronic stress daily. Over time, this kind of stress doesn’t just affect your mental well-being – it chips away at your physical health too.
Long-term stress can:
• Increase blood pressure
• Suppress the immune system
• Raise the risk of heart disease
• Lead to serious mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and burnout
According to Mental Health Europe, over 50 million people in the European Union (EU) live with a mental health condition and many of these cases are deeply tied to difficult life circumstances and long-standing inequalities.
Mental and Physical Health Are Inseparable
When your body suffers, your mental health often follows. And when your mind is overwhelmed, it becomes harder to care for your physical health. This two-way relationship is undeniable. People living with mental health conditions are more likely to experience preventable physical illnesses and those with physical health issues are more vulnerable to developing mental health problems.
As the European Mental Health Week campaign reminds us: Mental health is everyone’s business. We all have mental health – and we all live in environments that affect it, for better or worse.
Key Facts You Should Know
• Poverty is a major risk factor. People experiencing poverty are much more likely to suffer chronic anxiety and are twice as likely to develop major depression.
• Loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to global health data. It increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and even premature death.
• Violence and trauma raise the risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and can have lasting effects on a person’s ability to trust others, regulate emotions, and maintain relationships.
• Children exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as neglect, abuse, or growing up in poverty are at significantly higher risk of mental health problems later in life.
Building a Mentally Healthier Society
Mental health isn’t just about access to treatment. It’s about prevention. Prevention means ensuring people have:
• Safe, stable, and affordable housing
• Access to decent work with fair pay and healthy conditions
• Strong social support networks
• Equal access to quality education and healthcare
• Protection from violence, racism, and discrimination
This is the central theme of European Mental Health Week, an initiative by Mental Health Europe. It calls on governments, organizations and communities to recognize that creating fairer societies is one of the most powerful ways to protect mental well-being.
A society where people are supported and included is a society where mental health thrives. Mental health promotion and prevention must be at the heart of all policies, not just healthcare policies. Because when you fix the root causes, you reduce the suffering before it starts.
More Articles →
Stress Hurts – And It’s Unequally Shared
Some stress is a normal part of life. But too much, especially if it's constant, becomes toxic. People living in poverty, unsafe environments, or facing discrimination deal with chronic stress daily. Over time, this kind of stress doesn’t just affect your mental well-being – it chips away at your physical health too.
Long-term stress can:
• Increase blood pressure
• Suppress the immune system
• Raise the risk of heart disease
• Lead to serious mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and burnout
According to Mental Health Europe, over 50 million people in the European Union (EU) live with a mental health condition and many of these cases are deeply tied to difficult life circumstances and long-standing inequalities.
Mental and Physical Health Are Inseparable
When your body suffers, your mental health often follows. And when your mind is overwhelmed, it becomes harder to care for your physical health. This two-way relationship is undeniable. People living with mental health conditions are more likely to experience preventable physical illnesses and those with physical health issues are more vulnerable to developing mental health problems.
As the European Mental Health Week campaign reminds us: Mental health is everyone’s business. We all have mental health – and we all live in environments that affect it, for better or worse.
Key Facts You Should Know
• Poverty is a major risk factor. People experiencing poverty are much more likely to suffer chronic anxiety and are twice as likely to develop major depression.
• Loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to global health data. It increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and even premature death.
• Violence and trauma raise the risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and can have lasting effects on a person’s ability to trust others, regulate emotions, and maintain relationships.
• Children exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as neglect, abuse, or growing up in poverty are at significantly higher risk of mental health problems later in life.
Building a Mentally Healthier Society
Mental health isn’t just about access to treatment. It’s about prevention. Prevention means ensuring people have:
• Safe, stable, and affordable housing
• Access to decent work with fair pay and healthy conditions
• Strong social support networks
• Equal access to quality education and healthcare
• Protection from violence, racism, and discrimination
This is the central theme of European Mental Health Week, an initiative by Mental Health Europe. It calls on governments, organizations and communities to recognize that creating fairer societies is one of the most powerful ways to protect mental well-being.
A society where people are supported and included is a society where mental health thrives. Mental health promotion and prevention must be at the heart of all policies, not just healthcare policies. Because when you fix the root causes, you reduce the suffering before it starts.
More Articles →
