King’s College London Study on Rising Mental Health Stigma | Minds in the Mountains
Change Is Needed: What We Can All Learn from King’s College London’s Mental Health Findings — and How Minds in the Mountains Fits In
Public attitudes toward mental health are slipping backwards — and it’s a worrying sign that change is urgently needed.
According to a new study by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’King’s College London warns mental health stigma in England is rising. Discover what we can all do to challenge negative attitudes, support others, and bring compassion back into everyday life.Mind, stigma towards people with mental health problems has worsened significantly between 2023 and 2024. The research, released on 15 October 2025 as part of Mind’s annual Big Mental Health Report, found that public prejudice has now returned to levels last seen in 2009 — undoing years of progress achieved by the Time to Change anti-stigma campaign.
Attitudes are backsliding
The King’s College study of 1,563 respondents revealed that:
More than one in ten people would not want to live next door to someone who has been mentally ill — the highest level of exclusion recorded in 15 years.
Support for community-based care has fallen from 83% in 2015 to 68%, and comfort with local mental health services has dropped from 70% to 63%.
Public belief that we should adopt a more tolerant approach to people with mental illness has fallen from 91% to 85%, now back to 2008 levels.
Researchers warn that negative political and media rhetoric — for example, labelling young people as “workshy” or misusing welfare — is fuelling a culture of fear and misunderstanding.
“The return of mental health stigma to levels last seen in 2009 is deeply concerning,” said Dr Amy Ronaldson, Research Fellow at King’s College London.
“It raises serious questions about whether individuals with mental health conditions are also facing increased discrimination.”
(Full report summary available at King’s College London).
Why this matters
Stigma doesn’t just cause hurt feelings — it shapes lives.
Research shows that stigmatising attitudes delay help-seeking and worsen outcomes for those experiencing mental illness (American Psychiatric Association).
And let’s be clear: people living with mental illness are not dangerous or broken.
They’re parents, sons, daughters, colleagues, and friends. In fact, studies show that people with mental health conditions are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators (National Library of Medicine).
Behind every diagnosis is a story — and often, deep courage.
What we can all do to help
1. Challenge stigma wherever you find it
If you hear someone being labelled or dismissed, speak up. Words matter, and small corrections can ripple into cultural change.
2. Educate yourself and others
Learning about mental health replaces fear with understanding.
Evidence shows that education combined with personal stories is the most effective way to reduce stigma (JAMA Network Open).
3. Show compassion, not caution
When someone shares that they’re struggling, believe them. Listen first — fixing comes later. A simple “You’re not alone in this” can change everything.
4. Support early intervention
Mind’s report highlights that youth service funding in England has fallen by 73% since 2010, leaving early help overstretched.
We need to push for better access and prevention, not just crisis response.
Where Minds in the Mountains fits in
At Minds in the Mountains, I see the impact of stigma first-hand.
Many people come on a guided therapy walk not just for reflection, but because it’s one of the few spaces they feel they can breathe — free of judgement.
Nature doesn’t ask for labels.
It doesn’t care about diagnoses.
It gives people permission to just be.
If we could bring that same non-judgemental space into our homes, workplaces, and communities, imagine what could change.
A call for compassion — and action
As Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind, said:
“When mental health stigma rises, life gets more difficult for people with mental health problems. Unless better systems are introduced as a matter of urgency, we risk losing a generation to poor mental health.”
Stigma thrives in silence, but empathy grows through connection.
Let’s lead with compassion, speak with honesty, and remember that change doesn’t come from systems alone — it starts with each of us.
If you’d like to learn more about nature-based approaches to mental wellbeing, visit Minds in the Mountains — a space to Reconnect • Reflect • Rebalance and rediscover calm through guided therapy walks in the Lake District.