Eighty percent of the 400 respondents felt that people with mental health problems are not treated fairly in society.
But are these issues unique to Bangladesh? Or are there still lessons to be learned more widely about how people perceive poor mental health?
According to the Mental Health Foundation, in the UK, 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have negatively affected their lives. Many find it harder to find employment, participate in society, find decent housing or maintain a long-term relationship. Issues such as isolation, unemployment and homelessness can often further deteriorate people’s mental health. As such, millions of people find themselves stuck in a cycle of poor mental health because of the fear and shame associated with speaking up.
Stigma from the community can often manifest in attitudes that ostracise people who need help. The community survey conducted by our team in Bangladesh showcases this. While 90% of the respondents said that they would encourage a family member or friend to seek help for mental health problems, only 60% said they would be comfortable interacting with people experiencing poor mental health. Further to this point, close to half of them (45%) do not disagree that mental health as a matter of shame.
A similar reluctance to engage with poor mental health is also observed in the UK. A study undertaken in 2025 by Mind shows that, in comparison to earlier years, fewer people are comfortable about mental health services being delivered in their communities. (from 70% in 2015 to 63% now). 16% now feel that having these services in their neighbourhood downgrades their area. However, there is evidence that shows treating mental health in communities is better for both the individual and the community.
Stigma and discrimination are often exacerbated by poor access to mental health services. Studies often showcase the lack of availability of mental health services, referral numbers and how many people are seeking support. Rarely do they examine the different reasons that render people unable to access these services.
In the third quarter of 2024-25, 1.66 million people in the UK were waiting for community mental health care. Mental health accounts for over 20% of the overall disease burden in England, yet it receives less than 10% of NHS spending. In Bangladesh, the picture is even more bleak. The country has only approximately 270 psychiatrists per 21.25 million people experiencing more serious mental health conditions. Mental health services are also severely underfunded, with only 0.44% of the government health budget being allocated to the mental health sector. In rural areas where awareness of these services is even lower, people are at a severe disadvantage. An estimated 10,000 Bangladeshi people die by suicide annually; however, many households are still reluctant to speak about mental health.
While Lepra Bangladesh’s survey shows that stigma and discrimination remain significant barriers to accessing mental health services, these factors are being addressed by Lepra’s Mind to Heart project, funded by the Sasakawa Health Foundation. Working in partnership with the Bogura Federation, the project brings together a network of 101 community ‘self-support groups’ throughout Bangladesh’s Bogura District.
The project’s aims include lowering levels of anxiety and depression of people affected, alongside raising awareness of mental health issues in the community. Improving access to community and specialist mental health services is also key, alongside widening the capabilities of the Federation to serve as a centre of holistic care.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, it is important for us all to remember to be kind to the people around us, to ourselves and to address the stigma and discrimination that contributes to poor mental health, that continues to put so many lives at risk.
About the author
Sanjana Jayashankar is a political science graduate from LSE and Programme Officer at Lepra UK, with interests in gender, development, and South Asian politics research.
