Mental health is an everyday issue which can affect families, schools, workplaces and leisure activities. Good mental health contributes to the social, human and economic capital of society. Mental ill health can drastically reduce the quality of life of affected individuals and their families. This is not only a challenge for the health sector. It is among the top three reasons for absence from work and a leading reason for people taking early retirement or a disablement pension. It also imposes significant costs on society and the economic, education, social, criminal and justice systems. The most common mental disorders in the EU are anxiety and depression, but there are significant inequalities between and within Member States and initiatives are usually fragmented.
