Mental Health issues in England are frighteningly common. According to Mind – an advocacy group across England and Wales committed to making mental health an everyday priority – 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health disorder of some kind each year in England and 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health issue (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England.

The overall number of people reporting mental health issues has been dramatically increasing in recent years, as have reported suicide numbers. (Interestingly, before 2018, these numbers had been going down.)

The Mental Health Foundation, states that mixed anxiety and depression is Britain's most common mental disorder, with 7.8% of people meeting the criteria for diagnosis… and 4 to 10% of people in England will experience depression in their lifetime.

In the main, these issues stem from facing social inequality and disadvantage, discrimination and social exclusion, plus living through traumatic experiences and undergoing big differences in physical health.    

Artist Flip X, founder of The Colourblind and The Birds, is living with bipolar disorder. Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings from high to low. These symptoms can make daily life hard, affecting relationships and work. Mood changes can feel overwhelming, upsetting and difficult to deal with. Most people don’t understand bipolar disorder or have misconceptions about its effects. This in itself can be extremely distressing, especially if they’re people close to you.

Bipolar disorder is the fourth most common mental health problem worldwide after depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. Back in 2013, there were almost 4 million cases of mood disorders, including bipolar disorder, in the UK.

Flip X has decided to do something positive to address mental health in England. He has formed The Colourblind and The Birds and recorded a superb album, Baying for Blood. All the artists involved have generously donated their time to this excellent cause, so all proceeds from the sale of this album will go directly to Mind.