Did you know that our mental health often depends on what kind of house we are living in? We all consider our house as the safest place where we can sleep peacefully.
Poor housing, such as the following might exacerbate our mental health issues.
- Having damp and mould issues
- Unfriendly neighbours
- Ambiguous leases
- Overcrowding situation.
In 2004, nowmedical, which is one of the top UK companies providing housing medical advice was founded.
There are several physicians and psychiatrists involved in this team who are considered an expert in the area of:
- Housing
- Medical evaluation.
A survey revealed that about 20% of people must have suffered mental health issues because of poor housing.
People with poor housing are likely to have mental health issues due to the following reasons:
- People who live in certain rented housing are 50% more prone to such issues
- Those who are unhappy with their home are sure to have such issues
- Both the above are four times more likely to cause their health.
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How your housing is linked to your mental health?
Our mental health can be negatively impacted by housing issues in many different ways. However, there are a few typical mental health issues that you could have if your home situation is problematic:
1. Stress or anxiety
You may experience tension or anxiety if you reside in a dangerous or congested area. Additionally, the cost of your rent or the people you live in an apartment can cause stress.
In an environment where you don’t feel safe or at ease, such as where you reside, some mental health issues might make you feel anxious. Or they could make you feel uncomfortable with strangers.
2. Sleep problems
If you live in an unpleasant, crowded, or noisy environment, you may have sleep problems. Your ability to sleep well could also be impacted by housing-related stress or anxiety.
Insufficient sleep can cause mental health issues or make pre-existing issues more difficult to manage.
3. Depression
You might feel low on yourself or depressed as a result of housing troubles. Often people who are mostly doing travelling jobs may often have uncomfortable relationships with their spouses.
Also, it is very likely that such people may get a feeling of loneliness as mostly they need to stay alone. When they return back to home, they may feel uncomfortable with their own family too.
4. Addiction issues
Some people are also addicted to alcohol or drug abuse. Although this may not be treated as a mental issue, however, for such people often it is very difficult to find a suitable house.
This can also be a reason to cause mental health too if it becomes difficult to get a proper house for living in.
A few crisis homes provide rigorous short-term care as an alternative to entering a hospital or as a follow-up to an inpatient stay. Usually, a mental health specialist will have to refer you.
When you are discharged, you may be eligible for free aftercare if you were hospitalized under the Mental Health Act.
This may involve housing with support. Discuss this with your care team members or your care coordinator.