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One in four people suffer mental illness at some point in their lives.
Everyone knows that. But where does that number come from? The answer may surprise. Join me, if you will, as I explore the biography of a statistic.
"1 in 4" is ubiquitous, at least in the English-speaking world. I can't think of another such number which is better known, except perhaps the fact that 1 in 3 people will suffer from cancer.
Anyone who's used the London Underground or watched British TV recently will be familiar with the Time to Change anti-stigma advertising drive. This £18 million campaign, run by the charities Mind and Rethink, is awash with "1 in 4"s, leftright and center. Mind have it on their About Us page. The BBC have it on their main mental health page. There's even a One in Four magazine.And so ...
