ABSTRACT
In the search for clues about how it might be possible to prevent mental ill-health, an obvious place to start is with a profile of those who have experience of it, to see if there are any obvious social factors that appear to distinguish their lives or their circumstances. Following the concern that too many trivial problems may now be assumed to be medical conditions, it may also be instructive to examine the profile of disorders for which people consult a doctor, and which people and how many do so. What proportion of disorders clear up quickly, how many become long-term conditions, and what we know about the difference are also important to explore, given the much greater impact on home and work lives that follows from long-term conditions. Their greater cost to individuals, families, employers and society means these are arguably the more important public health focus.
