--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since the Second World War, rates of…" description: "\"Since the Second World War, rates of common mental illness (depression and anxiety) have been increasing in the industrialized nations, whereas rates o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c2/richard-bentall-38053_anxiety_since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-comm_2528943.jpg" --- # Since the Second World War, rates of common mental illness… ![“Since the Second World War, rates of common mental illness (depression and anxiety) have been increasing in the industrialized nations, whereas rates of recovery from severe mental illness have not improved despite the availability of apparently effective therapies such as antipsychotic drugs.” quote by Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c2/richard-bentall-38053_anxiety_since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-comm_2528943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c2/richard-bentall-38053_anxiety_since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-comm_2528943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c2/richard-bentall-38053_anxiety_since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-comm_2528943.jpg) > “Since the Second World War, rates of common mental illness (depression and anxiety) have been increasing in the industrialized nations, whereas rates of recovery from severe mental illness have not improved despite the availability of apparently effective therapies such as antipsychotic drugs.” [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mental illness rates have risen while recovery rates stagnate despite available treatments. **In simple terms:** Depression and anxiety increase, recovery unchanged. Key Takeaway Address systemic factors beyond medication. Themes mental health public health pharmacology societal trends Mood concerned analytical Type academic research When to use this quote - public health planning - clinical research - patient advocacy - policy reform Key Concepts epidemiology treatment efficacy healthcare policy Questions to Reflect On - What non‑pharmacological interventions could improve recovery? - How do social determinants affect mental health trends? A Different Perspective Medication alone cannot solve complex mental health crises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Common man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-man/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Depression and anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression-and-anxiety/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Recovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recovery/) [Second world war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-world-war/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) ## Related quotes > [Depression is an illness that robs one of the meaning of life. Heal the illness. As the depression heals, enthusiasm, well-being, and a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/depression-is-an-illness-that-robs-one-of-the-meaning-of-life-heal/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Mental illness and depression are the reason why I no longer have a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-calloway/mental-illness-and-depression-are-the-reason-why-i-no-longer-have-a/) [Caroline Calloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-calloway/) > [I take medication every day for mental illness and depression and don't feel bad about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-take-medication-every-day-for-mental-illness-and-depression-and-don/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [“To differentiate between symptoms of depression and anxiety secondary to ME/CFS and psychiatric disorders, ask the patient what they will do the next time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-c-bested/to-differentiate-between-symptoms-of-depression-and-anxiety-secondary/) [Alison C. Bested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-c-bested/) > [High school was difficult for me because I was in the thick of dealing with my depression and anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-reinhart/high-school-was-difficult-for-me-because-i-was-in-the-thick-of/) [Lili Reinhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-reinhart/) > [Depression and Anxiety are the two great enemies of happiness, So always be happy & Keep smiling..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/depression-and-anxiety-are-the-two-great-enemies-of-happiness-so/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Depression and anxiety affect a huge number of us. It's so important that the barriers that keep us from talking, seeking out help, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-anderson/depression-and-anxiety-affect-a-huge-number-of-us-it-s-so-important/) [Jacob Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-anderson/) > [The interesting thing about depression and anxiety is that, it's not always wholly negative things that bring them on. Often times, those heavy swings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sullivan/the-interesting-thing-about-depression-and-anxiety-is-that-it-s-not/) [Chris Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sullivan/) > [“Scientists have found that the amount of time spent milkshake-multitasking among American young people has increased by 120 percent in the last ten years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-leaf/scientists-have-found-that-the-amount-of-time-spent-milkshake/) [Caroline Leaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-leaf/) > [We know that chronic loneliness has consequences. It certainly depresses our mood. And in terms of our health, people who struggle with loneliness also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-know-that-chronic-loneliness-has-consequences-it-certainly/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [To me, curiosity is married to optimism. And that's where a lot of my motivation comes from. A lot of my way out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/to-me-curiosity-is-married-to-optimism-and-that-s-where-a-lot-of-my/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [If you are at peace, you are living in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-you-are-at-peace-you-are-living-in-the-present/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I suffer from depression and anxiety, and having a show and having a character that portrays a young woman who is dealing with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-reinhart/i-suffer-from-depression-and-anxiety-and-having-a-show-and-having-a/) [Lili Reinhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-reinhart/) > [When I was Surgeon General, I spent a lot of time talking to people in living rooms and town halls all across the country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/when-i-was-surgeon-general-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-talking-to-people-in/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [“Postpartum depression and anxiety that 11-20% of women experience is not at all the same as the more commonly experienced 'baby blues' 80% of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-dippel/postpartum-depression-and-anxiety-that-11-20-of-women-experience-is/) [Judy Dippel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-dippel/) ## More by Richard Bentall > [Conventional psychiatry has emphasized the genetic roots of psychosis based on the claim that twin and other studies show that schizophrenia is 80% heritable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/conventional-psychiatry-has-emphasized-the-genetic-roots-of-psychosis/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [If we are to believe the evidence from clinical trials there are many effective pharmacological and psychological treatments for mental illness. Epidemiological data, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/if-we-are-to-believe-the-evidence-from-clinical-trials-there-are-many/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [Countries with the best-resourced medical services have the best outcomes for physical illness (it is better to have a heart attack in Washington or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/countries-with-the-best-resourced-medical-services-have-the-best/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [At the population level, making the world more just and less unequal, while trying to figure out the toxic aspects of the urban environmental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/at-the-population-level-making-the-world-more-just-and-less-unequal/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [There are many kinds of adult adversities that can provoke severe psychological distress, including debt and unemployment, dysfunctional marital relationships and occupational stress. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/there-are-many-kinds-of-adult-adversities-that-can-provoke-severe/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [Childhood trauma is not necessarily a prophecy of doom, because some children are resilient or because later experiences help to restore mental health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/childhood-trauma-is-not-necessarily-a-prophecy-of-doom-because-some/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [There is also evidence from epidemiological studies that psychotic-like experiences are much more common than has hitherto been thought (with about 10% of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/there-is-also-evidence-from-epidemiological-studies-that-psychotic/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [The only way you can estimate environmental influences is by measuring them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/the-only-way-you-can-estimate-environmental-influences-is-by/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [My interest in the psychological roots of psychosis has both personal (my brother Andrew committed suicide) and professional origins (I was trained in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/my-interest-in-the-psychological-roots-of-psychosis-has-both-personal/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [At the individual level, if we can identify the psychological mechanisms linking adverse environments to psychosis (and there has been a lot of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/at-the-individual-level-if-we-can-identify-the-psychological/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [There is almost no evidence that diagnoses such as 'schizophrenia' and 'bipolar disorder' correspond to discrete entities ('natural kinds' in the language of philosophy).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/there-is-almost-no-evidence-that-diagnoses-such-as-schizophrenia-and/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) [Explore all 12 Richard Bentall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since the Second World War, rates of common mental illness (depression and anxiety) have been increasing in the industrialized nations, whereas rates of recovery from severe mental illness have not improved despite the availability of apparently effective therapies such as antipsychotic drugs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Bentall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-common-mental-illness-depression/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-common-mental-illness-depression/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c2/richard-bentall-38053_anxiety_since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-comm_2528943.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c2/richard-bentall-38053_anxiety_since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-comm_2528943.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c2/richard-bentall-38053_anxiety_since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-comm_2528943.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since the Second World War, rates of common mental illness (depression and anxiety) have been increasing in…” — Richard Bentall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Bentall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since the Second World War, rates...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-common-mental-illness-depression/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/since-the-second-world-war-rates-of-common-mental-illness-depression/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```