A startling new survey has revealed a significant lack of awareness of mental illnesses, and the level of care needed for those living with them in the UK.

The study suggests that some 86 per cent of Britons believe that a patient should be seen by a consultant if they have cancer, yet the vast majority do not believe those living with conditions such as bipolar disorder, addiction or eating disorders need to seek professional help.

In terms of the latter, only 59 per cent of respondents told the survey that they thought a person with an eating disorder should be referred to a doctor, a report in The Huffington Post reveals.

This is despite the fact that the NHS classifies most types of eating disorders as ‘Severe Mental Illnesses’.

In fact, the NHS largely defines mental health conditions as falling into one of two categories, which are:

• Common Mental Disorders (CMDs).
• Severe Mental Illnesses (SMIs).

Typically, CMDs comprise of anxiety, depression and other conditions that can cause emotional distress, while SMIs are longstanding conditions that are though to potentially lead to long-term disability.

CMDs are usually managed by GPs, whereas SMIs are often referred to specialist teams of consultants or psychiatrists.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists, which carried out the survey mentioned above, is calling for better public education concerning mental illnesses following the worrying study results.