The average UK adult will say I’m Fine 14 times a week but only 19% will really mean it according to our survey for The Mental Health Foundation.
The survey was commissioned as part of the charity’s I’m Fine campaign which urges people to be more open and honest about mental health.
Almost a third of the 2,000 UK Adults surveyed admitted that they often lie about how they’re feeling to others and 75% admitted that they find it difficult to express their emotions.
Men were more than twice as likely to be dishonest to others when it comes to their emotions, with 22% admitting they always lie about how they feel, compared to 10% of women.
Women, however, are more likely to be hurt emotionally. 41% cent have regretted opening up to someone in the past, compared to 29% of men.
So why do we cover up how we feel? 34% of people who say they’re ‘fine’ do so for a response because it is more convenient than explaining how they really feel, while 23% say it because they think the person asking isn’t really interested.
The survey was accompanied by a poignant video and compelling news story created by our partners, 72Point which was distributed to the national print and online media. Both the video and the survey story landed on The Huffington Post, the MailOnline, Yahoo, The Metro and many more sites. You can view the full coverage here.
