26% of people have suffered from mental health issues in their adult life.

One in four of English adults are being diagnosed with a mental illness, the annual health survey for England suggests.

The survey found that 26% of the 5,000 adults asked said they had received a mental health diagnosis.

The report found that, 19% of adults had been ever diagnosed with depression. This was the most common diagnoses. It always recognised that 8% of adults reported being diagnosed with panic attacks, and 6% with a generalised anxiety disorder.

The survey also found out about more serious conditions as well as more common disorders, with common ones being such as anxiety and phobias. This ranged up to more serious conditions such as bipolar and schizophrenia.

The survey found that rates of being diagnosed were higher in women at 31% than men at 17%. It was found that 19% of adults thought “one of the main causes of mental illness is a lack of self-discipline and willpower”.

Rachel Craig, from the Nationl Centre for Social Research which carried out the study said: “"This survey leaves us in no doubt as to the prevalence of mental ill health in England.

"Despite it affecting so many of us, prejudice against people with a mental illness still exists and there is some resistance to the provision of community care for people suffering with mental ill health.

"Men are more likely to hold prejudiced and less tolerant views than women. But there is evidence that if you know someone with a mental illness you are less likely to hold negative views."

The last time the occurrence of mental health disorders in England was in 2007. The survey called, Adult Psychiatric Morbidity in England, had found that 23% of people had reported a mental illness in that year.

This week Prime Minister David Cameron promised an “all out assault on poverty” of which included a series of reforms to better mental health services and various schemes.

Mr Cameron has called for a “more mature” conversation about mental health, he has said new mother and teenagers suffering with anorexia would be among those to benefit from an extra £1bn that was allocated in the Autumn Statement.

He has also promised more psychiatric support in hospital A&E departments and for community services.

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