There is "no benefit" in labelling life's ups and downs as "mental health problems", a psychologist has said.

In a recent podcast interview, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said he believes there is a danger of medicalising "the ups an downs of life" as mental health issues.

On The Hard Shoulder, Trinity College psychiatry Professor Brendan Kelly said he agrees that it is important that we avoid "over-medicalising things".

"The problems we face day to day, the problems we face at work, the problems with other people - they’re not necessarily mental health issues or mental illnesses," he said.

"I do think we need to think carefully so we don’t disempower people from finding solutions to problems in their lives by suddenly declaring that they are mentally ill.

"Some problems in life, the ups and downs of life, the stresses, some of the relationship consequences aren’t mental health problems - they’re life problems.

"There’s no benefit to labelling all these as mental health issues if it doesn’t empower the person to find solutions."

Evidence-base

Prof Kelly said when diagnosing depression, it is important that mental health professions stick to established criteria that corresponds with evidence-based treatment.

"For a diagnosis of depression, you would be looking to see if someone’s mood is low, but also if their sleep is disturbed, if their appetite is disturbed, maybe [they experienced] a loss of weight, a sense of hopelessness or a sense of helplessness," he said.

"The reason why we look for these symptoms before diagnosing something is because of the evidence-base for cognitive behavioural therapy."

Diagnosis

Prof Kelly said mental health diagnoses can be very positive for some people.

"It can be helpful for self-understanding, for validation - it helps them to reach out and talk to people with these conditions," he said.

"We see this a lot with ADHD  - where people who have had symptoms for a long time meet a professional who does an assessment and makes a proper diagnosis, and there can be a huge feeling of relief.

"There can be self-understanding and real progress."

A girl talks with a therapist, Alamy

Others may feel like a diagnosis "puts them in a box", Prof Kelly said.

"How and if diagnosis happens can be really powerful and it’s something that my profession need to take very seriously and ask themselves - does this person really have this diagnosis?

"How will this diagnosis help them? Will it be empowering or disempowering? Will it help them find solutions?"

Prof Kelly also said stress and unhappiness can "reach a threshold" where everyday problems develop into mental health issues.

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Feature image shows a distressed man receiving therapy, Alamy.