One in five Britons has consulted a counsellor or a psychotherapist

Almost one person in five has consulted a counsellor or psychotherapist, while almost half the population know someone who has, according to a survey by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), which suggests that the stigma attached to "talking therapies" is disappearing. The association says that attitudes towards counselling and psychotherapy appear to have changed markedly since it conducted a comparable investigation in 2004.

The current survey found that 94% of people now consider it acceptable to have counselling and psychotherapy for anxiety and depression, compared with just 67% in 2004. Similarly, public acceptability of therapy for divorce or relationship breakdown has risen from 52% to 85% over the past six years.

The survey found that 88% of people believe that counselling and psychotherapy should be available to all on the NHS, compared with 68% who share similar views towards IVF treatment. More than nine out of 10 believe that it is "more acceptable to talk about emotional problems than it was in the past".

"This survey represents a significant shift in people's attitudes towards therapy – practically a revolution – at a time when mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are far more common than was realised," said the association's president, Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University. "Mental health conditions currently affect one in six of the population at an annual cost to England alone of £77bn. It's no accident that the growth of the problem has encouraged mass support for more effective treatments," said Cooper.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 1.3 million people a year receive treatment for mental health problems. The ONS also estimates that 0.5% of people have "probable psychotic disorders" such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or severe depression which need intensive treatment. The ONS found that those with neurotic disorders were more likely to be women, aged between 35 and 54, who were separated or divorced and living alone or as single parents. One study estimated that seven out of 10 people on incapacity benefit have mental health problems.

The BACP's findings are likely to once again focus attention on the debate over how best to treat mental health problems at a time of budget cuts. Some 39 million antidepressant prescriptions are issued each year in the UK, leading to claims that doctors are overly relying on pills that only treat the symptoms, not the cause, of depression.

The survey of 1,400 adults, conducted by an independent polling agency, found that 83% believe it is better to talk to someone about their problems than to take medication. "People with mental health problems still face long waits and the therapies available are not necessarily suitable to their condition," said Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity Sane.

"We are concerned also that the pressures on mental health budgets will mean that this form of help is rationed even more, particularly for those needing long-term treatment for serious underlying conditions such as anxiety disorder or depression."

The survey also found that people are no longer leaving it to the last minute to seek professional support. Most now accept that getting help can stop their condition from deteriorating. This view is shared almost universally – nearly 95% of those polled believe that "it is a good idea to seek counselling or psychotherapy for a problem before it gets out of hand", while 88% thought that "people might be happier if they took action to talk to a counsellor or psychotherapist about their problems".