Understanding mental health

What is mental health?

Whilst we all have mental health, how we recognise ours and talk about it is very personal. Here the Mental Health Foundation defines it in a way that’s hopefully relatable to most:

“We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. Our mental health is how we’re feeling inside, or how we are emotionally. It’s a bit like internal weather.

Our mental health is at least as important as our physical health. It strongly affects our daily lives – how they feel to us, as well as our ability do the things we need and want to, including work, study, getting on with people and looking after ourselves and others.”

What affects our mental health?

In short, lots of things! Work-aside, there are many other factors and influences that can also have an impact, both positive and negative, some we can control and others we can’t.

Here are some recommended websites to help you better understand how you or someone close to you might be feeling, and why, based on personal circumstances.

Mental Health Foundation

Mind

Recognising the signs

It can be confusing, upsetting and isolating to not feel like yourself, but not know why. If you have been struggling or have noticed a change in someone close to you, the NHS explains some feelings and symptoms common with mental health problems.

Discover more here

Types of mental health problems

As research, awareness and information held out in the public domain all increase, our education and understanding of mental health conditions is improving. This allows us to become more understanding of the differences between us, appreciating different perspectives and how others’ day-to-day lives can be affected by the conditions they live with.

Our hope is that we can all become more knowledgeable, have more meaningful conversations and remove labels and stigmas, so that people feel comfortable to open up, share their vulnerabilities and ultimately seek and accept help.

Mind is a good place to start your education journey on different mental health problems and disorders – visit their website here, where you’ll also be able to download the information and navigate to lots of other useful information.

Please note that we are here for people facing and struggling with day-to-day mental health challenges and aren’t qualified to support people with serious mental health illnesses.

If you or anyone you know is in need of immediate help, please call 999, go immediately to A&E or call The Samaritans.

There is support waiting to help you, and you won’t be wasting anyone’s time.