The term ‘mental health’ means different things to different people. In essence it is all about how we think, feel and behave. Good mental health is when people are able to function in society, have fulfilling relationships with other people, cope with change and loss and meet the demands of everyday life. When people experience mental health problems, they often find that they have difficulties in some or all of these areas.
Everyone experiences emotional distress as part of the ups and downs in life and feelings of stress, anxiety or being low at some point are completely normal. Negative thoughts (often as a reaction to negative circumstances or events) during our lives are also normal and very common.
It is when these thoughts and feelings become so frequent or severe that they significantly disrupt our ability to cope with daily life and can become mental health problems. As such they can affect our mental and emotional capabilities (and in some cases aspects of our personality), our relationships, work and overall quality of life.
One in four people will experience a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year.
What should I do if I am experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties?
If you’re experiencing mild to moderate emotional difficulties, you are not alone. Many people experiencing stress, anxiety or depression often carry on with their work and everyday activities. You may feel up and down, but that is normal – we all feel like that now and then.
However, it is important to recognise when things are getting out of hand. If a problem is beginning to interfere with your ability to manage daily, then it is time to do something about it. The earlier you can learn to develop strategies to help yourself, the more likely it is that you will find ways of coping with these difficulties.
Call our freephone confidential Helpline to support you in understanding your emotions, thoughts and feelings. We will be able to help you make informed choices to address your mental wellbeing needs. We can advise you on self-help resources and local services or support groups that could help with your mental wellbeing
PHONE US ON: 0808 802 5000
Our helpline is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and is free from landlines and mobiles.
SMS TEXT – This service is for the deaf or hard of hearing: 07537 432 411 and is monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm.