“I didn't know anything about mental illness before I was diagnosed, even after working as a nurse. Now I want to help others understand.”
Overview
There are many different types of mental health conditions and disorders, and a wide range of symptoms within each of them. They can be experienced on a sliding scale from mild to severe, and short-term to longer-term; with some being quite serious.
It's important for everybody to look after their wellbeing. Mental ill-health can happen to anyone, and it can strongly affect a person's behaviour, physical health, relationships, ability to do work, and even their feelings and perceptions of the world. With the right support, things can improve.
If you feel you need support, there are options available. Talking to people you trust is a first step, as is seeking professional support. Focusing on self-care and finding peers who have gone through something similar are a few other options.
Digital mental health resources can often be just as effective as talking to someone face-to-face. If you're not comfortable talking to someone in person, that may be the way to go. Whatever you choose, trust is a very important factor.
Head to Health is not here to diagnose or give clinical advice, but we can help in other ways. We can give you ideas on how to improve your overall wellbeing, and we can point you to the organisations and digital mental health resources that can best help with your situation.
A closer look
Helping yourself
Everyone’s situation and needs are different. What’s most important is taking the time to find what's right for you. There are some ideas below to get you started.
To discover what professional help is available, visit our professional support page or search for health professionals near you using the National Health Services Directory.
If you are caring for someone, you may find our page on support for carers useful.
You can also visit Sam the chatbot, who can guide you to some tailored digital resources. Or, if you know what you are looking for, you can search our digital resources.
If you need help urgently, click here.
Lived experience
Next steps
You might find online and phone-based mental health resources helpful. Some suggestions are below. You can find more with our Search tool (opens in a new tab).