Information about mental health

Mental health difficulties affect one in four of us at some point in our lives. It sometimes help to think of mental health and mental illness separately.

Mental health

Good mental health means that we feel happy about ourselves, we have a sense of purpose and goals in life, we have a sense of belonging to a community, and we have good self-esteem and feel valued and feel in control of our lives.

Mental health difficulties are very common and it is likely that we will all experience some from of mental distress, for example after some life-changing event. In spite of the common nature of these problems, people experiencing them will often feel afraid that no one will understand them, or that what they are experiencing is unusual and out of the ordinary.

Mental illness

Mental illness is much more clinical, defined by symptoms and diagnosed by doctors. Treatments for mental illness are often based on medication but we can all take steps to improve our mental health whether or not we have a mental illness. This can help make the symptoms of illness become less distressing and more easily managed.

More information is available on the NHS Choices website.

Visit the NHS Choices website

Working for Wellness

Mental health difficulties should not be a barrier to achieving a successful and enriching life. Working for Wellness is a website that guides you through finding and keeping a job. The website provides resources for jobseekers, employees and employers in London.

Visit the Working for Wellness website