What is Mental Health
What is Mental Health?
Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. We all have mental health. Our mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It also impacts on how we cope, interact and form relationships with others, as well as our daily functioning.
Our mental health can vary and be dependent on a number of factors which may include;
- The number of demands and stressors we have
- Our physical health
- Significant life events
- How much sleep we get
- Relationships with other people
- Our diet/ nutritional intake
- Environmental, societal and cultural factors
- How much we engage in leisure activities, hobbies and interests
What is Mental illness?
Mental health is different from mental illness (which can also be referred to as having a mental health disorder). Poor mental health and struggling to cope is also different from having a mental illness. A mental illness or mental health disorder is an illness that affects that way people think, feel, behave, or interact with others. There are many types of mental illnesses/ health disorders with different signs and symptoms.
Generally, the difference between poor mental health and a mental illness is the nature of and degree to which the difficulties someone is experiencing are having on their wellbeing and functioning (socially, occupationally and academically). Mental illness typically has more of a significant detrimental impact across many areas of an individual’s life than episodes of poor mental health which may be situation specific or time limited.
Our mental health can fluctuate along a continuum, varying from a person having good mental wellbeng and no diagnosed mental illness, no diagnosed mental illness but poor mental health, diagnosed mental illness and poor mental health or living with a diagnosed mental illness and have positive mental health.
Supporting your mental health
We have a range of resources and services, including our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme helpline
Find out what's available
Help to Manage and Reduce Stress
Find support and advice for managing and reducing your own stress. Find out how to support someone who is experiencing stress.
Find out what support is available
Workplace health
Advice on occupational health and disability support
Wellbeing Rooms
Take time to look after your physical and mental health
Tackling bullying, harassment or discrimination
Our Report and Support platform provides confidential support if you think you have experienced or witnessed any form of bullying, harassment or discrimination.
Mediation
Our Mediation Service can help you address an issue or concern, or resolve a disagreement or conflict in a safe and supportive environment. It examines the relationship and communication between two parties.
Wellbeing through change
Everyone experiences change differently. For some people, change can have an impact upon personal wellbeing and resilience levels.
These resources have been collated to support your wellbeing if you feel you are impacted by change.
Learning and Development toolkits
- Top tips for taking care of yourself
- Top tips for good mental health
- Coping with uncertainty
- How to build personal resilience
Interactive workshop
Guidance for managers
As a people manager you may be responsible for staff who experience change. These resources will help you to support your team through change, including anyone whose wellbeing is affected. Don't forget that your wellbeing too can be impacted by change.
- Managers' Essentials pages - Supporting wellbeing
- Managers' Essentials Guidance - Wellbeing
- Managers' Essentials pages - Leading through change
- Change Management Essentials
- Sixty second skills Wellbeing Videos
- Learning and Development Toolkits: Tips for improving the psychological wellbeing of your team, Recognising symptoms of stress
- How to help your team thrive
- Wellbeing for managers workshop