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Understanding mental health
Dealing with a mental health condition can be a long and difficult journey, requiring understanding not only about the condition itself but also on what you can do to help yourself and others. Before starting your journey, why not complete our short wellbeing assessment which will provide you with a personalised wellbeing rating based on your responses, and will assist you in identifying the help that might be available to support your mental wellbeing.
Mental health | Maternal mental health | Low mood | Depression | Anxiety | Panic disorder | Bipolar disorder | PTSD | OCD | Borderline personality disorder | Schizophrenia | Seasonal affective disorder
Mental health
Finding support for mental health issues
If you have found it difficult to access mental health services in your local area, this article explores some of the options that are available to you.
How to talk to your GP about your mental health
If you’re feeling worried about speaking to your GP about your mental health, here are some tips to prepare for your appointment.
Biggest fight of my life – Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno MBE opens up to University of Reading students about his fight against mental health, and the power of activity and discipline, in an event to mark University Mental Health Day.
Maternal mental health
Perinatal depression
Pregnancy can be an exciting and happy time but for some women, perinatal depression can make the experience very challenging. Affecting up to 20% of expectant mums, this form of depression is serious and debilitating but help is available.
Postnatal depression
Welcoming a new baby can be one of the most exciting times in a person’s life but for some women, struggling with their mental health can mean that it’s not as enjoyable as it could be. Postnatal depression affects about 10% of new mums and it’s important to know where to get help if you’re affected.
The baby blues
About 80% of new mums experience the baby blues. While it’s a difficult experience, symptoms tend to lift within 14 days of giving birth. Learn what signs to look out for.
Low mood
Understanding low mood
Feeling low from time to time is a part of life, and we’ve all experienced periods of sadness, upset, and disappointment at some point in our lives. Low mood can be distressing, but there are things we can all do to recover and return to our usual routines.
Your wellbeing assessment
Complete our short wellbeing assessment which will provide you with a personalised wellbeing rating based on your responses and will assist you in identifying the help that might be available to support your mental wellbeing.
Low mood
Looking after your health and wellbeing is about looking after the whole of you. We are working with Turning Point to offer access to online information and advice along with evidence-based structured interventions on a range of wellbeing topics covering mind, body and behaviour.
Depression
How to manage depression
This article offers general information on depression and some of the ways you might choose to access support and manage your condition.
Learning to live with depression
Jake, who is 31 and lives with depression, shares his insights into living with depression and how connecting to and opening up to a wide online community has helped him.
I had a black dog, his name was depression
Millions of people around the world live with depression. In this short animated video and in collaboration with the World Health Organisation Matthew Johnstone tells the story of overcoming the “black dog of depression”.
Living with a black dog
Millions of people around the world live with depression. Produced by writer and illustrator Matthew Johnstone in collaboration with WHO, this video is a guide for partners, carers and sufferers of depression.
Loving and supporting someone with depression
Julia Christina talks about loving someone with depression, and shares some meaningful insights and tips of what you can do to help and support them.
Anxiety
Managing anxiety in testing times
The events of 2020 were for many people a turning point in their lives, joining people around the world as a collective for the first time in generations. For some, this change brings feelings of anxiety. If you are feeling anxious, we have collated some resources to support you.
Managing health anxiety
Health anxiety is an unfounded, sometimes all-consuming worry about having, or developing, a serious medical condition. Learn about managing health anxiety in these uncertain times.
How to manage anxiety
Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. This article looks at the causes of anxiety and options for managing it.
Anxiety
Looking after your health and wellbeing is about looking after the whole of you. We are working with Turning Point to offer access to online information and advice along with evidence-based structured interventions on a range of wellbeing topics covering mind, body and behaviour.
How to cope with anxiety
In her talk “How to cope with anxiety” Olivia Remes of the University of Cambridge shares her vision on anxiety and unravels ways to treat and manage this health disorder.
Dealing with anxiety at work
In this video Noah Elkrief talks about what it is that creates our anxiety at work and how to deal with it.
Tips to combat anxiety in public speaking
Getting nervous before and during a presentation is completely common, but you don’t have to let nerves effect your performance.
Panic disorder
Understanding panic disorder
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder which affects about 2% of UK adults. It causes panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of terror when there is no real danger.
Understanding panic attacks
Although panic attacks themselves aren’t life-threatening, they are very scary and can have a significant effect on quality of life. Getting support is important because treatments are available and can really help.
Bipolar disorder
Understanding bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental health problem characterised by marked changes in mood, ranging from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression). It’s thought that between 1% and 2% of the UK adult population live with this condition.
The science behind mood disorders
Mood disorders are complicated and rarely eliminated with a single cure. This video examines mood disorders and looks at the symptoms of depressive and bipolar disorder.
PTSD
Understanding post-traumatic stress disorder
A traumatic event can cause anyone to feel anxious, scared and distressed. It’s estimated that one in three people who have been exposed to a traumatic event will go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex-post traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD).
OCD
Understanding obsessive compulsive disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder, often referred to as OCD, affects approximately 1% of people in the UK. Categorised as an anxiety disorder, OCD is often misunderstood. Learn more about the condition and the treatments available.
Borderline personality disorder
Understanding borderline personality disorder
The term personality refers to patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. It’s believed that between 0.7% and 2% of the UK adult population meets the diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder. Find out more about the symptoms.
What causes borderline personality disorder?
Like many mental health conditions it is thought that a number of factors play a part in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Learn how genes, biology and the environment can have an impact.
Treatments for borderline personality disorder
As everyone is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating borderline personality disorder. However, treatment usually involves some type of talking therapy and may also include medication depending on the severity of symptoms.
Schizophrenia
Understanding schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe long-term mental health condition affecting roughly 1% of people in the UK. Treatments are available but lifelong monitoring is required to offer the best chance of returning to a life of quality.
Seasonal affective disorder
Understanding seasonal affective disorder
As the nights draw in, we can all feel ourselves becoming tired, low, and frustrated. But for about 3% of the UK population, this time of the year can cause a type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. This article explores the condition and treatments.
Create your personalised toolkit
Personalise your experience by telling us what interests you. Simply select from the list of subjects available.
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Here are some of the subjects we cover:
- Managing stress
- Giving up smoking
- Core skills to help you at work
- CV and interview support
- Redundancy
- Loss and bereavement