Mental health is about how we think, feel, and behave. Sometimes people can struggle with their mental health, and this can be mild, moderate, or severe.
It’s important to know that everyone has mental health, just like we all have physical health. Sometimes we need help to feel better, and that’s okay.
What is a mental health condition?
There are many different mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
When you may need help for your mental health
We all have days when we are feeling down and perhaps struggle to get motivated or feel anxious about a situation. When it starts to affect your everyday life and stops you from doing the things you normally do, that is when you may need some extra support.
To understand how severe someone’s difficulties are, we look at a few things:
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How many symptoms they have and what kind they are
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How distressed or worried the person feels
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How much the symptoms affect daily life, like school, work, home, or friendships
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Any behaviours that could be unsafe for the young person or other people.
This will help us to understand if someone is experiencing mild, moderate or severe mental health difficulties.
Mild mental health difficulties
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A person has some symptoms
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They might feel upset or stressed
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They can still do most everyday activities, like going to school or spending time with friends
Moderate mental health difficulties
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A person has more symptoms
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These symptoms start to affect parts of their life, such as school, relationships, or hobbies
Severe mental health difficulties
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A person has many symptoms
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Their symptoms affect all areas of their life
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This may change how they behave, how they feel, and how they manage school, work, friends, and daily activities.
NHS mental health professionals use special guidelines (like DSM5, ICD-10/11 and NICE) to help understand what someone is experiencing. But clinical judgement (the professional’s expert understanding of the person) is also very important.
What causes a mental health problem?
A mental health difficulty can be experienced by anyone. It can be to do with what happens to you, the people around you, a family history of mental health, or a combination of these.
Feelings and behaviours that are difficult to cope with can also happen when you're not expecting them. If you experience a mental health difficulty, you’re not alone. One in five young people have a recognisable mental health condition - that’s around six children in every classroom.
Need help?
Find out how to get help in a crisis.
For details of local mental health services and support, visit the e-wellbeing website.