Mental Health Support from The Mental Health Foundation
Information and Support on Mental Health
We’ve all been living through some uncertain and difficult times. Whether we are worried about global things like climate change - or facing difficulties at home, or with our thoughts. It is OK to feel overwhelmed, down, or anxious about things, and it may help to talk about how you're feeling.
For free, confidential support:
- Usually, your GP is the first place you should go to if you have concerns about your mental health that won’t go away – or if you have thoughts about suicide at any time.
- If your GP isn’t open or available and you need help, contact the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub by calling 111.
- You can talk to Samaritans, at any time of the day or night, on 116 123.
- You can message SHOUT to 85258 for 24/7 text support on your mobile.
- You can call Childline on 0900 1111. They also provide online information and resources 24/7, as well as live counselling services.
If you are a young person worried about your mental health, try and find someone you can trust to speak to about your concerns. A parent, teacher, friend, or youth worker could help.
For Scottish help pages and ideas on organisations that could help you with range of worries – relationships, money, violence and abuse, discrimination, housing, and immigration visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk/hope.
The Mental Health Foundation is the UK’s leading charity for public mental health.
Good mental health is important for individuals, communities, and nations - and from individual wellbeing to national policy, we can do better. As it stands, the people least likely to enjoy good mental health are those who face the greatest challenges and inequalities in life, and that must change.
In Scotland, MHF focuses on overcoming the root causes of poor mental health, particularly social injustice and inequality, to create a wellbeing society that supports good mental health for all.
Mental health is crucial for children, young people and families. The early years – the time from birth to around three years is a key time for establishing a foundation that will support our mental health throughout life and at any time, trauma and challenge can impact on young people’s lives. We know that 50% of mental health problems are established by the age of 14, and 75% by the age of 24. The Families, Children and Young People team at MHF Scotland is dedicated to changing this.
Find out more about some of Mental Health Foundation’s latest projects or check out the Resources for Schools page to access free resources including assembly plans and guides for parents and caregivers, pupils and school staff.
“To ensure good mental health we need hope. Hope of a positive future – for ourselves, our families, our friends, and our communities. However, optimism can be a luxury more readily available to people who have the resources and networks to feel secure. The root causes of poor mental health, including poverty and inequality, must be overcome if we are to ensure that every person can enjoy good health and happiness. The Hope Sculpture is a permanent reminder of the work that we must do to build a wellbeing society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Lee Knifton
Director of Scotland and Northern Ireland / Mental Health FoundationCreativity and being part of a major project like the Hope Sculpture can be amazing for young people’s wellbeing – and it’s been amazing to see the poems produced by the young people feature on the sculpture alongside some of Scotland’s most well-known artists. Young people have a unique way of working on a problem and coming up with ideas – their energy informs our work, and we know they will lay a huge role in pushing for action on climate change, and mental health going forward.
For fifteen years MHF has led the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival – one of the largest social justice arts festivals in the world. The Hope Sculpture provides a unique opportunity to use public art to open discussion on the kind of society we want and need in Scotland.
