Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Basically, it is all about how people think, feel, and behave. 

Mental health also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through to adulthood.

Over the course of your life if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:

  • Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
  • Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
  • Family history of mental health problems

Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.

Here is a list of  some feelings and behaviours which can be an early warning sign that you might be struggling with your mental health. Don't worry, there's lots of help available. 

  • Eating or sleeping too much or too little
  • Having little or no energy
  • Feeling helpless or hopeless
  • Pulling away from family, friends and activities that you usually enjoy
  • Shouting or arguing with family and friends
  • Feeling more upset, worried, angry, forgetful, confused or scared than usual
  • Feeling numb or like nothing matters
  • Having unexplained aches and pains
  • Thinking of harming yourself or other people
  • Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
  • Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
  • Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
  • Worrying about things that don't usually worry you
  • Having thoughts and memories that you can't get out of your head.

Positive mental health allows people to:

  • Form and keep good relationships with friends and family
  • Realise their full potential such as do well at school or footabll
  • Cope with the stresses of life, things like friendship worries or difficulties at home
  • Concentrate when doing things like schoolwork or homework

There are things which we can all do to help maintain positive mental health including:

  • Talk with trusted adults or friends
  • Ask for professional help if you need it (like Mindworks Surrey, and many more organisations)
  • Spend time talking and being with other people
  • Stay positive
  • Do something relaxing like listening to music or watching TV
  • Do some mindfulness or breathing exercises
  • Do something active, like walking, swimming or playing sport
  • Get enough sleep
  • Eat a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water
  • Developing coping skills
  • Avoid caffeine, drugs and alcohol

We help and support children and young people in Surrey who are feeling very sad, worried, angry or upset. We help you to work out difficult thoughts and feelings and learn new skills so that you find it easier to deal with those feelings and have a happier life. We also help parents or carers so that they can help you too. We look at relationships in the family and encourage friendships at home and school. We can help if you:

  • feel sad or like you don't want to be here any more
  • have problems with your family, friends or at school
  • hurt yourself or want to hurt yourself
  • feel anxious and scared
  • have problems eating or with food
  • have trouble sleeping or talking
  • hear voices or see things
  • feel angry or are struggling to control your behaviour or temper.
  • find it hard to concentrate or get on with friends
  • have to check or repeat things, or worry about germs
  • don't like yourself or have low self-confidence

A teacher, parent or your carer may notice that you are finding it difficult to cope with your feelings and situations such as finding school difficult or having lots of worries. They will ask for help and advice from us on how best to help you.

You may have come to this website from school, college or university, or maybe your GP has told you about us. If you or someone you know thinks you need some extra support then you are in the right place. We are here to help children and young people, like you, and their families to work out difficult thoughts and feelings and equip them with more skills so they can get on better with life.