What is mental health?

The Mental Health Foundation says that good mental health is characterised by a person’s ability to fulfil several key functions and activities, including:

• the ability to learn
• the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions
• the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others
• the ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty.

Factors that can contribute to poor mental health include:

• A mental health condition, such as depression, bipolar disorder or PTSD
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Fear
• Loneliness
• Illness
• Bereavement

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and it’s important to look after it. Having poor mental health can affect your physical health – and vice versa. Your mental health can also change over time.