It\u2019s Mental Health Awareness Week, an initiative designed to promote understanding and reduce stigma of mental health.<\/p>\n
This year, the theme is \u2018community\u2019, which aims to highlight the importance of connections with others, and how being part of a community can provide a sense of belonging, support and safety.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to know the signs of poor mental health, and how to improve it<\/p>\n
According to mental health statistics UK 2025, conducted by Priory, one in four adults in England will experience a mental health problem each year.<\/p>\n
These numbers give indication as to why the conversation surrounding mental health should be ongoing and also highlights the importance of knowing what it is and the signs to look out for.<\/p>\n
We spoke with registered counsellor at BetterHelp, Brian Back about some telltale signs your mental health may be suffering, and solutions to help people feel better and get back on track.<\/p>\n
As soon as our sleep starts to suffer, our mood starts to suffer<\/p>\n
Changes in sleep:<\/strong> \u201cIf people start to really struggle with their sleep, such as not getting enough hours of sleep, or if it seems like however much they sleep, it just doesn\u2019t feel like it\u2019s enough \u2013 all of those could be signs they are having difficulty relaxing and switching off their minds,\u201d Back says.<\/p>\n \u201cNot getting enough sleep can be an issue that drags us down in many ways \u2013 physically, emotionally and mentally.\u201d<\/p>\n He adds: \u201cA lack of sleep can lead to mood swings and getting irritated really easily. As soon as our sleep starts to suffer, our mood starts to suffer and is much more likely to make us become irritable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, if this does happen and we become snappy it can become a problem that not only impacts us individually, but also our relationships or work.\u201d<\/p>\n A struggle to focus or concentrate:<\/strong> \u201cWhen struggling with mental health, people often find it hard to focus because their mind is going everywhere.<\/p>\n They can also feel a little shaky feeling in their stomach, which further increases the difficulty to focus on anything,\u201d Back says.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a really important sign that something may be going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Changes in appetite: <\/strong>\u201cVery often, if we\u2019re feeling anxious it can make it hard to want to eat. If we\u2019re feeling shaky and our minds are constantly racing, it can be hard to even notice that we\u2019re feeling hungry and that we need to eat,\u201d Back says.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the other side, we might start to eat more.<\/p>\n \u201cOften people comfort eat when they aren\u2019t feeling great \u2013 particularly carbs \u2013 which can lead to them feeling a little bit slow and stodgy and even gaining weight, which could exacerbate these feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n Social isolation:<\/strong> \u201cI believe everyone noticed isolation in particular as we went through and came out the other side of the Covid pandemic,\u201d Back says.<\/p>\n \u201cA noticeable sign that\u2019s connected to low mood is when people become more isolated.<\/p>\n \u201cVery often, the way we deal with feeling like this is to isolate from people. We start to tell ourselves that people wouldn\u2019t want to hear from us again, and so often you hear people saying they don\u2019t want to be a burden. However, it is at these times what we actually need is the opposite of what we believe.\u201d<\/p>\n Back explains that we all have trackers for our physical health through watches, apps and many other metrics. He says that keeping on top of these signs and being aware of them can be a way to track our mental health.<\/p>\n \u201cI always advise my clients to have regular, at least daily, check-ins and to do the three W\u2019s as a journal or conversation prompt,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n The Three Ws:<\/strong> \u201cThe first is to ask ourselves \u2013 what am I feeling? This is the most important and the best way to start getting in touch with our feelings and know that we need to listen to them \u2013 which very often people don\u2019t,\u201d Back says.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have such a tendency to lock our feelings away,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s really important to check in and ask ourselves this question.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom there, once we have maybe noticed we are feeling something, the next question is \u2013 why might I be feeling like this? This could be because of an argument with a partner that didn\u2019t go that well or perhaps your boss asked to see you and you\u2019re worried. Whatever it might be, we need to recognise we\u2019re feeling it and where it came from.<\/p>\n \u201cThe final step is \u2013 what might I need to do about it? Maybe you need to check in with your partner and say you\u2019re not sure how the last conversation went and ask how they are feeling, perhaps getting more exercise or focusing on your sleep routine could help. Whatever the situation is, going to face our fears rather than sitting with anxiety or low feelings is often such an important strategy.\u201d<\/p>\nA lack of sleep can impact your home and work life<\/p>\n
One in four adults in England will experience a mental health problem every year<\/p>\n
Not getting enough sleep can be an issue that drags us down physically, emotionally and mentally<\/p>\n
Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday, May 18, has the theme \u2018community\u2019<\/p>\n