The term mental health is used to describe a spectrum from mental health problems and disorders, through to mental wellbeing or positive mental health. This page is about where to get help and support if you need it, as well as how to protect and improve your own mental health and wellbeing. You can find out more about Mental Health in Ealing in the Ealing Strategy for Mental Health and Wellbeing 2017 to 2022.
Looking after your mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is the positive end of mental health, which refers to both feeling good, happy and enjoying life, and to doing well, such as having positive relationships with others and a sense of control and purpose in life. There are many ways in which you can look after your mental wellbeing and different things work for different people.
Five ways to mental wellbeing
The five ways to wellbeing (New Economics Foundation) are evidence-based steps you can take in your daily life to improve how you feel and function.
Connect
Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. For more information, check out:
Mental health foundation’s guide to investing in your relationships.
For children, young people and families - Ealing families directory and young Ealing
Some other community and voluntary sector opportunities include Do something good and Ealing community and voluntary service
Be active
Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Check out:
You can also download many free apps to encourage you to be active, including ‘One you active 10’, ‘One you couch to 5K’ ‘Change4Life fun generator’.
Take notice
Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. For more information, go to:
Mental Health Foundation’s Guide ‘how to look after your mental health using mindfulness’ and related website, Be mindful
You can also download many free apps to support mindfulness practice, including ‘Buddhify’ and ‘Bemindful’
Keep learning
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun. Why not explore:
Give
Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you. Here are some good place to start:
When life is difficult
We all experience difficulties with our mental health and wellbeing occasionally: it might happen if we are bereaved, become unemployed, are ill, lose our home or have a breakdown in a relationship. Sometimes there is not an obvious reason for feeling depressed, anxious or sad.
Usually we can cope with how we feel and will feel better when we have talked it over, spent time with friends, or picked up leisure activities we can enjoy. Often, we need help to do this and there are many ways to find that support in communities in Ealing. See the Ealing clinical commissioning group (ECCG) website for more information about where you can find help from community groups and voluntary sector organisations as well as NHS and council services.
If you are struggling
At least one in four of us will experience a diagnosed mental health problem in our life, and many more will struggle with our mental health and wellbeing. There is support and help available to you if you or someone you care for finds that they are not coping and cannot manage their day to day life due to their mental health. This can be found with your own GP surgery, in community teams, in hospital and in crisis.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health and experiencing distress, or are in crisis, or if you want information and advice about mental health, you can contact the West London mental health trust’s single point of access on 0300 1234244. Anyone can call the single point of access number 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year
You can also contact your GP, go to your local A&E in an emergency situation, or if you or someone else is in immediate danger call 999.