A-Z of mental health
Information and advice on a huge range of mental health topics
I'm living with a mental health problem
When you’re living with a mental health problem it’s important that you get the support you need, when you need it. Whatever your situation, having access to information puts you in control.
Choose one of the tabs below to get started.
I need support to cope
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Abuse by health and social care workers
Find out what abuse or neglect is, what care you can expect and what can be done if you think that you have been abused.
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Abuse support
Gives information that may help if you have experienced abuse.
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Addiction and dependency support
Gives information on where you can find support on addiction and dependency, which are often linked to mental health problems.
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Advocacy
Explains what advocacy is, what types of advocacy are available and how you might access them.
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Anger
Explains anger, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.
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Benefits
These pages contain some brief answers to some of the most common questions that our Infoline receives about benefits.
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Bereavement support
Brief advice on how to cope with bereavement.
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Children and young people
Gives information about where children and young people can get support with a mental health problem.
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Community care
Answers some of the common questions about community care and explains the options available.
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Complementary therapy
Explains what complementary and alternative therapy is, what it is for, what happens during therapy and how to find a therapist.
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Crisis services
A guide to crisis services with information about where you can go for support.
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Dialectical behaviour therapy
Explains what dialectical behaviour therapy is, what it is for, what happens during therapy and how to find a therapist.
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Financial help
Gives information about where you can get support with funding opportunities.
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Food and mood
A guide to food and mood, with information about what you can do to get support.
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Holidays and respite care
Information about support available to help you to go on holiday
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Housing
A guide to housing, with information about what you can do to get support.
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Insurance cover
A guide to insurance cover and mental health, with information about what you can do to get support.
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Loneliness
Explains loneliness, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.
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Medication
List of all psychiatric drugs currently available in the UK, with links to the relevant Mind information
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Money and mental health
This is the introduction to a section on how money issues can affect mental health - and vice versa.
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Parenting in a crisis
This information looks at some of the problems that can arise for parents and children, and suggests strategies for overcoming them as well as how you can get further support and help.
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Personal budgets
A guide to personal budgets for social care, with information about what you can do to get support
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Professionals and services - who's who
A brief guide to who's who in mental health, including details of where you can go for further information and support.
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Rights - community care and aftercare
Answers some of the common questons about community care and aftercare and explains the options available.
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Self-esteem
Explains how to increase your self-esteem, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.
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Sexuality and mental health
Gives information about mental health support for lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender people.
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Sleep problems
Explains insomnia and other sleep problems, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.
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Stress
Explains what stress is, including possible causes, and how you can learn to cope, with tips on how to relax.
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Stress- tips
Brief tips on how to cope with stress
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Student life
Explains the stress that students are likely to encounter as student life begins, and suggests ways of coping and where to go for support.
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Suicidal feelings
Explains what suicdal feelings are, including possible causes and how you can learn to cope.
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Wellbeing
Explains how to improve and maintain your mental wellbeing, whether you have a diagnosis of a mental health condition or not.
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Work
These pages are about staying well at work, whether you are trying to maintain a healthy working life, experiencing work stress, or trying to make a success of your job in spite of mental health problems.
I want to find out about my condition
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Anxiety and panic attacks
Explains anxiety and panic attacks, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Bipolar disorder
Explains bipolar disorder, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Body dysmorphic disorder
Explains Body dysmorphic disorder, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family
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Borderline personality disorder
Explains Borderline personality disorder (BPD), including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Depression
Explains depression, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family
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Dissociative disorder
This information explains what dissociation is and what types of dissociative disorders there are. It also discusses what might cause them and the options for effective treatment.
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Hypomania and mania
Explains hypomania and mania, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Mental health problems - early signs
Explains the early signs of mental health problems, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.
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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Explains obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Panic attacks
Brief tips about panic attacks and what might help
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Paranoia
Explains paranoia, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Phobia
Explains phobias, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Explains post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Postnatal depression
Explains postnatal depression, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Psychotic experiences
Explains pyschotic experiences, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Schizoaffective disorder
Explains schizoaffective disorder, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Schizophrenia
Explains schizophrenia, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Seasonal affective disorder
Explains seasonal affective disorder, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and suport. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
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Sleep problems
Explains insomnia and other sleep problems, giving practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support.
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Stress
Explains what stress is, including possible causes, and how you can learn to cope, with tips on how to relax.
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Suicidal feelings
Explains what suicdal feelings are, including possible causes and how you can learn to cope.
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Tardive dyskinesia
This information explains what tardive dyskinesia is, the risks of developing it and how it might be managed.
I want to find out about treatments
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Antidepressants
Explains what antidepressants are used for, how the medication works, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.
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Antipsychotics
Explains what antipsychotics are used for, how the medication works, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.
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Arts therapies
Explains what art therapies are, what they are for, what happens during therapy and how to find a therapist.
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Cognitive behaviour therapy
Explains what Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is, what it is for, what happens during therapy and how to find a therapist.
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Complementary therapy
Explains what complementary and alternative therapy is, what it is for, what happens during therapy and how to find a therapist.
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Dialectical behaviour therapy
Explains what dialectical behaviour therapy is, what it is for, what happens during therapy and how to find a therapist.
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ECT
Explains what electroconvulsive therapy is, what it is for and what happens during the treatment.
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Lithium and other mood stabilisers
Explains what mood stabilising drugs are used for, how they work, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.
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Medication
List of all psychiatric drugs currently available in the UK, with links to the relevant Mind information
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Medication - stopping or coming off
Explains issues faced when coming off medication, how to approach it, techniques for gradual reduction, possible withdrawal problems and how to tell the difference between withdrawal and relapse
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Neurosurgery
This information explains what neurosurgery is, when it is used, what its affects are, and the availability and success of the treatment.
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Rights - consent to treatment
Answers some of the common questions about consent to medical treatment and explains the options available.
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Sleep problems - tips
Brief tips on how to cope with sleep problems
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Sleeping pills and minor tranquillisers
Explains what sleeping pills and minor tranquillisers are used for, how the medication works, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.
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St John's Wort
This information explains what St John's wort is used for, how it works, possible side effects and interactions with other medicines.
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Talking treatments
Explains what talking treatments are used for, what happens during therapy and how to find a therapist.
I want to know my rights
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Advocacy
Explains what advocacy is, what types of advocacy are available and how you might access them.
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Aftercare under section 117 of the Mental Health Act
A brief legal guide to aftercare, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Clinical negligence
A brief legal guide to clinical negligence, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Community Treatment Orders
A brief legal guide to supervised community treatment, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Complaining about health and social care
A brief legal guide to complaining about health and social care in England or Wales, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Confidentiality and data protection
This legal briefing summarises the law on confidential information and the principles under which such information may be disclosed under the Data Protection Act 1998.
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Disability discrimination
A brief legal guide to disability discrimination, including details of where you can go for further information or support
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Human Rights Act
A brief legal guide to the Human Rights Act, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Legal Advice Service FAQs
Short answers to frequently asked questions on our legal advice service
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Mental Capacity Act 2005
A brief legal guide to the Mental Capacity Act, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Mental Health Act - the Mind guide
A guide to the Mental Health Act, with information about your rights and what you can do to get support
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Mental Health Act 1983 Amendments
A brief legal guide to the amendments made to the Mental Health Act 1983 by the Mental Health Act 2007, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Nearest relatives under the Mental Health Act
A brief legal guide to nearest relatives under the Mental Health Act, including details of where you can go for further information or support.
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Rights - civil admission to hospital
Answers some of the common questions about civil admission to hospital (often called sectioning) and explains the options available.
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Rights - community care and aftercare
Answers some of the common questons about community care and aftercare and explains the options available.
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Rights - consent to treatment
Answers some of the common questions about consent to medical treatment and explains the options available.
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Rights - discharge from hospital
Answers some of the common questions about discharge from hospital and explains the options available