General Information about Mental Health
If you are in good mental health you can make the most of your potential, cope with everyday life and play a full part in your family, workplace, community and network of friends.
Everyone has times in their life when they feel low or depressed, anxious, or under stress. For some people these feelings become so overwhelming they produce physical or behavioural symptoms that affect the person’s ability to go about their normal daily life. Mental ill health or mental illness are broad terms used to describe a wide range of psychiatric illnesses.
Mental ill health can include problems with:
- how you feel, such as anxiety disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Depression
- how you think, such as personality disorders, Schizophrenia or Dementia
- how you behave, such as eating disorders or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Most mental health problems are usually treated by your GP, so if you think you or someone you care about might be showing signs of mental ill health, you should contact you local GP in the first instance
Leicestershire County Council and other local organisations can provide a number of mental health services including various support opportunities for Carers. We provide services in partnership with the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Other support programmes are also available from local voluntary organisations – you can search for them on the LAMP website.
You can also create an NHS Information Prescription about mental health or other specific mental health conditions
Information and advice is available via NHS Choices – Mental Health website or NHS Choices – Mental Health Helplines
- Contact your local GP in the first instance
- Contact us for an assessment.
- Mental health services
- Social Support for Adults Experiencing Difficulties with Mental Health (350kb .pdf)
- Mental health links
- Emotional health
- Safeguarding adults
- Charter for mental health
- Mental capacity
- LAMP - Mental Health in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland
- Gov.uk – Understanding the Mental Capacity Act
- Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
- NHS Choices – Mental Health
- Create an NHS Information Prescription
- NHS Choices – Mental Health Helplines
Page Last Updated: 13 May 2013
