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Understanding mental health
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health, and it can ebb and flow throughout our lives. Find out more about some of the most common mental health conditions that might affect you, your colleagues and your loved ones.
Dealing with a mental health condition can be a long and difficult journey, requiring understanding not only about the condition itself but also on what you can do to help yourself and others. Before starting your journey, why not complete our short wellbeing assessment which will provide you with a personalised wellbeing rating based on your responses, and will assist you in identifying the help that might be available to support your mental wellbeing.
Mental health
“I’ve got your back”: how reaching out could change someone’s life
When it comes to mental health, small gestures of support can make a world of difference. We asked eight people who were offered a helping hand at work when they needed it the most to tell us what it meant to them.
Asking for help, movement and mental health with Kevin Braddock
Listen in as we talk about asking for help, movement and mental health with Kevin Braddock, author, psychotherapist and founder of The Soma Space. We discuss Kevin’s experience with anxiety and depression, the importance of movement in recovery and a simple way to get your day off to a great start.
How to talk to your GP about your mental health
Get the most out of your GP appointment with top tips to help you prepare.
Nine ways to support colleagues with their mental health
Learn how you can support others with their mental health and why it’s important.
How to be your own mental health ally
From shushing your relentless inner critic to the importance of learning from your good days, Andrea Woodside, wellbeing training lead at the Retail Trust, explains to editor and writer Miranda Eason how to be a brilliant mental health ally to yourself.
Glossary of mental health terms
Get to grips with the key mental health terms and acronyms with our back-to-basics glossary.
Six steps to having a supportive mental health conversation
If you spot someone struggling at work, these tips can help you to have a supportive conversation.
Get more men talking
Book of Man editor Martin Robinson hosts an enlightening conversation that tackles male mental health head-on, looking at where we are now and what needs to happen next to encourage more men to open up.
Mental health clubs for men
Find support and friendship at grassroots clubs for men based around talking, walking and sharing skills.
Men, it’s OK to reach out, and here’s why it’s important
When was the last time you spoke to a friend, colleague or family member about how you feel? How you really feel? Gender stereotypes can be damaging for both men and women, and when it comes to opening up about our mental health, for many men the pressure to be ‘strong’ or ‘the breadwinner’ has led to a culture of silence.
How to be a mental health ally
Wellbeing 101: supporting a friend who is struggling with their mental health
Want to be there for your friend, but no idea what to do? We asked the experts for advice to help you help them.
Glossary of mental health terms
Get to grips with the key mental health terms and acronyms with our back-to-basics glossary.
Nine ways to support colleagues with their mental health
Learn how you can support others with their mental health and why it’s important.
How to be your own mental health ally
From shushing your relentless inner critic to the importance of learning from your good days, Andrea Woodside, wellbeing training lead at the Retail Trust, explains to editor and writer Miranda Eason how to be a brilliant mental health ally to yourself.
Take five: how to support a colleague in need
From practicing watchful waiting to making sure you have the necessary space and time to have a conversation, Andrea Woodside, wellbeing training lead at the Retail Trust shares practical advice to follow when you think a colleague is struggling.
Seven ways to find your cheerleaders
Four wellbeing experts explain the power of connection and how to find your tribe.
Low mood
Understanding low mood
Feeling low from time to time is part of life. Find out how to recognise low mood, what we can learn from it and tips to lift it.
Your wellbeing assessment
Complete our short wellbeing assessment which will provide you with a personalised wellbeing rating based on your responses and will assist you in identifying the help that might be available to support your mental wellbeing.
Depression
How to manage depression
There are various types of depression. Learn more about them, as well as the signs and symptoms of depression, self-help strategies and treatments.
Anxiety
How to manage anxiety
Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. Learn more about the causes of anxiety as well as tips for managing it, and ways to help someone who’s suffering.
Managing anxiety in testing times
From breathing techniques to guided imagery, try these tools to help manage anxiety levels.
Managing health anxiety
Health anxiety is an unfounded, sometimes all-consuming worry about having, or developing, a serious medical condition. Learn about managing health anxiety in these uncertain times.
Don’t panic: how to keep calm under pressure
Joshua Fletcher, aka The Anxiety Geek, is a psychotherapist and author who specialises in working with anxiety-related conditions. A previous sufferer of several anxiety diagnoses that followed a tragic life event, Josh is now one of the leading voices on anxiety disorders and he uses his knowledge to help and educate others through his best-selling self-help books, his podcast The Panic Pod and on social media @AnxietyJosh.
How to keep calm under pressure
Navigating stressful scenarios, managing conflict and how to thrive under pressure.
Maternal mental health
Understanding antenatal depression
Learn more about how pregnancy can affect mental health.
Understanding postnatal depression
Learn more about how becoming a parent can affect mental health.
Other mental health conditions
Understanding panic attacks
Panic attacks can be very scary and have a significant impact on quality of life. Learn more about them, as well as how to look after yourself and others during a panic attack, and ways to reduce your risk of further attacks.
Understanding post-traumatic stress disorder
Find out more about the symptoms, causes and treatments of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD)
Understanding obsessive compulsive disorder
Find out more about the symptoms and treatments of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Understanding seasonal affective disorder
Learn more about seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, including the symptoms and treatments.
Understanding phobias
Learn more about phobias, including the symptoms, types of phobias and treatments.
An A to Z of phobias
The following is not an exhaustive list of phobias but represent some of the more common ones.
Create your personalised toolkit
Personalise your experience by telling us what interests you. Simply select from the list of subjects available.
Change your mind? You can easily update your preferences at any time. Your information is kept safe and confidential at all times.
Here are some of the subjects we cover:
- Managing stress
- Giving up smoking
- Core skills to help you at work
- CV and interview support
- Redundancy
- Loss and bereavement
Customer resources
Understanding mental health resources
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health, and it can ebb and flow throughout our lives. The Retail Trust offers a range of resources to help you support your colleagues.