What Matters To You about mental health support?

What matters to you about mental health support?

Getting access to services - and the right treatment - in the first place was raised by lots of people:

"Having access to medication e.g. HRT, setraline", "Reduced waiting times, being able to get the right support. Accessing treatment that actually helps and is personalised", "Intervention is early and timely. Care is delivered at the right level for my mental health needs", "Be seen in good time, there needs to be proper care in the community or where ever"

People also told us about the importance of being treated kindly: 

"People are treated as people, not numbers, and that goes for everyone,  people on wards,staff, and that people are not seen as a diagnosis or a burden", "Being treated with compassion".

Some people told us about care that wasn't right:

"My carers noticed I wasn't eating properly and stuff. I won't eat if it's not prepared properly and because they just don't listen to me. For instance, I asked what was in the fridge that was protein to make a salad. When there was no protein in it they said there was pasta in it".

"Services are chronically underfunded and need a lot of work".

Not everyone spoke about formal health and social care services - many spoke about other things that help their mental health:

"Access to the countryside or green spaces and rivers, exercise, food and time for reflection", "Drop in activities e.g. coffee mornings, warm spaces and youth clubs", "Able to talk to other people, places to meet and talk, and be involved in social activities", There are other approaches to mental health not just the medical model, they are too quick to jump to a medical approach", "Looking after yourself so you don't have to rely on extremely poor services"