Appeals from the Mental Health Foundation

Mindfulness can make a difference to lives

Dr Jonty Heaversedge is supporting ‘Be Mindful’ – a campaign by the Mental Health Foundation to raise awareness of the benefits of Mindfulness for overcoming depression.

Help us make this hugely beneficial treatment more readily available.

Please support our Mindfulness Appeal

Christmas Appeal 2009

Throughout the last six decades we have pioneered new ways of looking at mental health and how to improve the lives of people experiencing mental illness.

Generous supporters like you have helped to make so many achievements possible in 2009, our Diamond Jubilee year.

Please help us to reach as many people in 2010.

Together, we can help young carers get the support they so desperately need

Our research has uncovered that thousands of children who have a mentally ill parent, like Jack, are looking after themselves and their parent - totally alone.

Many children are too frightened to speak out about their situation in case they are put into care. What’s more, most children in this situation do not know where they can seek help.

We want to help them access the support they so desperately need. The support you give can literally change their life.

Please support our young carers appeal

Support our appeal to help people overcome devastating anxiety

We all know what it’s like to feel frightened. But for 1 in 7 people in the UK, persistent feelings of overwhelming fear and anxiety are debilitating.

Many people are ruled by their anxiety, unable to do the simple, everyday things that most of us take for granted - like going to work.

When this happens life becomes all about what you CAN’T do. Can’t sleep, can’t concentrate, can’t eat, can't see friends. Some people can’t even leave their house. This has a devastating impact on their lives, and the lives of people they love.

But with the right support you CAN overcome anxiety.

Please support our campaign appeal

Our secret weapon for fighting mental illness: Research

Research is at the heart of our success. Since our creation 60 years ago, high quality research has been the cornerstone of carrying out our founders’ mission - to fight the cruel devastation caused by mental illness.

Yet we face the same funding problems now as we did then. Today mental health research accounts for just 6% of the UK’s total spend on health research.

Please support our research appeal

Christmas appeal 2008

People often steer clear of people in distress. They're scared of saying the wrong thing, or getting into a situation they can’t handle.

We want to show people that they can ease someone else's desperation.

Read more about our Christmas appeal 2008

Older men at greater risk of depression

Older men are often the most isolated people in our communities.

Unsurprisingly, depression is rife among these men, but they are also among the people least likely to ask for help.

Read more about our appeal to reach out to isolated and vulnerable older men  

Breaking down the taboo surrounding mental illness

Many people in our society are still too embarrassed to admit they want to talk about mental health problems.

Yet so much unnecessary suffering could be avoided if people felt able to ask for the support they need, before it’s too late.

Read more about our appeal to get mental health out into the open

Self Management

Our research has found that people have discovered their own ways to control serious mental health problems.

Often these self-discovered therapies do as much to improve their mental health as the medical treatment they are receiving.

But we know there are many more people who could benefit early on from self-management.

Read more about our work to promote self-management

Supporting families living with serious mental illness

Thousands of children in this country grow up with parents who have serious mental health problems.

The pressures and anxiety of living with mental illness can often result in children developing emotional problems themselves.

We are determined to make sure these children receive the support they need.

Read more about our work to support families living with serious mental illness

Recovery

Mental health problems can often send our relationships into turmoil and take away opportunities for living a fulfilled life.

Yet crucially these are the things that are needed to help the recovery process.

One neglected area we are working in is developing the services people need to achieve their ambitions by accessing the opportunities that the wider community enjoys.

Read more about our recovery appeal

Talking Therapies

55% of GPs believe that talking therapies are the most effective way to treat depression, yet 78% have prescribed drugs while believing an alternative would be preferable.

We are campaigning to make sure that talking therapies are available to anyone that needs them. 

Read more about our campaign for talking therapies

Mental health in later life

Around 16% of suicides in the UK are by people over the age of 65 and 1 in 5 people over 65 suffers from depression.

Conditions like depression can be beaten if older people are helped to tackle the routes of the problems, not just symptoms.

Read more about our work to promote mental health in later life

The Mental Health Foundation is a member of the Fundraising Standards Board, and is committed to the highest standards in fundraising practice.

As such, we aim to adhere to the Fundraising Standards Board’s Fundraising Promise and the Codes of Fundraising Practice, as established by the Institute of Fundraising