Mental Health; personal and political

(written in May 2017)

Like all social movements, the Mental Health crisis is both personal and political ….

The Mental Health Foundation’s singular focus is finding and addressing the sources of mental health problems.  We are an organisation for all faiths and none, but as I look at the issue of poor mental health through the lens of my own faith, I find a parallel from Jesus’ approach in meeting the challenges we face today.  

Mental Health Awareness Week this year gave us the opportunity to ignite a national conversation about the importance of supporting good mental health. Reaching over 90 million people during the week, we asked one question: are we ‘Surviving or Thriving?’  

There are two strands in our journey towards a mentally thriving nation. The first is the personal, the things we can all do to better understand our mental health and know how to protect it.  This is a skill we are only just learning to master.  We often forget that just as with physical health there are things we can do that will make a real difference to sustainable and stable good levels of mental health.  The second part of the equation though is political; it is about the choices we are making as a society that impact our mental health.  This Mental Health Awareness Week we wanted to reflect on both the individual steps and political action necessary to prevent ourselves becoming ill but also to enable more of us to thrive in life with good mental health. 

Good mental health is about much more than just the absence of mental health problems; it is the capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is living life to the fullest (see John 10v10), fully engaging with our communities, families and friends while feeling able to cope with the stresses and challenges everyday life brings.  

The quality of our relationships and strength of our connections with those around us are one of, if not the biggest predictor of health across our life course, both physical and mental. Those with stronger relationships live longer, happier lives with fewer mental and health problems than those without. The ongoing Harvard Study of Adult Development proving this is almost 80 years old and serves as a rallying call for us to embrace our communities. 

The evidence points to religious and spiritual practice being a protecting factor in decreasing the risk of mental health problems.  Certainly, the scriptures contain great depths and richness which we can apply to our own lives and provide solace and comfort.  For example, the most often repeated phrase in the biblical canon is ‘Do not be Afraid’ which is a good starting point in any discussion around positive mental health.  

However, Jesus’ life also contained a political call to action in his attempt to challenge the vested interest and hegemony of the Sadducees who had accumulated wealth and privilege under Roman rule. His repeated call for greater social justice and in turning over the tables in the centre of the Sadducees power was an example of Jesus not accepting the status quo that excluded the many in favour of the few. 

And we too must ask what turning of the tables means in terms of mental health - especially when our mental health awareness week study found striking inequality; the poorer you are, the more likely you are to experience mental health problems.  We have a duty to look beyond placing the onus on the individual to build their resilience so as to not experience problems, and set our sights on the deeper problems and inequalities in society that are putting people at disproportionate risk in the first place. 

At the Mental Health Foundation, we challenge the idea that high levels of stress and anxiety are simply the price we pay to keep our lives on track.  Alongside equipping ourselves to understand our mental health better, we must turn the tables on excessive expectations, poverty and inequality that for so many undermines good mental health. Now, more than ever, we need to find ways of building our collective resilience, supporting each other to thrive. 

To find out more about the Mental Health Foundation’s work and how you can support us in our mission, visit  

Mark Rowland is the Director of Communications and Fundraising and the Mental Health Foundation. [photo headshot available]