Mental health and wellbeing

Suicide prevention and surveillance – Public Health Wales 

Mental health and mental wellbeing are related but different things. Both can vary overtime and are impacted by our environment and things happening to us and around us. 

‘Mental health’ is often used as short-hand for mental health problems or conditions, but just as with ‘physical health’ it can refer to a range of experiences. Just like our physical health we will all experience challenges to our mental health and wellbeing. Currently around 1 in 3 adults and 1 in 5 young people are experiencing low mental wellbeing. 

Mental wellbeing is the internal positive view that we are coping well with the everyday stresses of life. It is fundamental to our overall health. A state of positive wellbeing can be considered as “feeling good and functioning well.” It influences how we think, feel and act.  

Our individual mental wellbeing is shaped not only by our personal experiences, but also by the circumstances and communities we live in. Factors such as relationships, work, education, housing, safety, and connection all play an important role. 

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Mental health is a state of mental wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and wellbeing that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development. People with poor mental health can have a mental health condition but this is not always or necessarily the case. 

Mental health conditions is a broad term covering conditions that affect emotions, thinking and behaviour, and which substantially interfere with our life. Mental health conditions can significantly impact daily living, including our ability to work, care for ourselves and our family, and our ability to relate and interact with others. This is a term used to cover several conditions (e.g. depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia) with different symptoms and impacts for varying lengths of time, for each person. Mental health conditions can range from mild through to severe and enduring illness. People with mental health conditions are more likely to experience lower levels of physical and mental wellbeing, but this is not always or necessarily the case. You can live well while living with a diagnosed mental health condition. 

What can I do for my mental health and wellbeing? 

Take action for mental health and wellbeing: 

• Hapus is a space dedicated to mental wellbeing. Ideas and resources are shared to inform and inspire us all to take action to protect and improve our mental wellbeing and that of others. Find out more about Hapus 

• Melo Free self-help for your mental health and wellbeing. Melo contains information, advice and self-help resources to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing. Find out more about Melo 

• Reading Well for Health and Wellbeing in Wales supports you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using helpful reading available from public libraries. The books are all recommended by health experts, as well as people living with the conditions covered and their relatives and carers. Find out more about Reading Well for Health and Wellbeing   

Access support for mental health difficulties: Free, confidential support is available from: 

• NHS 111 Wales – Press 2 
  Urgent mental health support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for all ages. 
  Call 111 and select option 2. 
  https://www.gov.wales/nhs-111-press-2 

• CALL Mental Health Helpline for Wales 
  Confidential emotional support and advice, 24/7. 
  Freephone 0800 132 737 or text “help” to 81066. 
  https://www.callhelpline.org.uk/ 

• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Mental Health Support 

Helpline for anyone over 18 who identifies as Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups: 0800 144 8824 

• LGBTQ+ Wellbeing Support 

LGBT Foundation offer a wide range of specialist services: 0345 330 30 30 

• ACTivate Your Life 

A free self-help course to help you take greater control of your actions, so your life becomes more enjoyable and you feel better able to deal with worrying thoughts or feelings 

• If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit Staying Safe to create your own safety plan. 

If you are concerned that you or someone else is in immediate danger of harming themselves or someone else, please call 999. 

Further Information:  

Publications 

Evidence and learning that informs policy, services, and action on mental and social wellbeing. 

• Promoting individual and community wellbeing – a framework for understand individual and community wellbeing and guidance on community empowerment. 

• Mental Wellbeing – a Protective Factor for Physical Health 

Public Health Wales evidence summary highlighting links between wellbeing and physical health.  

• Statement on Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing (November 2025)  

• Protecting the mental wellbeing of our future generations 
  Learning from COVID‑19 for the long term. 

• Wellbeing of Wales 
  National progress against wellbeing goals, including mental wellbeing. 

• Supporting farming communities at times of uncertainty  

Data 

• Public Health Wales Observatory – Data and analysis 
  Population‑level data, dashboards and analyses on health and wellbeing in Wales. 

• Mental Wellbeing in Wales 
  Analysis of population mental wellbeing trends using national survey data. 

• Secondary school children’s health and wellbeing dashboard  

• Real‑Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance (RTSS) 
  Surveillance system to support timely prevention and response in Wales. 

• Mental health statistics for Wales (interactive dashboard) 
  National mental health indicators published on Stats Wales. 

• New data highlights differences in mental health crisis presentation in children and young people New data highlights important differences in mental health crisis presentation amongst children and young people across Wales. – Public Health Wales