Every Mind Matters, the Mental Health Campaign Sweeping the UK

Conveying information related to mental health and how to improve it in a clear and concise manner is the goal of the Every Mind Matters campaign. What does this program consist of and what are its strengths? Find out here.

Written and verified by the psychologist Gorka Jiménez Pajares.

Last update: 19 April, 2023

Every Mind Matters is a deep and meaningful phrase. It’s the name of a campaign launched in 2019 by NHS England (its national health service). It seeks to provide individuals with tools for self-care of their mental health. It covers various topics, such as problems related to sleep, depressive symptoms, and stress.

Mental health conditions are a plague in society today. In fact, their impact is so high it’s triggered an international alarm. Indeed, the World Health Organization has emphasized the importance of acting urgently on this issue, calling on all countries to accelerate and apply action plans. In this context, the United Kingdom launched the Every Mind Matters campaign.

Mass psychoeducation: a prevention method

It’s essential to provide knowledge and information related to mental health. Therefore, it’s useful to launch campaigns that address certain symptoms and allow individuals to identify in themselves possible clinical disorders such as depression or anxiety disorders. Potentially, individuals should be able to manage their diagnoses or prevent them (Stuart et al., 2023).

According to a review published in BMC Public Health, for a campaign of these characteristics to be effective and have a positive impact on citizens, it must promote the following aspects:

1. The fight against stigma.
2. To seek help, if necessary.
3. Provide information about how to improve mental health.
4. Contain details about the various clinical disorders and how they can be treated.

There are many ways and channels that serve as vehicles to transmit this information. They range from radio to apps and their aim is to reach the largest number of people in the shortest possible time. The British campaign wants individuals to access the campaign website, whose contents address topics such as (Stuart et al., 2023):

• Symptoms of stress or anxiety and their possible origins.
• Tips for managing signs of stress and anxiety.
• Guidelines to help colleagues or friends with mental health problems.
• Information on health centers, in case immediate help is needed.

One of the most attractive features of the campaign in question is Your Mind Plan. It’s a five-question quiz that, once completed, automatically provides a program with suggested behaviors and other advice, depending on the problems that the individual presents.

The success of Every Mind Matters

Every Mind Matters launched at an extremely opportune moment. It was developed before the advent of COVID-19. In fact, they later added a subsection related to the pandemic.

The result of this initiative was, in general terms, really good. One of the most appreciated features was the ease of accessing the website and using the featured resources. Indeed, the webpage is attractive, both visually and linguistically.

Moreover, instead of using technical or difficult words, Every Mind Matters talks about mental health in a clear, friendly, and welcoming manner. Those who submerge themselves in its contents claim that they understand what they read.

Your Mind Plan

As you’ve seen above, Your Mind Plan is a compilation of personalized advice that the individual receives after taking a brief quiz. Here are some of its most outstanding points (Stuart et al., 2023):

• Producing changes through small actions. For example, muscle relaxation or cognitive restructuring exercises.
• Using the website as if it were a companion available whenever the individual needs it.
• Commitment to the plan. Among the tips or recommendations that it proposes, are being more active on a daily basis and moving around more. For example, doing sports for ten minutes.

Do campaigns of this type pose any risk?

Despite the many benefits that these information campaigns potentially bring, they’re not without risk. Therefore, if discomfort persists despite the advice offered by these kinds of mental health programs, the individual should consider visiting a health professional.

However, Every Mind Matters has been a resounding success. Some of its strengths are the use of simple language, the possibility of receiving a brief evaluation in an online format, and obtaining a plan with personalized recommendations.