Community and mental health – lived experience insights
Two of our lived experience partners and Sarah, our Involvement Lead, share what community means to them.
They discuss the importance of community and peer support, to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.
Saffron
Community, to me, means connection, shared passion, as well as safety, and belonging—something that offers a sense of grounding when the world feels overwhelming, but also that has the potential to create new and beautiful things.
As someone who is neurodiverse and lives with complex mental health challenges, the presence—or absence—of community has had a profound effect on my wellbeing.
Being part of a community and being supported to access things has helped me develop a stronger sense of purpose and self-worth.
Saffron, lived experience partner
When I’ve had access to supportive, inclusive spaces, I’ve felt more empowered, less isolated, more able to navigate life’s demands, and I’ve had so many opportunities to grow and learn.
At times when I’ve lacked that support, the loneliness and disconnection have intensified my struggles, making it harder to ask for help or even believe I deserved it, and my quality of life has been much smaller.
Being part of a community and being supported to access things has helped me develop a stronger sense of purpose and self-worth.
Just knowing there are others who understand or are willing to listen without judgement can be incredibly healing.
However, my experience with community support has been mixed. I’ve encountered barriers like long waitlists, lack of tailored support, funding, and just simple lack of knowledge.
Sometimes all you need is some guidance and someone to connect you.
The best community mental health support I’ve experienced has also been person-centred, trauma-informed, and flexible.
It accepted me for me, listened to me, adapted to me, and helped me find my strengths and voice.
For social workers, the services they offer need to not only foster trust and inclusion, but also need to help people form connections and become part of a community.
Treat people like they matter, and help them find their place in the world.
Lived experience partner
One of our partners says community provides acceptance, shared values, trust and belonging:
When you’ve had tough challenges, it’s people who live around you, it’s people who know you when you are well. It’s the people that have commonly shared hobbies and interests.
I’ve actively looked for those groups myself in terms of women that align with my vision and goals. And we come together and we find a common purpose and support one another.
To me, that’s what community is. And it doesn’t necessarily mean people who look like you, come from the same background as you.
But you find strength in our differences and unity in showing kindness and care to one another.
Sarah
Living with mental health problems can be very tough, especially if you feel stigmatised, isolated or excluded. We know that people with mental health needs are more likely to feel lonely and that loneliness can result in poorer mental health.
We also know that having a sense of belonging and being part of an accepting community is vital for well-being.
Nearly 30 years ago pioneering activist Judi Chamberlin and a group of people who had been through the psychiatric system created a scale to measure empowerment.
During the research they discovered that not feeling alone and feeling part of a group were very important factors for creating a sense of empowerment for those living with mental health problems.
We also know that having a sense of belonging and being part of an accepting community is vital for well-being.
Sarah, Involvement Lead
The service user and psychiatric survivor movement has always been about building community and combatting isolation.
From very early on self-help and self-advocacy groups provided mutual support, connection, safety and belonging through shared experience and understanding.
Such peer support can offer people the opportunity to bond, form friendships and grow communities.
By connecting individuals with groups and advocating for peer support, mental health social workers have an important role to play in fostering empowering communities of those with mental health needs.
Our lived experience partners help to ensure that mental health professionals, support, and care, are the best they can be for everyone.