Common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety affect one in four people. But it’s still something that lots of people find hard to talk about, which can mean that many people keep their feelings about having a mental health problem a secret, even from close family and friends. You can’t always tell if someone has a mental illness – people might look as though they’re fine and doing well, when actually they’re silently struggling.
If someone has bipolar disorder, they may show significant mood swings, or appear more withdrawn if they are dealing with self-harm or negative thoughts, but everything is dependent on the individual and there is no one way to know whether someone is unwell.
