Does having a mental illness mean that you are violent?
If you are a young person who has had experience of mental illness or you care for someone who may have been unwell, you will probably sometimes feel confused and alone about the way it affects your life. You will also probably have many questions. Young person's introduction to mental health has been written with you in mind. It will give you a good overview of the issues concerning mental health, such as what it is and what causes it.
This factsheet has been written to answer questions you may be asking and to help put aside some of the misconceptions people often have about mental illness. It discusses some of the feelings and experiences you may be having and also looks at some of the different ways mental illness may affect your life.
The other links on this page will also help you to think about different types of mental illness and the kind of help that is available.