4 December 2025
A newly updated version of the How Are You Really Feeling? mental health signposting resource has been launched by the Sussex Mental Health Services Communications (MHSC) Group, with improvements designed to make support easier to find for everyone - especially people who are digitally excluded, neurodivergent, and those who may feel less confident using English.
These updates mark a step forward in making mental health information across Sussex clearer, more inclusive and easier for everyone to use.
Improvements include refreshed language and visuals and printed and translated materials - helping ensure that no one is left behind when looking for support.
Co-designed with people who use services and provide them
Developed through a partnership between the NHS, voluntary and community organisations (VCSE), local authorities and people with lived experience, the resource is designed to help every adult in Sussex find the right mental health information and support when they need it most.
The update is informed by independent research commissioned by the MHSC Group in 2023 and 2025, which revealed that unclear online information and uncertainty about what type of help to seek were major barriers to accessing support. Many people told us that long lists of services were overwhelming and did not help them understand where to start. People also told us that language and cultural barriers - and the ongoing stigma around mental health - can make it even harder to seek support.
A clearer, simpler, more human approach
In response, partners across Sussex came together throughout 2024 to create clear, consistent and clinically reviewed signposting content, based on how people are feeling rather than professional or organisational terminology. This co-produced content avoids complex service language and focuses instead on real-life experiences and needs. Over 44 organisations across Sussex have already adopted the information on their websites.
To build awareness, the MHSC Group launched the How Are You Really Feeling? campaign in late 2024, supported by a communications toolkit to help partners share the resource across communities.
The newly refreshed version expands this work by improving accessibility for people who may struggle with digital access, long or complex information, or language and cultural barriers.
Designed to meet people where they are
We know that finding mental health support can feel particularly daunting if you are digitally excluded, neurodivergent, or living in Sussex with English as an additional language. The updated resource is designed to reduce those barriers - making it easier, quicker and less overwhelming for anyone to understand where to turn.
The resource includes guidance on when to seek help and where to find free and confidential mental health support for adults aged 18 and over across Sussex. It brings together information from NHS services, community groups and voluntary organisations, offering a simple route to understanding what help is available and how to access it.
A collective effort across Sussex
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the development of the How Are You Really Feeling? resource. This has truly been a collaborative effort, and every contribution has strengthened the quality, accuracy and accessibility of the information we are now able to provide.
A special thank you goes to Sussex Interpreting Services for their expertise and partnership, and the community interpreters who shared insight and lived experience that has been central to improving accessibility.
We also want to recognise the invaluable contributions of people who are digitally excluded and those who are neurodivergent. Your perspectives have shaped a resource that is more inclusive, more representative, and better able to meet the needs of the diverse communities it serves.
Thank you again to everyone involved.
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The Sussex Mental Health Services Communications Group
Established in 2023 by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the Sussex MHSC Group brings together NHS organisations, primary care, VCSE partners, local authorities and people with lived experience. The group works together to improve the consistency, quality and inclusivity of mental health information across Sussex. It is supported by the Sussex Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Board.
