TRIGGER WARNING!
This website contains poetry and true stories about trauma, personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, self-harming, depression and other significant mental health issues, as well as personal stories of emotional neglect and physical and sexual abuse, which some people might find disturbing.
LOVE POETRY? PASSIONATE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH? Then please DONATE - ALL donations go towards promoting and publishing poetry for mental health. Click on the button for donation options or contact us to sponsor this platform. Thank you!
Poetry for Mental Health
Supporting people with mental health challenges by motivating and inspiring them to write poetry.
Poetry for Mental Health has supported thousands of people around the world through words and poetry!
"No matter what your age, background and experience, culture or identity; whether an established writer with many published titles to your credit, or an aspiring poet who has never written a word of poetry in your life, our philosophy here is to embrace, welcome and support everyone, everywhere suffering from mental health challenges, and help you cope through words and poetry."
About us title
About ...
ROBIN BARRATT - Founder POETRY FOR MENTAL HEALTH
"I formed Poetry for Mental Health at the outbreak of COVID, as a way of helping people cope mentally through lockdown and the pandemic by inspiring them to write poetry. Six years, seven books (just started working on our eighth), many hundreds of poets, and many thousands of pieces of poetry later, Poetry for Mental Health is still inspiring people to write poetry for positive mental health! And with almost 1900 visitors for the month of Jan, 2026, it is now probably the largest and most visited website of its kind on the net!"
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR NEXT ANTHOLOGY ...
SUBMISSIONS TO THIS TITLE ARE NOW OPEN!
You can now contribute to the next title in our acclaimed mental health book series:
PTSD - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A collection of poetry, interviews and personal stories about life and living with PTSD.
We are looking for poetry, short prose, interviews and personal stories.
Deadline 31st March 2026
Publication date: SPRING 2026.
Click on the link below for further details and submission guidelines. You can also sponsor this important title too!
NEW - This Week's Featured Poetry (x3)
Week commencing Monday 23rd February, 2026.
THIS WORLD
By John Smith
This world isn't built for a guy like me
One minute high next the lowest you can be
This world isn't built for a guy like me
Full of joy then the future it's hard to see
This world isn't built for a guy like me
Feels like there's two but I am him and he is me
This world isn't built for a guy like me
moods are unpredictable just like the oceans of the sea
This world isn't built for a guy like me
He took my son how can he be so beastly
This world isn't built for a guy like me
Even with pills it's clear for everyone to see
This world isn't built for a guy like me
Sometimes it's like I'm trapped in a box without a key
This world isn't built for a guy like me
Its all I'm my head will I ever be free
This world isn't built for a guy like me
With bio-polar and ADHD
YOU CAN ONLY DO THE BEST YOU CAN
Gary Shulman, MS. Ed.
(Dedicated to a son and daughter on a very difficult journey)
You only can do
The best that you can
In the very same situation
From such turmoil others ran
You try to show compassion
Their younger days you fondly recall
Then they say or do something quite hurtful
That throws your soul up against the wall
You can only do
What you’re capable of doing
And in this situation
It’s kindness you’re pursuing
There’s no end to this poem
But there will eventually be a final act
Just know you’ve done your best
And that is an irrefutable fact
HAPPINESS
By Jean Antonello
What can I do, I ponder now
To always be awash in bliss
Is there a trick—a method how
To capture fleeting happiness?
I wrack my brain but cannot tell
How to make glad feeling last
This trait does often not endure—
It’s here one day then gone so fast
Just thinking of it won’t achieve
The feeling—but it will resist
And this emotion we believe
May aim at you but often miss
Oh happiness I dare say you
Are hard to come by any way
Though all we want of you is to
Be there in our work and play
But asking will not bring you near
Though we seek you day and night
And though by grace you may appear
But soon we know you’re out of sight
This state of mind elusive is
And can’t be sought for its own sake
It shows up much like magic does
Surprising, smiling birthday cake
So seek ye not this happiness
As soon it comes and disappears
You would as well clutch at a star
Especially when you think it near
Lots more Featured Poetry here:
Our Books
Personal Journeys
In their own words, writers and poets write about their own personal journey with mental health.
Interviews
Ten amazing writers and poets talking about their own personal journey with mental health.
Featured Poets
Featuring poets from around the world, with up to six pieces of their work, and a little about the author and the stories behind their work.
And lots more ...
Featured Books
Promoting poetry books and publications.
Coming Soon ... YOUNGER MINDS
Poetry for mental health from writers and poets under the age of 18.
FULL DETAILS ONLINE SHORTLY...
Publishing Services
We publish books for other people too!!!
Would you like to see your poetry collection published as a paperback and Kindle, and available for other people to read around the world? Prices start from just £150.00 for a chapbook / short collection. Click on the link for more info. Plus Promoting Your Book- information and advice for promoting and marketing your book. We have published over 100 books for other people. Just a few examples below:
Other ...
Directory of Support Services
Charities, groups and organisations worldwide offering mental health help and support to people in crisis.
Mental Health First Aid
Identifying warning signs of common mental health crisis, and how to guide a person towards safety and appropriate help.
Newsletters ...
What's new at Poetry for Mental Health. Our monthly newsletters are now available to read online.
Send us your name and email address and we'll keep you updated with our news and calls for submissions. We'll never send you more than one email a month, or pass your details onto anyone else ... ever!
PLEASE DONATE - ALL donations go towards promoting and publishing poetry for mental health. Click on the button below for donation options or contact us to sponsor this platform. Thank you!
NOTE ON CONTRIBUTIONS: We publish mental health poetry from around the world, and for a number contributors to this website, English is not their first language. Unlike some other platforms, we don't heavily edit a poet's own work (if we did, it would then not be their own work!), so please focus on a poet's messages and meanings, and not necessarily on any grammatical mistakes or translated imperfections that may arise within their contribution.