Friday 10 October
World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness of mental health and encouraging efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues.
This year’s theme is ‘Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies’. It highlights the urgent need for timely, appropriate mental health support during crises and in everyday life.
It is a call to action: mental health is not a luxury – it is a lifeline.
As a global community we must ensure that mental health care is available, accessible and equitable for all, especially in the face of adversity.
Talking is good for your mental health
World Mental Health Day is a great opportunity for us to come together to talk about mental health and show everyone that it matters.
Talking is good for your mental health and talking about mental health is important.
Whether you’d like to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, or check-in with someone you care about, here are some tips that can help:
1. Choose someone you trust to talk to
This might be a friend, family member or a colleague. Or you might be more comfortable talking to someone you don’t know, for example, through a support helpline. It can help to do a pros and cons list about talking to someone.
2. Think about the best place to talk
It’s important to choose a place where you feel comfortable enough to open-up. You might want to choose somewhere private where you’re less likely to be disturbed. You also might want to talk while you do an activity, like walking together.
3. Prepare yourself for their reaction
Hopefully, you will have a good experience when you open-up to someone. But there’s a chance that they may not react in the way you hope. This may be for different reasons, like they may be worried or not fully understand at first. If that’s the case, try to give them time to process what you’ve told them. It might help to give them information to read to help them understand. And don’t forget to be kind to yourself and practise self-care.
Find out more about the mental health support available to you.
