What's on
From family support, fitness classes and learning to art exhibitions, festivals and talks, our activities are wide and far reaching.
World Mental Health Day is an annual day of action to encourage people to talk about mental health issues, challenge stigma and discrimination. It reminds us to look after our own mental wellbeing and physical health every day of the year.
There are little things we can all do to help look after our mental health, because every mind matters. Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more.
Forward Together for Mental Health
On World Mental Health Day watch Forward Together for Mental Health a special news programme on Sunday 10 October 2021.
The last 18 months have been very tough for many people. The pandemic and the resulting economic uncertainty have negatively affected many people’s mental health and elevated concerns for those already living with a mental illness. This programme explores how the crisis has advanced the mental health narrative and agenda in the workplace and wider society.
Worldwide, around one in four people will suffer from a mental health problem during their lifetime, yet roughly 60 percent will not seek help.
Great British Podcasts (supported by BBC Sounds)
It's good for us to talk about mental health.
There are lots of schemes and initiatives that are trying to make a difference to our mental wellbeing, all of which have been profiled on podcasts recently. Mentally Yours, the podcast by the Metro newspaper, recently featured an interview with Tom Chapman from The Lion Barbers Collective. The charity trains barbers to notice symptoms of poor mental health in their clients so that they can encourage them to reach out to mental health services.
There’s also an interview with Amy Perrin from The Marmalade Trust, an organisation that helps older people who may be experiencing loneliness: “It is something that will impact and affect us all at some point of our life,” Perrin said. “I think it is really important that we build a really open and honest conversation about it.”
The popular series Mental have an interview with Landon Dickesion, behind Ranch Hands Rescue, an organisation that uses animals as part of its counselling services.
Meanwhile Bryony Gordon’s Mad World features a chat with Laura Campbell, who works as a suicide prevention manager for Govia Thameslink. She teaches staff how to spot at-risk passengers and is passionate about educating others: “I feel like if I can just save just one person, it is worth getting up every morning and doing the job,” she says.
If you’re specifically looking out for your mental wellbeing in the next week, the mindfulness Sleep Cove podcast is releasing a set of special episodes that hope to help. Upcoming episodes covering abolishing self-negativity, gaining confidence and relieving anxiety.
A website and podcast is being released by a new charity called MenTalkHealth UK.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing
Evidence suggests there are five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing at home and at work:
- Connect
- Be active
- Take notice
- Keep learning
- Give
If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive, and able to get the most from life.
Mind has some great ideas on how to incorporate these five ways into your everyday life.
Every year, more and more people are using World Mental Health Day to share their unique and personal stories around mental health.
By understanding other people's experiences, identities and viewpoints, there's more that unites us as humans than what divides us.
So celebrate the diversity of mental health through empathy, listening and kindness.