Our theme for April, May & June 2021 is: Speak, Listen, Change – how can we support each other’s mental health & wellbeing?
‘Mental wellbeing’ is our general emotional state: how we feel and how well we can cope with day-to-day life. It is part of our broader ‘mental health’. For many of us, the strange times we are living through have affected our mental wellbeing (and some of us may have discovered new ways to support it).
In many ways, mental health is just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it. Everybody’s mental health goes through good and bad patches; if you go through a period of poor mental health that is affecting your ability to lead a fulfilled life, you might consider that a ‘mental health problem’ and seek extra support.
1 in 4 people experience a mental health problem each year. Meanwhile the pandemic has created what Mind are calling a mental health emergency.
- By speaking openly about mental health we can challenge stigma;
- By listening deeply to each other’s experiences we can create a supportive environment;
- By changing our systems we can look after each other’s mental health & wellbeing.
There are simple steps we can all take: sometimes it’s as simple as asking a friend ‘how are you?’ and really listening to the answer. There’s been a lot of work in recent years to bring these conversations to the fore, through projects such as Time to Change – which has recently come to an end, but still has an archive of helpful resources.
However, people experiencing mental health problems can also face systematic discrimination. This can intersect with other forms of structural inequality such as racism and classism. Throughout this theme we’ll explore these, and offer actions you can take to help make change.
What would a system that supports our mental health & wellbeing look like?
How can work together to demand a better system?
Join in throughout April, May & June 2021 to:
- Read personal stories
- Get tips for holding positive conversations about mental health
- Share ideas for looking after our mental wellbeing in these difficult times
- Take action for a fairer system