Mental Health Awareness Week is being held this year from Monday, May 8 until Sunday, May 14. The event’s theme this year is “Surviving or Thriving” and is being hosted by the Mental Health Foundation in the UK.
“Good mental health is more than the absence of a mental health problem. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we are going to look at mental health from a new angle. Rather than ask why so many people are living with mental health problems, we will seek to uncover why too few of us are thriving with good mental health.” – The Mental Health Foundation
According to a survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation, NatCen earlier this year in England, Scotland and Wales about self-reported mental health problems, 13% of the people announced living with high levels of good mental health, people over 55 reported experiencing better mental health than average and are most likely to take steps to make a better everyday life for themselves with different activities including getting enough sleep and going out for walks, 4 out of 10 people said they have experienced depression and over a quarter reported experiencing panic attacks. In total nearly two-thirds claimed to have experienced mental health problems, rising in young adults in between the ages of 18 and 34, women with an approximate of 7 in every 10 women and people who live alone.
“We all have mental health. Good mental health is an asset that helps us to thrive. This is not just the absence of a mental health problem, but having the ability to think, feel and act in a way that allows us to enjoy life and deal with the challenges it presents. Yet it can be easy to assume that ongoing stress is the price we have to pay to keep our lives on track. It is time to challenge that assumption.” – The Mental Health Foundation
By 2030 depression will be the leading cause of illness globally, according to the report by The Mental Health Foundation nonetheless there’s a lot of ways to seek help nowadays and do our best to encourage a mentally healthier society, not only in the UK but worldwide a few examples of foundations on where to find support if you are looking for help are:
Heads Together (UK): “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are spearheading the Heads Together campaign to end stigma around mental health. Heads Together aims to change the national conversation on mental health and wellbeing, and is a partnership with inspiring charities with decades of experience in tackling stigma, raising awareness, and providing vital help for people with mental health challenges.”
The Trevor Project: “Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.”
Mind (UK):”We provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect.”
This is my brave “The mission of This Is My Brave, Inc. is to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues by sharing personal stories of individuals living successful, full lives despite mental illness through poetry, essay and original music, on stage in front of a live audience, through stories submitted and published to our blog, and via our YouTube channel.”
