Celebrating World Mental Health Day 10th October 2024
World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on 10 October. This year’s theme set by the World Federation of Mental Health is, “it’s time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”. The theme highlights the importance of addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, for the benefit of people, organisations, and communities. Its aim is to reduce stigma, promote mental well-being, and provide resources for employees to seek help and to ensure mental health issues are taken as seriously as physical health issues.
World Mental Health Day is a chance to come together to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters. Talking about our mental health can help us cope better with life’s ups and downs. So, on World Mental Health Day and beyond it, why not check in with your friends, family, peers, or colleagues?
Work can have a huge impact on our mental health. It can be good for our mental health, giving us a sense of purpose, boosting our self-worth, and providing opportunities to connect with others. But it can also be a source of stress and anxiety and contribute to developing or worsening mental health problems. Many people spend a lot of their time working, whether that’s in the community, in an office, a workshop, at home, or many other workplaces. That’s why it’s so important that our workplace supports our mental health, helping us get the mental health benefits of work while reducing the negative impact.
But what is a mentally healthy workplace?
There are many things that contribute to a mentally healthy workplace, from providing staff training on mental health to tackling discrimination and bullying. Importantly, a mentally healthy workplace supports open conversations about mental health.
While talking about mental health in the workplace has become more common, many people still face stigma when it comes to severe mental health problems. This means there’s more work to be done to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace.
There are things we can all do to help create a mentally healthy workplace that supports open conversations. We can all learn how to confidently talk about mental health with our colleagues.
Looking after your mental health
Talking is good for your mental health. And talking about mental health is important. But starting a conversation isn’t always easy. 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:
Talking about your mental health
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.
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.
Talking to someone about their mental health
1. Find a good space to talk without distractions
If you’re worried about someone, try to find a place where you know you can have a conversation without being distracted. Make sure to give them your full attention. It might help to switch off your phone.
2. Listen and ask questions
Listening can be one of the most valuable ways to be there for someone. Show them that you’re actively listening by facing them, making eye contact, and not interrupting. Questions can help you clarify what they mean and also show that you’re actively listening. But make sure the questions are relevant to what they’re saying, and not changing the subject.
3. Ask how you can help
Ask how you can help or make suggestions, rather than telling them what to do next. They might want support with making a GP appointment, help around the house, or just for you to keep things normal and chat about what’s going on in your life.
