World Mental Health Day 2023
“Mental Health is a universal human right”
World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against social stigma.
Since 1992, the World Federation for Mental Health has used October 10th to highlight the importance of open communication when it comes to the mental health of yourself and others.
Although the topic is more widely discussed nowadays, the stigma is still present.
According to the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity survey carried out in 2014, one in six people reported experiencing common mental health problems in any given week in England.
This serves as a reminder that anyone struggling is not alone and the commonness of mental health problems is as prevalent as ever.
Meet Dan
At the start of the year, one of our Project Supports, Dan Sneath completed his Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course.
Dan was hugely passionate about completing this for many reasons, with the main goal of creating a safe space and person for those who are struggling to open up to.
In the hopes of highlighting the importance that this role can hold within organisations, we decided to sit down with Dan to ask a few questions that not only would share his knowledge but also act as a reminder that those struggling are not alone.
Why did you become an MHFA?
Being around friends and family members who have suffered from a variety of mental health problems guided me in this direction. I want to try and remove the stigma around it and give people the confidence to talk about how they feeling. Ultimately, my main goal is to help anyone struggling.
What are the benefits of becoming an MHFA?
Becoming an MHFA helps in many different ways, not only have I learned how to spot signs and symptoms of potential mental health issues in others but I also gained knowledge of all the different types of mental health issues, causes, and extremities.
Whether it is by becoming a Mental Health First Aider or simply by doing your own bit of research, I would recommend to anyone to learn about the common mental health problems and how to recognise the changes in yourself and others that could represent a decline in the quality of your, or their mental health.
Five changes to look out for in yourself and others when it comes to the quality of your mental health:
Dramatic changes in appearance and personal hygiene such as weight loss and weight gain.
Substance abuse or increased substance use for example excessive drinking or drug use.
Changes in behaviour such as mood swings or sleeping habits.
Social withdrawal for long periods of time or increased irritability with friends, family, and/ or colleagues.
A noticeable drop in concentration, productivity, or activity
There are numerous websites that highlight the symptoms and causes of various mental health conditions, as well as several amazing charities that are working to help sufferers across the UK.
Please consider donating to any of these fantastic causes and help contribute towards ensuring that people don’t suffer in silence.
Mind, Samaritans, Mental Health Foundation, Young Minds, Anxiety UK, Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity
“Give yourself small achievable goals to reach a bigger long term target.
The boosts of satisfaction and positivity, will help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed by your end goal”