Residents are being encouraged to talk about their mental health with friends, family or colleagues in an effort to help raise awareness and break the stigma around mental health.
We are supporting Time to Talk Day 2023, on Thursday, 2 February, which is run by national mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. The objective is to encourage people to have conversations about their mental health.
Speaking about mental health is not easy for everyone, but it’s incredibly important with an estimated one in four people in England experiencing mental health problems in any given year.
To help people improve their mental wellbeing, we have launched a new campaign, Be Kind to Your Mind. The focus is on promoting five simple things that research has found if done regularly, can improve wellbeing. We are encouraging residents to adopt and use the ‘Five Ways’ as part of their regular routine.
Five Ways to Wellbeing
- Connect – Whether it is in person or virtually, connecting with friends, family or colleagues can provide support and help improve your mood.
- Be Active – Exercise is proven to help with mental health. You don’t have to run a marathon, it can be a walk, cycling rather than driving or even gardening.
- Take Notice – Slow down and be aware of and take in your surroundings and the positive things around you.
- Keep Learning – Taking up a new hobby, or rediscovering an old one, can give you a boost and make you feel more confident.
- Give – Do something nice for a friend, family member, or you could even volunteer in your community.
Fantastic resources
Cllr David Brake, Portfolio Holder covering Public Health at Medway Council, said: “Now more than ever it is vital that we as a community speak, support, listen and help those around us. We are proud to support both Time to Talk Day and the Five Ways to Wellbeing initiative. We offer some fantastic resources to help support our residents’ mental health, and hope that this additional push will encourage people to open up and seek any support they may need.”