We’re in the middle of a mental health crisis. 2 million people are currently stuck on waiting lists for NHS mental health services. And on top of this, mental health stigma is still a significant issue. Real people are being left behind by a broken mental health system.
Today is World Mental Health Day 2024!
World Mental Health Day takes place every year on the 10th of October and is an opportunity for us to raise awareness of many of the problems surrounding mental health, whilst also campaigning towards making sure everyone gets access to the support that they deserve.
This year, our focus alongside Mind and other Local Minds across the country is asking our communities to join us in making sure that No Mind is Left Behind!
What does this mean?
Unfortunately, across the UK, many people who have reached out for support are stuck waiting on NHS waiting lists and therefore not getting the support that both need and deserve. This is not how things should be.
In most circumstances the longer people are left experiencing mental health problems without that vital support, the harder things can become for them.
A few brave people have shared their powerful stories with Mind based on their experiences being stuck on NHS waiting lists. Here are a few that you can read through should you wish to…
Kayleigh’s story - https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/thanks-to-mind-i-now-feel-i-can-get-through-anything/
And these are just a few stories, it is said that currently 2 million people are stuck on NHS waiting lists. Everyone deserves access to mental health support when they need it.
That is why this campaign is so important, and we will continue working towards making sure that the much-needed support is available to everyone.
You can help us to achieve this, there is more information on how you get involved here
With your support, we can build a future where No Mind is Left Behind…
World Mental Health Day is also an important time to share important information about mental health as a whole, and even start important conversations with the people around us. As whilst there are a lot of people in the country not getting the support they need due to the waiting lists, there are also those who don’t out of fear of asking for help.
This could be a result of the stigmas surrounding mental health, fear of appearing weak, or even worries about judgement.
However, through opening a dialogue with the people around us about mental health we can all do our bit in normalising it, and hopefully encourage people to seek support when they need it.
When it comes to talking about mental health, it is completely fair and reasonable to have worries about how to start these conversations. So here are a few conversation starters that may be useful…
1) What do you do to look after your mental health?
2) How are you?
3) What do you know about the support available for your mental health?
These are fairly simple open questions that will hopefully encourage people to talk freely about their thoughts on mental health!
This is also a fantastic opportunity to share some helpful information about the support that is available for mental health too…
At Burton and District Mind, we have a wide variety of support options throughout the week
We have our…
- Peer Support Groups
- Counselling
- Anger Management
- Future Focus
- Safe Hands
- Safe Haven
- Activity Projects
- Mindfulness
And more! You can learn all about these services and how to get involved over on our website today through the link here
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If you need support, please reach out to us today
01283 566696
Let's make this a fantastic World Mental Health Day!
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