World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day, October 10th

We’re now well into the autumn and as the leaves fall and the days get shorter, we can look forward to many things. I don’t just mean Halloween, November’s Fireworks though. I mean, specifically, World Mental Health Day, recognised each year on 10th October.

World Mental Health Day is aimed specifically at raising the profile of people’s mental health and encouraging people to talk about it and why this is so important. This year, the theme is workplace mental health, so whether you have a part-time job in a café or a shop, or want to talk to someone about mental health in their workplace, you can definitely get involved in some way or another.

Why Is World Mental Health Day So Important?

Well, it’s not just one day in the year when we have permission to discuss our mental health – this should happen all the time. Instead, it raises its profile and shows how important it is to discuss. Mental health often gets sidelined as it is not always visible, but this does not mean it does not deserve attention because it certainly does.

What Can I Do?

You can download posters and graphics from the website (https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk) and use these to draw attention to the day for different people. You could also wear a green ribbon to show your support and, on Instagram, use the tag @mentalhealthfoundation and hashtag #WMHD2024. You might be surprised at some statistics – these show how important knowledge about mental health is:

15% of UK workers are estimated to have a mental health condition
875,000 people suffer from work-related stress, depression and anxiety
In 2022, the 5th most common reason for sickness absence from work was linked to a mental health condition.

Talking about mental health is really important, and people should not be ashamed of doing this. So, this year, on 10th October, make sure that you think about this day – and if you, or anyone you know, is suffering with their mental health at the moment, don’t forget that you are not alone. There is a lot of support out there so make sure you don’t suffer in silence. People’s mental health is important, very much like their physical health.