What is Mental Health Awareness Week?

Mental Health Awareness Week is one of the national weeks in the UK that is specifically used to raise awareness about mental health and problems related to mental well-being. The week seeks to inspire the actions of individuals and promotes the message of stable mental health for every living being. The event is hosted by Mental Health Foundation and takes place from May 9th to 15th. The foundation has been organizing events for mental health awareness for over 21 years.

Mental health awareness weeks have become one of the most popular events in the UK as well as globally. It gives individuals the opportunity to talk about all aspects of mental health while focusing on providing or receiving help and advice on mental health issues.

It is important to raise awareness about mental health in public and to ensure that all communities recognize their parts in the creation of a society that promotes mental health. With the right support, we can help individuals to live a life of fulfillment and free from the stigma or fake expectations, it all starts with awareness about mental health.

Why is Mental Health Awareness Week Named So?

Mental Health Awareness week was established to recognize and treat different psychological issues. The Mental Health Foundation found that mental health was considered as a taboo and individuals were not open about the discussion on mental health.

So, to raise awareness about the mental health and issues that can affect one’s mental health, the Mental Health Foundation commemorated a week for raising awareness about different mental health issues and named it as Mental Health Awareness Week where individuals from every place are welcomed to talk and share their experiences or to give advice on different mental health issues and help others to cope up with the issues.

When is Mental Health Awareness Week 2022?

The dates and topics of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week have been confirmed by the Mental Health Foundation. It will happen on Monday, May 9, to Sunday, May 15, 2022. The week will look at the experiences of loneliness, how it affects our mental state, and how we might all help to reduce loneliness in our societies.

Each year, loneliness impacts millions of individuals in the United Kingdom and is a major contributor to poor mental well-being. The Mental Health Foundation in the Pandemic research discovered that the Covid pandemic has aggravated loneliness. The Foundation has now been measuring loneliness patterns in the UK amid the epidemic and discovered that the condition has been substantially worse, with disastrous consequences.

Loneliness has been identified as a significant contributor to increased amounts of stress, owing to people’s experience of isolation and decreased capacity to interact with each other. Further polls revealed that loneliness was one of the top concerns that the general population believed needs to be resolved.

What is the Theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2022?

‘Loneliness’ is the theme of the 2022 Mental Health Awareness Week. Loneliness is impacting an increasing number of people in the UK, and it has had a significant influence on our physiological and psychological health throughout the epidemic. Our relation to other individuals and our community is critical to securing our mental health, and we need to seek better ways to combat widespread feelings of loneliness – and we can all help.

Because decreasing loneliness is a significant component in establishing a psychologically stable society, this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week topic is targeted at promoting awareness of the effects of loneliness on our mental wellness and the practical efforts we can take to solve it.

History of Mental Health Awareness Week

National Mental Health Awareness Week is an international event that brings the entire globe together to concentrate on securing excellent mental health. The event was organized 21 years ago by the Mental Health Foundation in the United Kingdom.

World Mental Health Day was commemorated for the very first time on October 10, 1992, a few years later.

Richard Hunter, Deputy Secretary General of the World Federation for Mental Health’s that time, initiated it as a biannual activity. Every year on October 10, the day is officially observed.

National Mental Health Awareness Week began with no special focus.

Its goals were broad, supporting mental health activism and educating the public on pertinent mental health concerns. After a few years, however, each Mental Health Awareness Week was assigned a topic. The event has evolved to become one of the world’s largest public awareness efforts.

Everybody can participate in Mental Health Awareness Week. It all comes down to opening dialogues on mental well-being and the factors in our everyday routines that can make us lose our minds. The week is also an opportunity for individuals to discuss whatever part of mental health they choose, regardless of the subject.

Many undeveloped or developing nations believe mental health to be a major taboo. This is not the situation in Western nations, and from the 1950s, mental health has acquired significance in Western society. People are far more receptive to discussing it now. Hopefully, it will expand to the rest of the globe soon.

What to Do on Mental Health Awareness Week? | Mental Health Awareness Week Activities

You may be wondering if a single person’s efforts can truly make a difference. Each discussion you have about the significance of identifying and managing mental illness has a trickle-downtown effect that extends well beyond your immediate group. There are several ways to promote mental health awareness.

• Talk to everyone you respect, ask friends, relatives, and coworkers how they’re doing and pay close attention to their responses.
• Share them with the group if you have any. Sharing your experience with mental illness may offer the impetus that someone needs to come out with their own. It may be comforting to hear that someone else has had comparable challenges and is now prepared to share their story.
• Encourage “person-centred language” and “gentle language”. Any communication that fosters the stigma associated with mental illness is detrimental and may prevent people from seeking assistance. So, if you hear someone using disparaging terms concerning mental illness, call people out and try to educate them on the ramifications of their behavior.
• Educate yourself on mental illness so that you may share your knowledge with others in your circle. People frequently misinterpret mental illness, so educating oneself on common myths will prepare you for those interactions. This should involve discussing mental health with kids in age-appropriate language. Children are not prone to psychological illness and can develop symptoms such as sadness and anxiety at a young age.
• Make use of your social media platforms to raise awareness. There is a lot of valuable and high-quality stuff out there that, if shared, can reach hundreds of individuals. We now have channels to reach out to more people, so don’t be hesitant to utilize them to raise awareness about such critical topics.
• Encourage individuals to see the link between physiological and psychological health. Eating well, staying physically active, and sleeping well all contribute to a person’s emotional and psychological well-being. Because mental health can not reside in isolation from physical well-being, taking care of both at the same time is perhaps the most efficient method to preserve your overall health.

How to Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week?

The Mental Health Foundation is asking individuals to participate on social media by posting a picture of a period when they were lonely and yet no one noticed.

Participate Through Social Media

Social media enthusiasts are asked to use the hashtags #I’veBeenThere and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, as well as tag @mentalhealth and @mentalhealthfoundation on Instagram and Twitter, and Facebook.

The Mental Health Foundation is also hosting the 80 Miles in May challenge, and individuals are invited to participate by posting images of themselves finishing the challenge using the hashtag #80MilesInMay.

Donate to Mental Health Foundation Projects

You may also give to the Mental Health Foundation’s projects, such as the Picture This initiative assists older persons who are experiencing digital isolation, as well as the Perthyn Program, which provides a safe environment for refugee and asylum-seeking women to make friends, enhance their English, and feel less lonely.

Organize a Stress Management Workshop

Stress hormones activate the body’s “fight or flight reaction,” which, if unchecked, can lead to persistent physiological and mental problems. Stress may cause a variety of health problems, including headaches, heartburn, sleeplessness, and agitation. This month, think about having your perks administrator hold a stress-relieving activity session. Your employees will profit from understanding that there are healthy methods to deal with stress!

Make a Bulletin Board that is Interactive.

Workspace bulletin boards don’t have to be dull. Turn your hallways bulletins into an entertaining Mental Health Awareness Month event by being creative with it. Print materials, data sheets, and inspiring statements can be added to the boards. You can also offer questions that require employees to submit their responses on the board. Questions to consider include: “What made you happy today?” “What are you thankful for?” and “What’s your favourite way to unwind?”

Take a Physical Exam

Invite a karate teacher to spend the day on-site. Allow the teacher to give mini-lessons to individuals or group courses all through the day. Karate, paired with a new fitness programme, may help increase confidence and strength. If possible, ask the teacher to provide little wood boards for a “breaking boards competition”, which may easily be used as a self improvement exercise for your team mates.

Have a Relaxing Day

Organize a day of wellness activities and discovery. You may make it as basic as a brief discussion of wellness advantages followed by a light breakfast and a similarly light workday. Alternatively, put up a range of well-being stations for your employees. A fruit-infused drink hydration station, a coloring book station, a silent meditation space, and a relaxation area are all basic ideas for a simple yet pleasant well-being day.

Construct a Unique Escape Environment

Break rooms are essential for getting away from work. Consider creating an unique type of escape room for employees, in addition to your basic kitchen break room layout.

Include meditation cushions, bean bags, a vaporizer, and other items in a quiet place where staff may relax. Reflection, as well as meditation are excellent Mental Health Awareness Month activities since they may offer tranquillity in only a few minutes.

Plan an outdoor event.

Outdoor green areas are beneficial to mental health, according to research. Those who spend time outside have less strain, anxiety, and sadness. Probably hold a unique event, such as an outside field day, on a Friday. Set up a variety of team-building activities— like hula hoop contests, egg races, and water balloon tosses — to generate laughs and encourage physical movement.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What exactly is the goal of Mental Health Awareness Week?

Every year, around one in every four persons worldwide suffers from mental health difficulties. The goal of Mental Health Awareness Week is to have individuals talk about their psychological health and to remove the taboo that prevents individuals from seeking treatment.

What are the many sorts of mental illnesses?

Anxiety, bipolar disorder, as well as other mood disorders: anorexia, personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and psychotic illnesses including psychosis.

Which mental disease is the most challenging to treat?

Borderline personality disorder has traditionally been considered as one of the most complex mental health illnesses to address.

Conclusion

Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, implying that it affects many aspects of one’s life. It also has an effect on how people feel, perceive, behave, and interact with each other. The overarching goal of World Mental Health Awareness week is to promote global awareness of psychological health concerns and organize initiatives in favor of mental well-being.

Many countries and societies still view mental health as a taboo subject. People who are mentally sick are not always insane, contrary to popular belief. All around the globe, on average one in every four individuals is in desperate need of a psychological health examination.

The day allows all stakeholders focusing on psychological issues to discuss their achievements and what more remains to be done to make psychological health treatment a possibility for people all around the world.

When you bring mental health awareness to the forefront with fun yet purposeful events, it may have a big influence on your employees. This is only a beginning point. Inquire with your employees about how your organization may improve its coverage of mental health in the workplace. Their comments are always the ones that are most important.

Want to read about other important days in the month of May? Then click here.
Or if you want to read about important days of other months of the year, then check out “Important Days of the Year” category.