Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week is vital in increasing public understanding of mental health and how mental health problems can be prevented. After years of being ignored, hidden away, and not being spoken about, Mental Health Awareness Week makes sure that mental health remains at the centre of conversation.

This year’s theme is anxiety. Anxiety is a completely normal emotion that we all experience from time to time. However, for some people or at some times, feelings of anxiety can become uncontrollable or constant, sometimes with no apparent cause. 

Current problems in your life can also trigger anxiety. For example:

• exhaustion or a build-up of stress
• lots of change or uncertainty
• feeling under pressure while studying or in work
• long working hours
• being out of work
• money problems
• housing problems and homelessness
• losing someone close to you (sometimes called bereavement)
• feeling lonely or isolated
• being abused, bullied or harassed, including experiencing racism.

Living with anxiety can be very difficult, but there are steps you can take that might help,

• Talk to someone you trust
• Try to manage your worries
• Look after your physical health
• Try breathing exercises
• Keep a diary
• Try peer support