Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

This week, the nation’s tuned into Mental Health Awareness Week and this year’s theme of loneliness. 

It’s provided us with an opportunity for us to reflect on a number of things. Our own mental health awareness and whether we’re supporting ourselves adequately, the wellbeing of others and whether we’re supporting them in a positive way – and also the impact we’re having on the wider conversation and how we can help make things better. 

I started out training as a mental health nurse and we often think of our mind and body as separate, but our mental health and physical health are interconnected. Mental ill-health can affect every aspect of our lives, each and every day. So, it’s important to put some structures in place to try to look after both and not just one or the other.

Having flexible working plans. Working within an inclusive team of like-minded individuals. Organising team outings and checking in on our colleagues – it’s all helps.

We can be a pair of ears to listen to our friends’ struggles – or support those who we know are having a tough time – but there’s the little things too. We can be thinking about mental health every day, not just in times of crisis. It’s about being an advocate, being aware of those around you and the impact of your actions.

So what next?

It’s not often that TV shows break the ‘fourth wall’ but when they do, it’s usually to good effect. 

Today, the High-Rise blog is breaking the fourth wall by giving the call-to-action on the nose: Check on your friends! In the UK we’re very lucky to have a strong third sector and some great charities and organisations doing amazing work.

But the underlying point of this week (and its theme of loneliness) is that they can’t hope to meet all the need and we can all try that bit harder to be conscious of those around us… you never know what someone is going through!

It’s about leaving a positive impact wherever you go. Through a combination of our values and our work we hope to achieve that.