This Thursday, February 1 was “Time to Talk Day” 2024. It calls for family, friends and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives. It was launched in 2014 and has sparked millions of conversations in schools, homes, communities and offices. Poor mental health has many faces but is difficult to talk about when suffering. Discussing feelings, emotions and depression should, of course, not be for just one day but creating a specific day brings awareness to the issue in the hope that open discussions can continue happening without the worry of being judged or feeling shame.
It is a day to understand that for some people experiencing poor mental health is a life long struggle and to ask for support is not easy, especially now that so many resources are not available any more. Reading details, published on February 1, may also help people close to the individual with mental health issues, to recognise signs of depression or any different behaviours that points to “Time to Talk”. It is a day to drive a positive change for everyone who is affected.
“Time to Talk” is run by Mind, and Rethink Mental Illness. It is a campaign to create safe spaces for individuals to speak up about any worries, concerns and negative feelings. Around one in four people suffer with some form of mental health problems and the stigma of it: they may feel isolated, worthless and ashamed to talk about it. The project also offers a wide range of services from face-to-face sessions, carers support and support in the community. They also have a school programme to develop oral and social interactive skills for Reception and Key Stage One and resource packs to download. There is much research going on for new drugs and it is expected that 2024 will be the best year yet for results.
More information can be found on the website here
Image Credits: Mind/Rethink Mental Illness .