Every Mind Matters: WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY 2019

This post is being shared a day later than usual to line up with World Mental Health Day.

What Is World Mental Health Day?
World Mental Health Awareness Day first took place in 1992 founded by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) and supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It's now annually observed on October 10th with the aim of fighting stigma surrounding mental health, opening up discussions about what more could be done to combat the negative perceptions of it, and how we can all support those who may be struggling with their mental health. Since 1994, different themes of focus have been set by WFMH each year. The symbol for mental health awareness is the green ribbon which can be ordered from Mental Health Foundation's website.

In this post I'm going to address how you can support yourself and others when it comes to mental health.

Firstly, I want to address a common misconception that I have seen too many times:

You don't have to have a diagnosed mental health condition in order to support or be an advocate of mental health.

Because you don't have a diagnosed mental health condition, it does not mean that you shouldn't be able to share your support and thoughts. Mental health exists within everyone and covers social, emotional and cognitive functions, which we all experience. Don't feel like you aren't able to or don't have the right to speak about mental health without a formal diagnosis. Don't let others tell you that your experience carries less value as a result. Everyone deals with mental health. Everyone has felt like they have hit rock bottom at one point in their lives. Everyone has also had moments of complete elation. Most of us have felt mentally and physically drained and have found ourselves really struggling in certain situations.


However, this isn't the only concern many of us face:

We also fear the stigma brought with labels.

As much as we don't want this to be true, one of the biggest struggles when it comes to mental health are the negative associations that come with it. This is probably one of the key reasons for not seeking support when we are struggling with our mental health. We're scared of how those around us will use specific labels against us or how it may damage our reputation. Of course, this shouldn't be the case, as having a mental health diagnosis or bad mental health every now and then doesn't make anyone less capable than anyone else. The same tasks can be performed, but perhaps with more willpower and effort than usual.

David Mark | Pixabay

I don't talk about this much because it still makes me feel very uncomfortable, but this is a personal example of how some of us may accidentally use labels in the wrong way.

If you have read some of my blog posts, seen me do a presentation, a speech, a performance, or maybe showing you around school, I seem very confident both socially and with the knowledge that I'm sharing. That is further from the truth. I never fail to always get audience members come and speak to me after a performance (or similar) only for them to comment about how surprised they are to realise that I'm quite the opposite as my 'natural self', so to speak.

When I had managed to push through that barrier and when people gave me the benefit of the doubt, I exceeded their expectations. It always shocked them that I had the ability to be able to stand up in front of an audience and deliver a strong performance or presentation. Despite my anxious tendencies, I have learned that (ironically) presentations and speeches are one of my biggest strengths.


The point here is that:

Someone's state of mental health does NOT define who they are.

Someone who suffers from anxiety for example may have no problem with standing on a stage in front of a large audience. Take the likes of Emma Stone, Adele, and Johnny Depp as key examples. Many well-respected people such as Ellen DeGeneres, Emma Thompson, and J.K Rowling have suffered with depression and are still able to create incredible careers for themselves. The same goes for David Walliams who has been diagnosed with bipolar and Justin Timberlake with ADHD and OCD. Imagine if they had let others' negative judgements of mental health dictate their abilities to do well. Fighting against general labelling or negative; over-generalised  associations of mental health is a constant battle for many people.

Alexas Fotos | Pexels

This is way it's APA (American Psychological Association) regulation that the individual ALWAYS comes BEFORE their diagnosis. There's no such thing as 'the anxious/ depressed participant'. However, to say 'the participant, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia' is acceptable as this way the individual is put in centre focus rather than the diagnosis itself.

It will be a massive step in the right direction if we were able to rewire ourselves to think in the same way as that APA guideline suggests. We shouldn't be drawing lines. Everyone should have the same opportunity as everyone else does to prove themselves or take part in activities they want to, regardless of the labels that are put upon them.

That one thing that you deprive someone of could be the one thing 

that keeps them standing. 

It could be the one thing that boosts their wellbeing, esteem and confidence. If they don't get that chance, they will never know.


There's been a lot of talk about preventing the rise of mental health through spotting warning signs. Back in the Summer, Theresa May even suggested an initiative whereby teachers should be trained to spot the signs of mental health issues. There are articles which make sign spotting seem like a breeze, when in reality it's not.

Don't beat yourself up for not being able to spot the signs 
of someone in need of support.

Often, signs are extremely subtle or even invisible. Other times they only appear apparent when the individual admits that they are having a tough time or if they (or someone else) explicitly lets others know what has been happening. Whilst we all have a responsibility to support those around us, please don't hold yourself accountable for not being able to spot signs as they can be very well hidden.

Even as individuals we tend to be in denial when we experience symptoms of bad mental health.

This results in in pushing them to the back of our minds and ignoring them. Here are a few examples:

• Social - isolating oneself; loss of enjoyment when it comes to social gatherings.
• Cognitive - loss of focus, finding it more difficult than usual to understand information; decline in problem solving or decision-making abilities.
• Emotional - loss of self-esteem or confidence, extended periods of low mood; feeling overly tearful or sensitive, increased nervousness, irritation or any other emotion.
• Physical - feeling sick when there's no physical cause, fatigue, decreased pain tolerance; headaches.

This is why it's important for us to keep an eye out on ourselves and keep an eye out for the following (copied and pasted from a previous post that I wrote):

• Ensuring that you are eating well and enough.
• Checking in on how you are sleeping (too much or too little).
• Making sure that this isn’t having an impact on your studies or work.
• Reflecting on your behaviours (especially those avoidance behaviours which are so easy to get into).

A really good idea is you get yourself a diary and keep a record of how you are doing with the above points daily. Rank how you've been feeling throughout the day on a scale between 1-10, record how long you have slept. Include your thoughts and feelings if that helps you. If you've had a particularly bad day see if you can pinpoint why. If not, it's okay note down that you don't know to. I'm still working on this myself.

Supporting someone else

Priscilla Du Preez | Unsplash

Some of us don't know what to do when faced with someone who confides them about their mental health and that's reasonable. If so, they don't expect you to do much but offer your support and a listening ear. There's no need to do a speech or quite massive paragraphs about their achievements or how much you appreciate them. Whilst the odd compliments are beneficial, the more you do it, the less value those comments will have. It's the simple little acts of kindness can mean the most.

• Check up on your friends every now and then. Text them once a week (or more often!) just to ask how they are. Schedule a weekly phone call conversation with them for a catch up. Make them aware that you're available as someone who they can talk to.
  
  
• If someone you know wants to seek help but they're too afraid to speak to their tutor for example, offer to send an email for them, ask if they would like you to speak to their tutor for them, or accompany them to the meeting.
  
  
• Ask if there's anything they can do to help. Give some suggestions such as going around to their house and sitting with them for a while.
  
  
• Allow silences. It gives you both time to think and reflect on what has just been said.
  
  
• Be patient. Allow them to decide how much they want to tell you. 
  
  
• Talk through some general coping strategies: drawing, music, writing, or anything that lines up with their hobbies and interests. Maybe join in with them!
  
  
• Give them a hug (with permission, of course!). Small acts go a long way!

There are also things that you shouldn't do if someone confides to you:

• Don't immediately pressure them into speaking to someone. Chances are, you will scare them.
  
  
• Don't reject their feelings in any way or tell them to "not worry". This can cause them to close up about how they really feel. Try to be understanding and accepting.
  
  
• Don't give them reasons for them not to feel the way they do. They have probably already had that talk with themselves and it will add on extra guilt.
  
  
• Remember that you are NOT a trained medical profession. Don't offer any diagnoses or start talking about medical or psychological treatments that could help them. Leave that to those who are trained to know what the best way forward is.

There are some really good websites which can provide you guidance if you want to support yourself or another person who may be struggling with their mental health.


Useful Websites and Resources:

As well as the following links, be sure to check out the links to the World Metal Health Foundation, WHO, and WFMH in the first paragraph of this post to.


Mind - There's so much information under the 'Information & Support' tab and it's all very neatly organised to! The language makes it easy to understand, so it's very accessible. Under this tab you can find lists of various mental health conditions if you want to educate yourself on some of them, guidance on how you can help someone who is struggling with a specific problem, information on treatment options, and important helplines you can contact as well.

Student Minds - focuses on common mental health difficulties commonly encountered by university students. Resources on how parents can support their child from a distance, a guide on how to introduce a conversation about mental health, and workshops run for students at uni to name a few.

Samaritans - Samaritans provide a free phone call service which you can use to speak to someone about any adversities you're facing or if you want to speak about supporting someone else in need. It's open all day, every day. They offer email services to. This is great for those of us who find it uncomfortable speaking to someone who we know about difficult situations.

Time to Change  - Aimed at challenging the negative prejudice and discrimination surrounding mental health whether that be in schools, in the workplace, or in the local community. On their website there are free resources to help combat negative attitudes, as well as personal blog entries from individuals who have dealt with such issues.

Wellbeing Support Services - This self-help page can be accessed by non-Warwick students also. They have some really good info and advice on so many difficulties you may be experiencing including self-esteem, failing well, time management, mindfulness and a whole lot more. They also provide links to podcasts, videos, and articles. I would really encourage you to check it out as there's so much there!


Friends, family members, colleagues, personal tutors, teachers/lecturers, school counsellors; your university's wellbeing services are there to support you as well.

There's no requirement to who you choose to speak to or what resources you access. You may want to research your options first. Don't worry - no one will be looking through your browser history! Choose to do whatever makes you feel the most comfortable at this stage and work your way up if you feel you need to.

Finally, my goals for you...

via GIPHY

• Contact 3 of your close friends and check in with them. Ask them how they are doing or what they've been up to.
  
  
• Perform 1 act of kindness this week. This could be as minor as giving someone a compliment.
  
  
• Challenge the way you think about mental health. Are there any changes which you can make in terms of your attitudes towards mental health?
  
  
• Take a break and do something for yourself!

Thank you so much for reading. I hope the rest of this week treats you well!