Mental Health Awareness Week
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week (9th-15th May) and this year’s focus is on the theme of loneliness.
The Mental Health Foundation started Mental Health Awareness Week 21 years ago and has continued to set the theme, organise and host the week. It has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally.
And this year’s campaign is centred around loneliness. With no one cause and no one solution, it’s a devastating problem that affects one in four adults according to the Mental Health Foundation.
The longer we feel lonely, the harder it can be to battle mental health problems; but if you feel as though you’re suffering from loneliness or know someone who might be, there are practical steps to be taken.
Physical activity is a great way to cope with loneliness – whether that be a walk in the park if you ever feel overwhelmed or even taking steps to join one of the thousands of clubs out there to engage with others that share your interests, there are positive solutions to be found!
You can visit the Welsh Sports Association Member Directory for inspiration on what you might fancy taking up!
Via its website, the Mental Health Foundation has provided some important advice on how to combat loneliness to anyone who might need it.
Keeping yourself busy with things that provide you with satisfaction and stimulating your mind are important aspects of improving your mental health, while engaging with people you see in your daily life or finding others that enjoy the same activities can also help!
You can also find advice on how to yourself support those who might need it on the same webpage.
If you are concerned that you are rapidly developing a mental health problem and feel as though you need help urgently, please do not hesitate in seeking help from your GP or, your local A&E.
You can also find a selection of contacts and links via the Mental Health Foundation website, from which you’ll be able to talk to professionals and receive expert help.
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