Did you know it’s mental health awareness week?
Have you seen everyone on twitter posting #bekind?
Have you found yourself wondering why the other 51 weeks of the year it’s like mental health doesn’t exist?
Awareness week is crucial in helping remove the stigma, in raising awareness and encouraging individuals to seek help for their mental health. For 7 days, social media is inundated with positive quotes, hashtags and your university emailing you. What we all need is mental health to be made a priority the other 358 days a year. Mental health doesn’t suddenly stop existing when we stop talking about it.
After a celebrity death everyone is quick to say how important it is to reach out, yet look the other way when a friend starts displaying mental health symptoms they don’t want to deal with. February we saw #bekind printed on t shirts and in every instagram post, weeks later people are physically fighting over toilet roll. It shouldn’t take a tragedy to encourage kindness.
University is a time where many young people find themselves needing help with their mental health but it isn't always easily accessible. I don’t want or need my university to email me “Be kind to yourself and others” (not naming any uni...).
I want them to offer us all reassurance as we hand in our last ever essays.
I want them to be more sympathetic to our upset.
I want them to be more clear on what the no-detriment approach means.
I want them to make mental health and wellbeing a priority every single day of the year, not just when there is an opportunity for a social media post.
It really isn’t hard to be nice to people.
It’s not hard to say something kind, or keep your mouth shut otherwise.
It’s not hard to support a friend, it’s not hard to listen.
You may have seen the statistics “1 in 4” when regarding the number of people with mental health.
EVERYONE has mental health, just 1 in 4 have a mental health condition. Everyone has bad days, we’re only human.
If we want people to feel comfortable seeking help for their mental health then we need to create an environment where everyone feels safe, feels listened to.
Mental health problems are not pretty. It isn’t fun or cute or desirable. It won't go away with a hug and a cup of tea. (although those are both very welcomed).
Mental health problems are debilitating, they’re life altering and scary and confusing all at once. BUT they won’t stay that way forever. Recovery isn’t only possible, it’s probable. Talking helps. Being heard helps. Comfort helps. Therapy helps. Medication helps. Exercise helps. Healing comes in waves, it doesn’t always happen how or when we expect.
Time is our friend.
Keep talking, every day. Keep seeking better days.
Mental health is there 365 days a year.
That's all for now
Lucy