10/10/2023 - Permalink

World Mental Health Day: public health team highlights resources available to support mental health

To mark World Mental Health Day today (Tuesday 10 October 2023), Shropshire Council’s public health team are encouraging people across Shropshire to take action to support their mental health.

World Mental Health Day 2023

Take part in a new mental health national campaign

World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health.

To support the day our public health team are encouraging everyone to look at little ways to make a big difference and take part in the national Every Mind Matters ‘Find your little big thing’ campaign.

Little things make a big difference

The campaign launched today, and encourages and helps us to ‘find your little big thing’ heroing the little things we can do, which can make a big difference to our mental health.

Making time for your mental wellbeing is important – and embedding these little things as part of your routine can help you feel better and more in control.These little things can include:-

Get active – Getting active is a natural mood booster – try making it part of your routine
Manage your feelings – Learn to catch, check, and change unhelpful thoughts with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Talk to someone – Talking to someone we trust about our feelings can improve our mental wellbeing
Better sleep – Awake at night? Get out of bed and do something simple until you feel tired again
Get in nature – Regularly spending time in nature can boost your mood and help you relax
Plan ahead – Planning something to look forward to can counter boredom and energise you

Every Mind Matters website has lots of NHS-approved tips and advice to help you ‘find your little big thing’.

You can get a free, personalised Mind Plan – a mental health action plan that provides practical tips to help you deal with anxiety and stress, boost your mood, sleep better, and feel more in control.

There are little things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing, and these can make a big difference to how we feel.

You can search Every Mind Matters for free, NHS approved advice and simple tips to help you look after your mental wellbeing and see whether you can make them part of your daily routine.

Local mental health support

Togetherall – a secure, confidential and free to access online mental health support site, available 24/7 for adults and young people aged 16 or above who reside or work in a postcode served by Shropshire Council.

Togetherall has an active moderated forum to share how you’re feeling, listen and be heard. Users can create an anonymous account and have access to round the clock support from trained professionals, creative tools to help express how you’re feeling, self-assessments and a range of self-guided learning you can choose to do at your own pace.

If you are feeling lonely, stressed or just not yourself, you can find a supportive community on Togetherall. You can also find articles, courses and resources relating to a wide variety of issues, from fears and phobias to sleeping and eating concerns.

Mental health resources

To mark the day we also want to remind people that we have a host of mental health resources to help support people’s mental health and wellbeing.

The resources provide easy access to mental health support, to help people, so that problems don’t escalate.

Resources include:-

Mental health and wellbeing support pack – which showcases the range of support available locally and nationally that can help people address their mental health and emotional wellbeing needs.
Support for children, young people and young adults – advice and information for young people about where to access help and support in Shropshire.
Listening ear, emotional wellbeing and community support– detailing information on the many organisations who can offer a listening ear and offer support.
Books to support mental health – Our library services provide lots of books, to help you to live a healthy lifestyle and manage conditions.
Concerns about suicide – information for those with suicidal thoughts to help people who are struggling with day to day life, get the right support quickly.
Bereavement support (including bereavement by suicide or suspected suicide) – Help and support is available to anyone who has been affected by a bereavement
Hub of Hope website – Hub of Hope is the UK’s leading mental health support database; Wherever you are, the Hub of Hope app then pinpoints your location and reveals the nearest places for help and the right people to speak to. You can also download the app from Google Play or the Apple App store.
For World Mental Health Day Better Health have created two new mental wellbeing resources for pupils aged 5–11. Our What is wellbeing? assembly and Self-care resource can help young people understand the meaning of wellbeing and explore activities to help them feel good and boost their physical and mental health. These are available to download for free on the School Zone website: Mental wellbeing | Overview | PHE School Zone

Cecilia Motley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult social care, public health and communities, said:-

“World Mental Health Day is the perfect opportunity to take some time to think and talk about mental health – and most importantly of all, to take action to support our mental health.
“I’m really pleased to see that The Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign has introduced some new resources that can help you take small steps to help support your mental health.
“To support the day, we’d also like to highlight the many local resources our public health team and partners have created. I would encourage anyone who maybe feeling low or needs some advice to support their mental health and wellbeing, to utilise these.”

To find out more about mental health services in Shropshire visit: Mental Health Services – NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (shropshiretelfordandwrekin.nhs.uk)

Further information on World Mental Health Day can be found at: World Mental Health Day 2023 | Mental Health Foundation

Further information

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health.

The theme for 2023, set by the World Foundation of Mental Health, is ‘Mental health is a universal human right’.

It’s also a chance to talk about mental health, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to get help if you are struggling.

Every Mind Matters ‘find your little big thing’ campaign

For World Mental Health Day 2023 (Tuesday 10 October) Every Mind Matters is launching a campaign to encourage people to ‘find your little big thing’ to highlight that ‘doing the little things can make a big difference to your mental health.’

Aimed at 25–54-year-olds but weighted towards those that are struggling and most at risk of mental health problems.

Every Mind Matters is a campaign and digital resource designed to empower people to look after their mental wellbeing and support that of others. It focuses on promoting mental wellbeing as well as addressing the four most commonly reported, subclinical mental health concerns: anxiety, low mood, stress, and trouble sleeping.

The programme offers a range of evidence-based self-care actions and free resources designed to help people take care of their own mental health and prevent common concerns from escalating into mental health disorders.

Available on the website is a free, NHS-approved Mind Plan. By answering five short questions people get a personalised mental health action plan, providing practical tips to help them deal with stress and anxiety, boost their mood, sleep better, and feel more in control. People can also join a 4-week email programme where they can get reminders, swap in new tips and are encouraged to make looking after their mental wellbeing part of their everyday routine. In addition, we have an email programmes focused specifically on ‘easing your anxiety’ and ‘putting your sleep first’.

Useful links:

Website

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/

Mind Plan

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/your-mind-plan-quiz/

Self-help CBT techniques

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/self-help-cbt-techniques/

Anxiety easing email programme

https://anxiety.ecrm-registration.nhs.uk/

Putting sleep first programme

https://sleep.ecrm-registration.nhs.uk/

Mindfulness and meditation