Mental Health Awareness Week: Move more for your mental health!

People of all ages are being encouraged to move more for their mental health, as part of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week 2024.

The theme of this year’s campaign, from today until Sunday 19 May 2024, is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

One of the most important things you can do to help protect your mental health is regular movement. Moving more can increase your energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost your self esteem.

Step outside and breathe

With this year’s campaign coinciding with National Walking Month, there’s no better time to step outside and enjoy the amazing Shropshire countryside.

Enjoying our green spaces can really support your mental wellbeing, lift your mood, and help reduce your risk of mental health problems. If it feels daunting to get outside, try going with a friend or relative, or picking somewhere familiar. There are also some great tips on the Mental Health Foundation website to help you get started.

Shropshire’s Great Outdoors has many special landscapes including the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and many promoted routes for walking, cycling and riding across the county, from The Shropshire Way to Walking with Offa.

You can find out more about Shropshire’s Great Outdoors, including activities you can take part in, on our Shropshire Great Outdoors website.

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

“We’re supporting this Mental Health Awareness Week, to encourage everyone moving more for their mental health.

“Keeping emotionally well is just as important as keeping physically well. Everyone can get the mental health benefits of moving more; it’s all about finding what works for you.

“Mental Health Awareness Week also is a great reminder to prioritise our emotional wellbeing and to look out for signs that we, or other people we know, need help. Taking small steps to look after our mental health day-to-day can help to prevent problems escalating, and connecting with other people and with our wider communities can help with this.

“Our mental health and wellbeing pages on our website have some really useful links to services that can help when things begin to feel difficult.”

Feeling low or anxious? Reach out to someone

There are many simple things we can all do to look after our mental wellbeing. It’s also important to be open about how we are feeling and to reach out for help when we need it.

Shropshire’s Council’s mental health and wellbeing webpages offer a range of support and tools to support people’s mental health. These include:

• Mental health and wellbeing support in Shropshire resource pack – This new resource contains lots of useful local and national contacts to support mental health and wellbeing including supported employment, support for people with health and social care needs, support for sexual abuse, support for family and unpaid carers and support for children and young people.
• Shropshire’s Social Prescribing programme – This is a non-medical programme designed to help people with a wide range of social, emotional, or practical needs that helps them resolve their concerns at an early stage and put them back in charge of their wellbeing.
• TogetherAll is an online community for any Shropshire resident aged 16 and over, for people who are stressed, anxious or feeling low. The service has an active forum with round-the-clock support from trained professionals. You can talk anonymously and confidentially to other members.
• Support for children, young people, and young adults – there is a wide range of advice, information and support for children and young people. This includes NHS Shropshire, Telford Wrekin website Healthier Together which offers advice for parents, young people, and pregnant women, as well as clinical resources to support healthcare professionals. Our children’s Social Prescribing programme offers children and young people, aged 11 (in school Year 7) and above. a non-medical approach to support for a range of social, emotional, and practical needs.
• Every Mind Matters– is a national NHS campaign full of tailored tips and advice to help you manage stress, sleep better, and boost your mood.

Stress and anxiety about money can affect people’s mental health and wellbeing and, for lots of people, this has been heightened by the rising cost of living in recent years. The council’s cost of living webpages offer a wide range of advice and support to ensure you are maximising your income.

Urgent help – Call NHS 111 select mental health

If you or somebody you know is in crisis and needs urgent mental health support you can now contact your local crisis service in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin by calling NHS 111 or visiting www.111.nhs.uk and selecting the mental health option.