Today is Time to Talk Day. It is a day where people are encouraged to talk about mental health in order to remove the stigma that so often surrounds it.
Today is Time to Talk Day. It is a day where people are encouraged to talk about mental health in order to remove the stigma that so often surrounds it.
Here at the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman, we talk about mental health a lot because it is an important issue. We talk about the general concept of wellbeing, managing stress and anxiety, how to build resilience and where to get support if you need it.
By making these discussions business-as-usual, it creates a safe environment for people to seek support from peers and management if they need it. It also helps to educate us all so that we are better equipped to identify when people might be experiencing mental ill-health.
While we do a lot now, we started small – so don’t feel daunted if you don’t know what to talk about or how to talk about it. You could
- Ask a colleague, friend or family member how they are and really listen to the answer they give
- Make it a topic at a staff meeting, or an informal coffee morning
- Discuss a recent article, movie or TV show that may have highlighted mental health issues
If you need any resources or ideas, then head over to www.time-to-change.org.uk
If you are experiencing mental health problems or need support, there are places you can go for help including:
Samaritans
Telephone: 116 123 (24 hours a day, free to call)
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org
Mind
Telephone: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm Monday to Friday)
Email: info@mind.org.uk
Web site: www.mind.org.uk/help/advice_lines