Mental Health Awareness Week in Liverpool: Public Health Department Update
Mental Health Awareness Week, which is run by the Mental Health Foundation, is from 15 to 21 May, 2023, and this year the theme is Anxiety.
About Anxiety
Anxiety can be a human emotion we all experience, but it can get beyond control, start to interfere with life and become a mental health problem. This is not uncommon. A recent survey by the Mental Health Foundation found that 25% of all adults feel so anxious it stops them from doing the things they want to, some or all of the time. Challenges and stress in life can add to feelings of anxiety, and at the moment, money and things linked to it, like housing and employment, are a huge source of anxiety for many.
The aim of placing the spotlight on anxiety for Mental Health Awareness Week is to build all of our understanding and increase awareness of how to prevent it from becoming a problem.
Jayne Cook, Advanced Practitioner from the Public Health Department, said: “Rates of mental health problems like anxiety and depression are the highest we’ve seen in Liverpool for many years, higher than the peak that happened in the years following the 2010 economic crisis. Encouragingly, some of the most recent data suggests that the number of people in Liverpool who feel anxious is starting to come down, this could be for lots of different reasons, but we mustn’t be complacent. We need to continue with the important challenge of breaking down stigma, encouraging people to look after their wellbeing each day and get the help they need when they need it. There’s a lot we can do as individuals and communities to help improve and protect our wellbeing and by being a source of support and kindness to others. The Kind to Your Mind Liverpool Website was designed specifically to help people in Liverpool to take care of their mental health and get help when they need it.”
“It’s an interesting time of year in Liverpool to reflect on mental health as, in many ways, as I write this, it feels like the whole city is illuminated and united in the Joy of Eurovision. Oftentimes big celebrations and festivities can be a tale of two halves when it comes to mental health. Whilst many will benefit from the sense of celebration, togetherness, creativity and all other aspects of the festivities that boost mental wellbeing, for some, it can emphasise negative feelings like loneliness and worry about things like finances. That’s why it’s really important, as we all ‘come down’ from the high’ of the Eurovision Festival, that we use Mental Health Awareness Week as an opportunity to take care of ourselves and those around us. The Mental Health Foundation, which operates Mental Health Awareness Week, suggest we focus on building understanding and creating awareness of how to prevent mental health from becoming a problem. You can do this in many ways, but we are suggesting that as many people as possible show their support by wearing green clothing on Thursday 18th May or by having a tea and talk, nothing more complicated than a simple get together for tea, talk and time out of the stresses of daily life. Sharing pictures on social media with your own positive story or supportive message about wellbeing and the hashtag #MentalHealthAwarenessWeekLiverpool and #WearItGreen can help spread greater awareness and encourage further understanding.”
What’s On
The Life Rooms are a local organisation which aim to help you live the best way you can. They can help with issues related to housing, employment, lifestyle, and whatever it is that could improve your wellbeing. The Life Rooms can help you take your next steps towards a healthier and happier life.
The Life Rooms have added to their regular programme of community learning events and activities in support of Mental Health Awareness Week. Check out their timetables.
Liverpool’s Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Services have also coordinated a number of activities to get involved with, find out more.
Everton in the Community has recently launched The People’s Place which supports anyone, regardless of age, gender or location, to promote positive mental health and avoid poor mental health. Their programme of activities can be accessed here or by emailing peoplesplace@evertonfc.com for more information.
Also, look out for some landmark Liverpool buildings lit up in green in support of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023!!! Share your photos online using #MentalHealthAwarenessWeekLiverpool or email to PublicHealth@Liverpool.gov.uk for us to share.
Access Self-Help and Support
The Mental Health Foundation have pulled together a whole range of things we can do to manage feelings of anxiety:
If you’re looking for self-help and support in Liverpool, you should find everything you need and more at www.kindtoyourmindliverpool.co.uk
Get Involved
We’d like to ask for your support by wearing green on Thursday, 18th May 2023, and by organising tea and talk get-togethers throughout the week. By sharing your selfies in green or tea and talk photos, we can send a strong message that Liverpool understands that Anxiety affects many of us, mental health is everyone’s business, there’s no place for stigma or shame, and we can help communicate the things we can all do, that make a positive difference as well as the ways to get help when needed.
Share Share Share
Share your photos wearing green on your social media channels using the hashtags #WearItGreen and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeekLiverpool and send them, along with your positive stories or supportive messages, to PublicHealth@liverpool.gov.uk so that we can share them too.
The Mental Health Foundation has produced a social media guide where you can find words and images to use across your social media:
Whatever you’re posting on social media, don’t forget to use the hashtag #MentalHealthAwarenessWeekLiverpool and copy in or tag Liverpool City Council so we can see and share your posts.