This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and this year, more than ever before, our mental health has been tested. The effects of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns as well as social distancing have not been easy. Times have been challenging and occasionally lonely.
Mental Health Awareness week was started by the Mental Health Foundation 21 years ago as an annual event as an opportunity for us all to focus on achieving good mental health and the benefits of this help us to enjoy life and cope with problems.
There are a number of simple things you can do to help maintain your mental health, including eating well and exercising, although sometimes this isn’t always enough.
This year, the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘Nature’, as this is central to our emotional and mental health. Nature has an ability to help bring respite in times of stress and it also can help increase our empathy, creativity and sense of wonder. In fact, Mark Rowland the Chief Executive of The Mental Health Foundation says: ‘It turns out that it is not just being in nature but how we open ourselves up and interact with nature that counts.’ The Mental Health Foundation goes on to ask us all to do three things:
1. Experience nature: take time to recognise and grow your connection with nature during the week. Take a moment to notice and celebrate nature in your daily life. This could be simply listening to the birds, the rain or noticing the flowers or trees around you.
2. Share nature: Take a photo, video or sound recording and share the connections you’ve made during the week, to inspire others using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
3. Talk about nature: Discuss with your family, colleagues and friends how you can help and encourage people to find new ways to connect with nature in your local environment
If you or someone you love is in need of additional support, do not hesitate to contact me to discuss how I can help.
Shanne