It’s Good To Talk!
World Mental Health Day takes place every year on October 10 to spotlight mental health around the world, raise awareness and encourage efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues. 
The aim is to bring people together to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters. Talking about our mental health can help us cope better with life’s ups and downs. So, on World Mental Health Day and afterwards, why not check in with your friends, family, peers or colleagues?
Get involved
There are lots of ways that you can take part in World Mental Health Day.
Celebrate with a Tea & Talk! Last year, over 260,000 people held a Tea & Talk for World Mental Health Day, getting together and talking to each other about any issues they were having.
Talking is good for your mental health. And talking about mental health is important. But starting a conversation isn’t always easy. Whether you’d like to talk to someone about how you’re feeling or check-in with someone you care about, here are some tips that can help.
Talking about your own mental health
1. Choose someone you trust to talk to
This might be a friend, family member or a colleague. Or you might be more comfortable talking to someone you don’t know, for example, through a support helpline.
2. Think about the best place to talk
It’s important to choose a place where you feel comfortable enough to open-up. You might want to choose somewhere private where you’re less likely to be disturbed. You also might want to talk while you do an activity, like walking together.
3. Prepare yourself for their reaction
Hopefully, you will have a good experience when you open-up to someone. But there’s a chance that they may not react in the way you hope. This may be for different reasons – they may be worried or not fully understand at first. If that’s the case, try to give them time to process what you’ve told them. It might help to give them information to read to help them understand. And don’t forget to be kind to yourself and practise self-care.
Talking to someone else about their mental health
1. Find a good space to talk without distractions
If you’re worried about someone, try to find a place where you know you can have a conversation without being distracted. Make sure to give them your full attention.
2. Listen and ask questions
Listening can be one of the most valuable ways to be there for someone. Show them that you’re actively listening, make eye contact and do not interrupt. Questions can help you clarify what they mean and also show that you’re actively listening. But make sure the questions are relevant to what they’re saying and not changing the subject.
3. Ask how you can help
Ask how you can help or make suggestions, rather than telling them what to do next. They might want support with making a GP appointment, help around the house or just for you to keep things normal and chat about what’s going on in life.
How will you mark this year’s World Mental Health Day?
