World Mental Health Day on Sunday
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World Mental Health Day on October 10 is aimed at promoting positive mental health and raising awareness of mental health difficulties and to tackle stigma.
In Scotland around one in three people are estimated to be affected by mental health difficulties in any year.
This year's event comes at a time when everybody's life has been challenged. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a real impact on mental health and wellbeing, and greater investment in mental health has never been so important.
The Highland Community Planning Partnership, Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Group have developed resources which primarily signposts individuals and communities to trusted sources of support for mental health and wellbeing including: where to get help in a crisis; resources/weblinks to support our mental wellbeing; and learning tools to build skills and confidence in conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.
Louise Bussell, NHS Highland’s chief officer, said: “The pandemic had a huge impact on the mental health and wellbeing of patients, services users and the wider community as a whole and has impacted our ability to deliver mental health services in Highland.
"Our staff rose to the challenge and did everything they could to try to ensure that they could provide the support that people needed. Staff were seeing people in their garden, arranging online sessions and putting on full PPE to go into people's homes to provide the assessments and treatments that people needed.
“We recognise that today is about the spectrum of mental health from mental wellbeing to complex and enduring mental illnesses.
"Our pledge is that with the support of the Scottish Government, we will continue to invest in developing our Mental Health services and promote wellbeing within local communities in Highland. Our ambition is to enable all people to achieve better mental health and wellbeing.”
The Highland Council's health safety and wellbeing trainer, Jim McCreath, said, “Looking after our own mental wellness has never been more important. People are getting better at recognising the signs of declining mental health and to either reach out for help or seek advice for loved ones."
The council now as over 120 staff trained as volunteer mental health first aiders across the council network.
"In support of World Mental Health Day we will be running a range of training and awareness sessions over winter. As a mental health first aider and wellbeing trainer, I notice that when people reach out for support or to talk there is a feeling of relief from opening up and talking to someone.
"On World Mental Health Day, I encourage everyone to speak openly about mental health and wellbeing.”
The five ways to wellbeing are simple things you can do to look after your mental health each and every day.
Why not design and implement your own Wellbeing Action Plan as the “one thing” you might consider to give your wellbeing a boost.
More information here
A wide range of support, advice, and guidance can also be found at: World Mental Health Day Scotland here www.youngminds.org.uk, Highland Mental Wellbeing
