Monday, 20 January 2014

Day 95: #TimeToTalk

Today is supposed to be ‘Blue Monday', the most unhappy day of the year, but this hasn't got a great scientific basis.  Did you celebrate ‘Blooming Monday’ today? If not, put it in your diary for next year!

Whether it’s the depths of winter or mid-summer there are still many millions in the UK alone affected by mental illness.  The Time to Change campaign, run by Mind and Rethink aims to challenge stigma and stereotypes about mental illness through #TimeToTalk.  Join 50,000 others and make your Time to Change pledge here.

It's no coincidence that the Department of Health launched its Action Plan for Mental Health today.  The aim of this plan is to “…make a difference, in the next two or three years, to the lives of people with mental health problems”.  This will only happen if all of us more openly talk about mental health and recognise it as being important as physical health.

I was also alerted today, by Dr Alys Cole-King, to the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Royal College of GPs’ guidance on suicide mitigation from the Primary Care Mental Health Forum. Aimed at GPs, it’s helpful for other health professionals too.

I’ve rambled a bit and gone over my 100 word limit today, but it’s such an important subject and we must do all we can to end the stigma of mental health and ensure parity of esteem with physical health.


So go on, start the conversation, it’s #TimeToTalk

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