#DoOneThing this World Mental Health Day

This World Mental Health Day, people in Wolverhampton are being encouraged to #DoOneThing to improve their mental health and wellbeing, and that of others.

Research by the charity Mind has found that 60% of adults and 68% of young people said their mental health worsened during the coronavirus lockdown. However, making small positive changes can have a big impact on people’s wellbeing.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "This year has been a tough one for all of us because of coronavirus.

“The months of lockdown have had a huge impact on our mental health. For many people, existing mental health problems have become worse, while others have developed new ones.

"That’s why prioritising good mental health has never been more important. Making positive changes can seem so hard but now, more than ever, it's vital that we do all we can to improve our own mental health, and that of others.

"So whether it's going for a walk, learning a new skill or doing something creative, taking the first steps to getting support for yourself or reaching out to someone else, please #DoOneThing to help this World Mental Health Day."

Dr Mark Weaver, Chief Medical Officer at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We know the last few months have had an incredible impact on people’s mental health. Help is available and we want to use World Mental Health Day to encourage people to talk to someone if they feel their mood has changed or if they are finding things difficult.

“There’s a lot of support available from online mood courses to specialist one-to-one support. You can self-refer to Wolverhampton Healthy Minds via www.wolverhamptonhealthyminds.nhs.uk or alternatively speak to your GP. It is always better to get help earlier on, so if you want to ease the load – talk to someone.”

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will be hosting a free webinar on Friday (9 October) from 1pm-2.30pm where you can find out more about support available and take a journey through mental health services. To sign up, please email bchft.communications@nhs.net.

The new NHS mental health crisis helpline run by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides advice, support and signposting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to people of all ages. Call 0800 008 6516.

If you are having a difficult time or if you are worried about someone else, The Samaritans are there to listen. Visitwww.samaritans.org, call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org for support.

The charity Rethink runs a Black Country freephone service for those in need of support, reassurance and understanding – call 0808 802 2208 (Monday to Friday, 6pm-3am, Saturday and Sunday 2pm-3am). For more information, please visit www.rethink.org.

If you are experiencing stress, feelings of anxiety or low mood, visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression for self-assessment, audio guides and other practical tools. The Every Mind Matters campaign,www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters, also provides simple tips and advice to start taking better care of your mental health.

World Mental Health Day takes place on Saturday (10 October, 2020). For more information about Mind's #DoOneThing campaign, please visit www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day-2020.