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Tackling the mental health stigma through Mental Health Awareness Week

Mon, 17 Apr 2023

Isle Listen has launched its campaign for Mental Health Awareness Week which runs from 15-21 May.

Mental health is now a key part of public conversation after years in which it was not spoken about, and the week enables the charity to ensure mental health receives the attention it deserves, and to keep up the pressure for funding and change. The need for change is highlighted by the fact that Isle Listen received a staggering 1,337 referrals of children and young people for one-to-one mental health support in 2022.

The theme this year is ‘Anxiety’. Anxiety is an important human emotion but, for some, it can get out of hand and become a mental health problem. It is one of the most common mental health problems people face across the world at present and the Isle of Man is no exception.

Isle Listen wants people across the Isle of Man to get involved during the awareness week to help shine a spotlight on anxiety. By better understanding the ways that we manage and improve feelings of anxiety, they can be prevented from increasing and sometimes becoming a more serious mental health problem.

There are lots of ways to get involved during Mental Health Awareness Week:

• Join Isle Listen in Ramsey for its ‘signature’ Sea Dip for your Sanity event on Sunday 14 May 2023 – sea dipping is a great way to support mental health!
• Learn practical ways to prevent anxiety becoming a problem through Isle Listen’s short learning sessions – increasing awareness and understanding of anxiety will help people to better manage the emotion.
• Give your logo a twist and go green for Mental Health Awareness Week – help raise awareness of the importance of mental health.
• Host one of Isle Listen’s Merchandise Boxes to help raise vital funds.
• Wear something green on Friday 19 May.
• Tuck in for mental health at Isle Listen’s Curry and Chaat event with Leela’s Kitchen – connecting with others, socialising, and talking is a great way to strengthen relationships and beat anxiety.
• If you can’t join one of Isle Listen’s organised events, do your own thing and fundraise to help raise awareness of mental health.
• Order one of Isle Listen’s green heart or limited-edition badges by Jade Boylan, to raise awareness of mental health – all proceeds go towards Isle Listen’s essential work as a charitable organisation focused on mental health and prevention amongst children and young people.

Andrea Chambers, Isle Listen Chief Executive, said: “We all experience anxiety about many things that arise in our everyday lives. Sometimes however, anxiety can become overwhelming and, in some cases, become a mental health problem. There are things we can do to improve feelings of anxiety and stop them becoming overwhelming, such as physical activity, any sort of hobby, or talking to a trusted friend. The earlier in life we learn skills that support us to overcome anxiety the better, and this is very much at the heart of the work we do at Isle Listen. We hope Mental Health Awareness Week will help people to better understand how to manage anxiety, as well as feeling more confident to talk openly about it.

“Each year, Mental Health Awareness Week gives us a valuable platform and allows us to work towards increasing public understanding of mental health on our Island, and also highlight the essential mental health support we provide to children and young people in schools and the community. However, we want to ensure that the principles of positive mental health are embedded in society regardless of age, all year round. Occasions such as Mental Health Awareness Week can be used to help tackle the real issue of people not feeling comfortable speaking openly about their mental health and everything that contributes to making it either better or worse. I hope as many people as possible will want to get involved and you can find out how on our website.

 

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