#TimeToTalk Day

Mental health problems are more common than you might think, with the likelihood that one in four of us will be affected by mental illness in any year.

But what’s worse than the illness itself, is that nearly nine out of ten people who experience mental health issues, say they face stigma and discrimination as a result. This can be even worse than the symptoms themselves.

To tackle that, we need to talk more about mental health issues. It helps people to know they’re not alone, it can strengthen relationships between friends, family and colleagues. And it starts to take the taboo out of something that affects us all.

Time to Change, is England’s biggest mental health anti-stigma programme, run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and it is aiming to get more people talking about mental health than ever before with their ‘Time to Talk Day’ on Thursday 6 February.

Time to Change’s latest advertising campaign aims to show that “It’s the little things which make a big difference” when it comes to mental health – such as having a cup of tea and a chat. And on Time to Talk Day they’re encouraging people to do just that.

I’m supporting Time to Talk Day, which aims to inspire a million conversations – to show that mental health problems are common and having those conversations needn’t be as hard as people sometimes fear.

Could you be a part of it too?

People all over the country will be running events, sharing experiences online and even just having a cuppa and a chat with a friend to help get that conversation started and although (according to the website) locally to us, the nearest event is at the Grapevine Wellbeing Centre in Buxton (which time permitting I hope to call in at) (with the next nearest being an alternative of Stuff or Pure Innovations in Stockport) there’s a whole host of materials on the Time to Change website (www.time-to-change.org.uk) that could help you to start that conversation.

It’s #TimetoTalk! Be a part of the big conversation on Thursday 6 February.