October’s Health and Wellbeing focus is mental health.
Living with a mental health condition can affect many aspects of daily life, from your physical health to your home, your work and managing money.
Mixed anxiety and depression is the most common mental illness in Britain, with 7.8% of people meeting the criteria for diagnosis. Anxiety can prevent people from doing the things they want to do some or all of the time.
There are lots of reasons why we get this feeling. It can be connected to a job, school, a relationship, social situations, how we feel about ourselves, or a change in our life.
If we don’t know how to cope with our feelings of anxiety, they can get out of control and stop us from doing the things we need or want to do. The more often and the longer we feel anxious, the more it can become a problem. Dealing with anxiety and depression can be hard and difficult to cope with.
- Mixed anxiety and depression have been estimated to cause one-fifth of days lost from work in Britain.
- One adult in six has a common mental illness in the UK.
- More than 700,000 people take their own life each year – that’s one person every 40 seconds.
- 115 people die by suicide in the UK every week – with 75% of those deaths being male.
- 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts.
World Mental Health Day 2024
World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on 10 October.
This year’s theme set by the World Federation of Mental Health is ‘It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace’. The theme highlights the importance of addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, for the benefit of people, organisations, and communities.
Get involved
There are lots of ways that you can take part with World Mental Health Day.
Celebrate with a Tea and Talk! Last year, over 260,000 people had a Tea and Talk for World Mental Health Day – raising vital funds for mental health whilst getting together and talking about mental health. Every donation supports life-changing work and brings us closer to a world with good mental health for all.
Free Webinar with Mates in Mind
Join the event on Thursday 10 October, 2.00-3.00pm. It will focus on building confidence in speaking about mental health in the workplace
To find out more and to book your place on the website.
If you have any questions regarding this webinar, or if you would like to know more about what we do to build positive mental health in and through work, please email support@matesinmind.org.
What is a mentally healthy workplace?
Working can have a huge impact on our mental health. It can be good for our mental health, giving us a sense of purpose, boosting our self-worth, and providing opportunities to connect with others. But it can also be a source of stress and anxiety and contribute to developing or worsening mental health problems.
Many people spend a lot of their time working, whether that’s in the community, in an office, a workshop, at home, or many other workplaces. That’s why it’s so important that our workplace supports our mental health, helping us get the mental health benefits of work while reducing the negative impact.
There are many things that contribute to a mentally healthy workplace, from providing staff training on mental health to tackling discrimination and bullying. Importantly, a mentally healthy workplace supports open conversations about mental health.
While talking about mental health in the workplace has become more common, many people still face stigma when it comes to severe mental health problems. There’s more work to be done to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace.
Read the Mental Health Foundation’s tips and advice on supporting someone with their mental health at work.
You’re not alone, confidential advice and support is available:
Mental Health First Aiders
At Octavius we have over 60 trained Mental Health First Aiders. These dedicated colleagues form a caring community; they’re here to listen and help get you support if you need it. The team has already made a huge difference helping countless individuals, their families, and friends.
Our Mental Health First Aiders are a point of contact for anyone experiencing poor mental health or emotional distress. Interactions range from an initial conversation through to signposting and supporting those who need it to get appropriate help. The support offered is totally confidential.
The Lighthouse Charity
The Lighthouse Construction Charity provides free 24-hour, seven days a week emotional, financial and wellbeing support for those in the industry. You can call The Lighthouse Construction Industry helpline for free 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0345 605 1956 in the UK.
You can download the free “Construction Industry Helpline” app or text HARDHAT to 85258 to receive 24/7, free and confidential guidance and support over text. An online live chat support is also available on their website.
Adam Hillaby, our STOPThink! coach for Rail has shared his experience of depression and his journey to recovery. You can read his story on LinkedIn.
