Today (Monday 12th May) signifies the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, of which this year’s theme is ‘community’.
‘Easy’ isn’t a phrase often used to describe living in this day and age. From a cost-of-living crisis, a global pandemic to a complete change in government, the last couple of years have arguably been some of the hardest. It is because of these reasons that events like Mental Health Awareness Week are necessary.
Image: the Mental Health Foundation.
Founded 24 years ago by the Mental Health Foundation, the UK-wide initiative was created to tackle some of the biggest challenges impacting people’s wellbeing and stress the importance of finding joy in the little things.
Against this backdrop, this year’s theme is ‘community’. Industry experts have claimed they’re encouraging individuals who may be struggling mentally to seek comfort with those close by. This could be family, friends or even members of a local community group.
New research from the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) showcases why a sense of community is needed now, more than ever. The not-for-profit commissioned YouGov to survey over 2,000 UK adults aged 18 and over about how lonely they feel. The research, which was published today, revealed one in three 18-24-year-olds are experiencing loneliness on a regular basis. What’s more, experts also discovered 52% of adults are facing some form of loneliness.
Meanwhile, experts also found that women are more likely to feel lonely than men and levels of loneliness were discovered to be higher among full-time students (74%) and people who identify as LGBTQ+ (70%) and individuals who are part of lower social grade communities (56%).
However, on a more positive note, it was outlined that individuals who are part of a support group or club felt more like they belonged and experienced an improvement in their mental health as a result. In a bid to boost this sense of inclusion, famous English dancer and TV personality Shirly Ballas has become the latest ambassador for CALM and is working to encourage people to sign up for CALM Clubs – a free service that allows for people to unleash their passion and connect with likeminded people in the process.
‘Being part of the dance community has not only given me endless joy and opportunities, but also unending support,’ Shirly said. ‘There is such a beauty in connecting with a group of people over a shared passion. I wholeheartedly support the brilliant work CALM is doing to help people in taking their first steps to finding their own communities, as well as equipping those that already exist with potentially life-saving tools.
‘We are facing a loneliness epidemic right now, and this might just be the answer. And I’ll be making it my personal mission to see the first dance group sign up to CALM Clubs this Mental Health Awareness Week.’
Echoing a similar tone, English former rugby union player Joe Marler has also become a CALM Ambassador for similar reasons. He said: ‘Some of the loneliest times of my life have been on the rugby pitch surrounded by tens of thousands of people. A sense of belonging isn’t maths – it’s not about how many people you’re in a room with; it’s about connection and knowing there’s a group you can lean on, laugh with and sometimes cry with. Whether you’re in a club already and want to make sure you’re showing up for your members, or if you haven’t got a clue where to start, CALM, as always, has got your back.’
Despite support groups and clubs helping some, they aren’t always the answer for feeling better. With this in mind, in aid of Mental Health Awareness Week, CALM have published an online support resource that offers advice on how to feel a little less alone. Some of the recommendations include getting outdoors, listening to the radio, music or a podcast and watching something that has provided comfort in the past, such as a film or TV programme.
On the subject of resources, the Mental Health Foundation have additionally produced a new pack which contains a number of ways people can get involved in spreading the word this week. More information about this can be accessed here.
Feature photo by geralt via UnSplash
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