Tuesday 10-10-2017 - 15:43

On 10 October, we marked World Mental Health Day, creating a chilled out area in the Main Hall where everyone could come and relax, get creative and start really important conversations about mental health.

In Reception, you can join fellow students in making pledges towards taking care of your own mental health. In Crewe, VP Cheshire Amie Atkinson was in Frances Wood helping students take a break and provided handy information about where you can get support.

Lily Smith, Community Officer, gave us a quick idea about what was happening:

“Today is about raising awareness about mental health. We’ve got some conversation starters, some crafts and some fun and sensory things to play with so you can be creative. You can come and de-stress in a relaxing environment where it’s okay to talk openly about mental health. One in four people suffer with their mental health, so it’s important to have those conversations.

We’ve got more planned throughout the year — we’re running the ‘It’s OK’ campaign again, so keep your eyes peeled for that. We’ll be running ‘It’s OK to talk’ sessions throughout the year, raising awareness of about mental health and we’ll also  be working with the university to continue to improve their services and support for students.”

Amie told us “we whisper about mental health like it’s a taboo subject when in reality, we all have mental health, just like we have physical heath. Saying “mental health” doesn’t mean you have depression or anxiety, it means you have a ‘level of psychological well-being’. Some are lucky to have good mental health others are not so lucky. Look after your mental health, stimulate your mind, talk about your feelings, open up to people and be honest. None of these are quick fixes, it’s just about doing the best you can.’

Last year, the award-winning ‘It’s OK’ campaign lead to positive change at Manchester Met, as well as raising awareness in the student community. Loads of you got involved, ran your own workshops and started your own campaigns about mental health. This year we are continuing the campaign, with the aim of building on student and staff awareness and responsiveness to mental health challenges and tackling stigma so that no one suffers alone.

The new Time to Change Society is a great example of students getting together to change attitudes about mental health and create a community of support. Watch this space for future activities and socials, or join the society to meet new people and make a difference

Remember, it’s ok to talk if you need to. The Advice Centre is there if you need it with a wealth of resources.

You can also check out:

Student Minds

Samaritans

Mind

 

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” — Oscar Wilde from “An Ideal Husband”

 

 

 

 

 "1 in 4 people suffer with mental health, so it's important to have those conversations."👌 #WorldMentalHealthDay 👉https://t.co/rNtXxW3MT6 pic.twitter.com/IOcw3UrR3B

— The Union MMU (@TheUnionMMU) October 10, 2017