The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is that ‘mental health is a universal human right’. One of the things we try to do is to raise awareness of mental health and try and break some of the stigmas that surround mental illness. Mental health is like physical health as we all have it and it can improve if we look after it. Just as exercise and eating well can improve your physical health, having a good self-care routine and working on your mental resilience can improve your mental health.

Even though everyone has mental health, some groups face more challenges to keeping good mental health than others. Here are some examples:

• Children and adults from the lowest income bracket are 2-3 times more likely to develop mental health problems than those in the highest income bracket. (Source: The Mental Health Foundation)
• 38% of people with severe symptoms of mental health problems also have long-term physical health conditions. (Source: The Mental Health Foundation)
• 74% of all deaths by suicide in the UK involve men.(Source: The Priory Group)
• Men aged 45-64 have the highest rates of suicide by age. (Source: The Priory Group)

This is something that needs to be addressed as the inequalities in mental health care lead to certain groups facing disproportionately high rates of mental health issues. We all need to try and work together towards a mentally healthy society for all and support everyone in trying to live mentally healthier lives. Like with any form of change, the best place to start is by making a difference to the people around you. Friends, relatives, work colleagues can all be affected by mental illness and they can also be helped by your support. If we are all more support to those around us, it can work like a ripple across a pond and spread to more and more people.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with mental illness is to talk to someone but also talking about mental health is important. One of the best things I did when I was at my lowest point was talking to friends about how I felt as it helped to ease some of the burden that I had been feeling. Starting a conversation with someone about how they are really feeling isn’t always easy and if can be hard to open if when people ask you. Whether you are trying to start a conversation with someone about how you are feeling or if you want to check-in with someone that you care about, here are some tips that might help.

Talking about your mental health

Choose someone you trust to talk to
This could be a friend, family member, colleague or your GP. If you are more comfortable talking to someone you don’t know there are lots of support groups or helpline that can help.

Think about the best place to talk
It is important to find somewhere you feel comfortable enough to be able to open up. You might want to choose somewhere you can have some privacy if you don’t want to be disturbed or you might want to walk and talk if an activity suits you better.

Think about what you want to say
If you are struggling to find the right words, it might be worth trying to write something down first. It can be easier to find the words on paper so if you can’t think how you want to express how you feel, trying writing it down first.

Prepare yourself for their reaction
Hopefully you will get a positive reaction when you first open-up to someone but there is always a chance that they don’t react how you would hope. It may be because they are surprised or worried about you, so try to give them time to process what you are saying to them.

Talking to someone about their mental health

Find a good place to talk
If you’re worried about how someone is, try to find somewhere to talk where you can have a conversation without being distracted. That way you can give them your full attention and turning off your phone can help.

Listen and then ask questions
Listening can be the best way of helping someone. By showing them that you are listening, keep eye contact and don’t interrupt, you are showing that they are your focus and that you care. If you need to ask questions to clarify anything make sure they are relevant and not probing or changing the subject.

Ask how you can help
Ask what you can do to help rather than telling them what to do next. They might want support with making an appointment to see their GP, help at home or just someone to have a chat with when things get too much.

Together we can all make a difference and improve the mental wellbeing of those around us. Check in with your friends and take care of each other.