Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event hosted by The Mental Health Foundation and has been running for over 21 years in the UK. It has since grown into the biggest national awareness event to date. Its aim is to start an open conversation about mental health, and gives people the opportunity to share stories, experiences and advice with one another. Of course, mental health should be spoken about all year long, but the week can be a good opportunity to spread awareness.  

View our mental health page for more.

Why is it important?

According to the mind website: 

• 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England
• 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England.

The thing about ill mental health is it does not discriminate – it can affect anyone and everyone no matter their age, gender, race, religion or circumstance. This is why it is so important to raise awareness surrounding this topic, to encourage people to talk. 

Here at KMA, mental health is something we speak about on a daily basis. As dual-trained Occupational Therapists (in mental and physical health),  we work with clients to overcome barriers in their lives as a result of accident, ageing and illness (this includes ill mental health). We also offer Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training which is a course specifically designed to help people look after their own mental health, as well as spotting the signs of ill mental health in others and providing information on what to do if you notice someone struggling. For more information on MHFA have a look at their website.

The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is connecting with nature. Being in nature has a profound effect on our mood and can reduce feelings of stress and anger. Nature can be defined as an environment or elements of the natural world, so for example it could mean spending 10 minutes in the garden, going for a nice walk, or even looking at house plants!