“Time to Talk” about mental health

PEOPLE across Warrington are being encouraged to have positive conversations about mental health on “Time to Talk” Day.
The aim is bring people together to talk about mental health to listen to family, friends and colleagues too.
Suggestions to get people talking can be found on the “Time to Change” website with tips and suggestions to help start conversations.
Each year, one in four people will experience a mental health problem, but too many people are made to feel isolated, worthless and ashamed.
Cllr Pat Wright (pictured) , the borough council’s lead member for statutory health and adult social care, said: “Having a conversation about mental health makes us realise that we are not alone when we experience problems. It can help us to understand mental health issues a little better, so that we are more able to support our family, friends and colleagues when they need it. We want to help break down stigma and discrimination by showing that it affects us all and is something we should all feel we are able to talk about without being judged.
“Time to Talk Day is a great opportunity for all of us to be more open about mental health, to talk, to listen and to start to change lives. So we’re asking people to come together and, however you do it, make time for a conversation about mental health and encourage people to seek support when they need it.”
The council has also been supporting Warrington Wolves Foundation’s men’s mental fitness project, Offload, which supports local men who are experiencing mental health problems.
Offload utilises the profile of Warrington Wolves to engage and empower men to open up about the challenges they face in their daily lives. Working alongside the national State of Mind Sport charity, former professional players with personal lived experiences share the tools and strategies they implement to cope with a variety of issues.
The programme brings men together from across the borough, with a shared goal of improving their mental fitness.
More than 60 per cent of men who used Offload have never sought help for their mental health previously. To support Time to Talk Day 2019, current participants have come together to create the SMILE video to show that mental health does not discriminate and can affect anyone, at any time. For more information about Offload, visit wolvesfoundation.com/offload.
Information about mental health wellbeing can be found at Warrington’s mental health awareness site www.happyoksad.org.uk and at www.mylifewarrington.co.uk
A year ago, the “In Your Corner” men’s mental health campaign was launched in Warrington and the council wants to know whether men are aware of the campaign and if so what they think of it.
They want men who live or work in Warrington to complete short survey at smartsurvey.co.uk/s/MensMH2 to be in with a chance of winning a ticket to a Warrington Wolves match or a £30 Love to Shop voucher.