1 February is UK National Time to Talk day. It’s a day that encourages us to talk more about our mental health and to be aware of the health of others. It’s run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness . The campaign is UK wide and run by SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) and See Me in Scotland, Inspire in Northern Ireland and Time to Change Wales.
So why not take a moment and ask someone you care about, “Hey, how’s it going?” And be mindful of the response you get. In Britain especially it’s part of the culture to not complaint, stiff upper lip and keep calm and carry on. So, if someone replies, “Not too bad” or “I am OK” does that really mean they are in good mental health?
Mental health has long had a stigma attached to it, but it is one of the key elements on which any healthy and happy life is built on. Being able to talk freely about your mental health and seek help is increasingly important in the modern world. As Vikram Patel (Indian psychiatrist and researcher) put it, “The current approach that psychiatry takes almost ignores social worlds in which mental health problems arise and tries to become highly biomedical like other branches of medicine such as cardiology or oncology. But psychiatry has to be far more embedded in people’s personal and social worlds”.
So what can we do to help? Well the Time to Talk campaign have set out five main tips.
Ask questions and listen. Asking open, non-judgemental, questions gives the person the opportunity to share how they feel and what they’re going through. It will help you to understand their experience.
Think about the time and place. If you suspect someone is struggling or you want to talk to them be mindful of the setting. It might be easier to talk while doing something else (driving, walking, having a drink or playing sport).
Don’t try and fix it. It can be hard to see someone you care about in distress but try to resist the urge to offer quick fixes and solutions. Many mental health issue can take a long time to overcome and they may have already tried various ideas and strategies. Just the act of talking can be really powerful, so unless they’ve asked for advice directly, it might be better to just listen.
Treat them the same. When someone has a mental health problem, they’re still the same person as they were before. Their condition does not define them. If they open up, they won’t want to be treated any differently.
Be patient. Some people may not be ready to talk about their problems yet. That’s ok – the fact that you’ve tried to talk to them signals you care and are interested. When the time comes, it will be easier for them to open up another time.
Hypnotherapy can help with a wide range of mental health challenges. To find out more, contact me.