“Mental health”. I know that some of you reading those words will regard them as a phrase that makes your eyes roll into the back of your head. It’s a term for some that will conjure up thoughts like “woke”, “millennial”, “didn’t exist in my day” and “weak”.
For others, those two words will resonate for personal reasons, whether because you’ve heard them mentioned regarding a loved one or yourself. The reality is, we as a society are talking about mental health more and more. While it may not be on par with conversations about physical well-being, it’s certainly catching up (and I would argue for good reason).
According to the World Health Organisation, mental health “is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well”. You might be wondering why I am writing to you today about the topic of mental health. Well, the answer is simple; Thursday, October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and I would like to ask you to just spend a few minutes thinking about it.
Ultimately, I’m asking you to think about asking someone you may be worried about: “Are you okay?”. Or maybe even asking yourself: “Am I okay?” As Brits, we are famously bad when it comes to talking about our emotions (the old sweep-it-under-the-rug mentality or stiff-upper-lip outlook, you might say). For those who prescribe to this view, I implore you to set aside any prejudice or misconceptions yo.
