Cheshire West and Chester Council supports World Mental Health Day

Cheshire West and Chester Council is supporting this year’s World Mental Health Day, by highlighting the support available for people to help them with their mental health and wellbeing.

This year’s World Mental Health Day, on 10 October, comes at a time when the daily lives of so many in  our communities have changed considerably as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been a challenging year for many of us and this can have a huge impact on our mental health. Good mental health and positive wellbeing can help us all to cope better during this difficult period of uncertainty.

Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Cllr Louise Gittins said,  “The past year has brought many challenges for us all, whether that be in our work or personal lives, and this can make us feel anxious and uncertain about the future. The stress of this uncertainty can have an impact on our mental health too.

“World Mental Health Day is a chance to make a positive change and takes steps to improve our mental health and recognise the support available to help us manage during these uncertain times.

“It’s also really important that we all continue to support our family, friends and neighbours safely, wherever we can. Small interactions, such as a phone call, can make a big difference to someone struggling with their mental health and give them the opportunity to talk about how they are feeling.”

Councillor Gareth Gould, Leader’s Champion for Mental Health, said: “World Mental Health Day is a great reminder to us all to be kind both to yourself and to others. Taking that first step towards making a positive change can seem hard but there is lots of support out there to help you on this journey.”

Adopting the ‘five ways to wellbeing’ can help residents improve their mental health and wellbeing. These five steps have been researched and developed by the New Economics Foundation and include stay connected, be active, keep learning, give and take notice.

Mind, a national mental health charity, recommend committing to doing one thing a day to help you make a positive change and support your wellbeing. Some of their suggestions include going for a walk, learning a new skill or doing something creative, taking the first steps to getting support for yourself, or reaching out to someone else.

Every Mind Matters, a national Public Health England campaign, includes advice and guidance for both adults and children. A free Mind Plan is available on their website, complete the quiz to help you feel more in control of your mood.

Further support and services are also available on the Live Well Cheshire West website.

For children and young people there is advice available on the Better Health - Every Mind Matters website . It is designed to help parents and carers spot the signs that children may be struggling with their mental health and show the actions they can take to support them.

If you are concerned that your mental or emotional state is quickly getting worse or deteriorates it is important to get help quickly. You can call the local NHS Trust, Cheshire and Wirral (CWP) local mental health hotline on: 0800 145 6485 for support and advice. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is open to people of all ages – including children and young people.