Wednesday 16th May – Tuesday 22nd May 2018
Founded in 2001, Mental Health Week is a UK event supported by the Mental Health Foundation. The aim of the week is to educate the public about mental health issues and to promote better mental health. It is also an opportunity to raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation.
The Mental Health Foundation is a UK charity which supports research into mental health issues, promotes better mental health, campaigns to reduce the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health, and develops better mental health services.
This year the theme is Stress. While stress isn’t a mental health condition in itself, it often leads to depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide. It can also lead to physical health problems such as cardiovascular disease and joint and muscle problems.
Information on how many people in the UK population as a whole is very limited. But a survey carried out by the ‘Mental Health Foundation’ found, that over the past year, almost three quarters (74%) of people have at some point felt so stressed that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.
For more information about the ‘Mental Health Foundation’ click here
Chronic anxiety can affect a persons life in many ways. Reduced concentration and work avoidance can affect productivity bringing financial problems. Chronic anxiety can hinder or damage relationships – in some cases a person will stop leaving their house avoiding social contact with others.