I've got a bone to pick with ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’
Not the concept, but the application.
When we talk about mental health, we always talk about the lows
The times of depression, fear, panic, not seeing a way out, maybe even suicide.
As someone who has battled with all of these, I know how important it is to raise awareness of poor mental health, and I salute and champion that.
But can we also take a moment to recognise that we can have great mental health too?
Raising awareness of mental health should also be about how people with decent mental health can develop mindsets and habits to build fantastic mental health that serves the individual and those surrounding them.
There’s a danger that ‘mental health’ will become a byword struggling and negativity, which can’t be a good thing.
We should support and encourage people who:
- Are at the lowest of lows
- Have nobody to turn to
- Are struggling to function
But we should also acknowledge that it's possible to:
+ Live with a spring in your step
+ Wake up excited for the day ahead
+ Bounce back from setbacks with confidence and positivity
Let's support those who need it, and collectively set our sights high on the possibilities that great mental health can bring.
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