This year’s event takes place today, Tuesday 10 October, and encourages people to ‘find your little big thing’ as well as highlighting that ‘doing the little things can make a big difference to your mental health’.
Making time for your mental wellbeing is important - and embedding little things as part of your routine can help you feel better and more in control.
These little things can include:
- Getting physically active – like taking a walk
- Talking to someone you trust
- Getting the most from your sleep – like avoiding screen-time an hour before bed or getting out of bed and doing something simple if you are struggling to sleep, like reading a book, until you feel tired again
- Getting closer to nature
- Planning something nice to look forward to
The Every Mind Matters website has lots of NHS-approved tips and advice to help you ‘find your little big thing’. You can also get a free, personalised Mind Plan - a mental health action plan that provides practical tips to help you deal with anxiety and stress, boost your mood, sleep better, and feel more in control.
The council is also pointing people towards the local Happy? OK? Sad? website, which provides a comprehensive, online mental health support directory. Set up to help support people affected by mental health and wellbeing issues in Warrington, the website has recently been revamped, based on the feedback of people with lived experience of mental health issues.
On World Mental Health Day and beyond, people are being encouraged to visit the site to access a wide range of mental health support, signposting people to local and national services that can provide help and advice for a range of issues including:
- Anxiety
- Bereavement
- Drugs and alcohol
- Domestic abuse
- Gambling
- Eating disorders
- Self-harm
- Stress and depression
- Suicidal thoughts
Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, said: “World Mental Health Day provides a great opportunity to reach out to people who may be struggling, letting them know they are not alone and promoting the range of support on offer. It’s so important that all of us look after our mental health and ask for help if we need it.
“I’m really pleased to see the recent revamp of our Happy? OK? Sad? Website, which is a really important one-stop-shop of support and resources. Whether you're feeling great and want to stay that way, you're a bit tired and fed up or you're struggling to manage your feelings, the website can point you to lots of useful information and resources. You can find tips ranging from how to boost your mood to where to get help if you're unable to cope.”
For Warrington residents needing urgent mental health support, the Mental Health Crisis Line is available 24/7 every day on 0800 051 1508.