Local Mental Health charities are urging people to speak up if they need support

It comes as new research finds nearly half of young adults ages 18-34 in the UK struggle to confidently talk about mental health and emotions

Author: Charlotte LinnecarPublished 10th Oct 2023

Local mental health charities are petitioning the government to reform the 40-year-old Mental Health Act before the next election.

The National Association for Mental Health - Mind - want to see individuals having greater control over their treatment and stronger protections to their rights during hospitalisation.

Jack Moore is from the Hull, East Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire branch:

"Well, for us, it's all about coming together; so individuals, businesses and the wider community, coming together to raise awareness of something that can affect us all at some point in our life, and it's really about just continuing the conversation about mental health, and whilst raising awareness is good, it's about encouraging people to be more open about mental health.

"We know that people still find it hard to talk about their mental health, and that can be down to a number of different reasons, such as a fear of rejection - they might feel like they'll be judged for opening up, and they might also think that it'll affect their relationships, employment and opportunities.

"But I think it's really important that we continue that conversation about mental health and and let people know that it is OK to talk about how you're feeling, and I think the more of us that are open about our mental health and it gives us the opportunity to just get rid of that stigma, and really prioritise mental health."

This comes as new research reveals nearly half (45%) of UK young adults aged 18-34 struggle to confidently talk about mental health and emotions.

Jack added that it's not all about speaking to someone new or a professional, just having that conversation with friends or family can do a lot:

"Well, I think the most important thing to remember is that you do not need to be an expert to show someone that you care. You don't need to be an expert to have a conversation about mental health. It's kind of just been there for somebody, and if you feel comfortable, just go for it, and really listen to what they have to say.

"We know that people probably feel scared about talking about mental health, and that could be down to the the fear of what the other person might say. However, we really need to keep that conversation going. We need to be talking about mental health in our day-to-day lives."

To find out more about Mind and their campaign, go to their website.

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