Mind

If recent heatwaves, fires, and climate change have been impacting your mental health, you’re not alone. Climate change can impact our mental health. It can make us feel anxious, afraid, hopeless, grief, and angry. It can also make existing mental health problems worse. And experiencing events linked to climate change, like floods and fires, can be traumatic. Some of us use the term ‘climate anxiety’ to describe the way climate change makes us feel. It can be hard to know how to cope with these feelings. And for us to feel truly better, governments, businesses and society all need to take action to protect the environment. Finding ways to cope doesn't mean ignoring the issues. It’s OK to think about how to ease your distress. It might help to: •Manage the time you spend learning about climate change. It’s good to be informed. But you don’t need to look at it all the time. •Take action to support the environment •Connect with like-minded people •Acknowledge your emotions about climate change. And remind yourself they are valid If you’re struggling with your mental health please reach out to your GP. You can also call our infoline or look at our website for more information on climate change and mental health

5,352 of you answered our poll on mental health at work. 66% said they never or only sometimes feel comfortable talking about mental health at work. It can be so hard to open up about mental health in the workplace, particularly if you work somewhere that hasn't been open or accepting of mental health in the past. If you’re a manager here are ways you can help your teams feel more confident about opening up. •Help everyone feel more confident talking about mental health. Create opportunities for staff to learn about wellbeing, understand common mental health challenges and find ways to look after their own mental health. •Make mental health info visible from day 1. Include information on how to have supportive conversations and where to go for mental health support in all new starter inductions. •Give managers the skills and confidence to support their teams. Provide training on how to recognise when someone may be struggling and how to start supportive conversations. Help staff access the right support. Regular refresher sessions can keep these skills up to date. •Make mental health part of everyday conversations at work. Consider wellbeing during staff inductions, one-to-one meetings, team discussions, and when supporting people returning to work after an absence. Remember, if you're struggling with your mental health, whether in the workplace, or out of it, we're here for you 💙

Work and life can get busy and sometimes our heads can feel messy. Talking about it can be the first step to helping untangle it. Talk to your line manager if that feels helpful. Reach out to us for support. Or join our side by side community https://lnkd.in/d2XKAjp

On average, we get 12,000 comments/DMs a month across our channels. And you may be wondering who are the wonderful people working hard to answer them? Well. Bekah heads up our community management team. She is one of the people responsible for the supportive, caring replies you receive. Please be kind to our moderators. They are humans like you. We’re sorry we’re not always able to get to every comment. But we always prioitise those who are looking for support and signposting for their mental health. If you’ve got questions on donations, fundraising opportunities or events, here’s the best way to get a response. Email our supporter relations with any details and they can ensure it reaches the right team to get you the answers you need. You can email them at supporterrelations@mind.org.uk.  

There's a lot of wellbeing apps out there so it's hard to know which ones to trust. Here are some of the ones we've reviewed and verified with the digital health experts ORCHA. Please note two of the apps highlighted below include in-app purchases. Check out our library for safe, trusted mental health apps to support your wellbeing: https://lnkd.in/e_ZXPQeM

“Mental health is in many ways the issue of our times.” – Andy Burnham, 2022 We couldn’t agree with him more. We welcome the new Prime Minister and urge him to make mental health a priority. This is what his Labour government must do to tackle “the issue of our times”: 1) Provide same-day open access to mental health: Too many people are left waiting while their mental health gets worse. We are calling for same-day access to mental health support, so people can get help when they need it, not weeks or months later. 2) Make the online world and AI safer for mental health: We want the UK government to work with us to build on the work we’ve started through our AI Commission, Mental Health in the Age of AI. 3) Listen carefully to mental health experts (like us!) and those with lived experience of mental health problems: We’re ready to work with the new Prime Minister to make sure everyone can get safe, effective mental health support that's right for them, when they need it.

Lucky enough to get a ballot place in next year's London Marathon? Join Team Mind! Choose to run for Mind so nobody faces a mental health problem alone. You can make a difference. We need you to help us fight mental health together. Join Team Mind here: https://lnkd.in/dvRMK6Dw

Chatting things out can help clear your mind. Try to talk to a friend or loved one. And we’d love to hear from you on our 24-hour online peer support group Side by Side or our support line on 0300 102 1234 (open Mon-Fri 9am to 6pm) 💙

Today we are proud to launch our commission into AI and mental health. AI is becoming embedded in everyday life at speed. You deserve information and support that is safe, accurate and grounded in evidence. Our commission aims to achieve exactly that. We will bring together policy makers, big tech companies, AI experts and those with lived experience to explore the role of AI and mental health and call for better regulation. Together we will support the nation in shaping one of the most significant technological shifts of our time. We also need to rethink in person mental health support. Our current system isn’t working. We need to provide more early, open access support, that helps you get the right support at the right time. Early support that stops you from reaching crisis point. Technology has a vital role in this mission, but it needs to sit alongside better in-person support.

Our mental health isn’t only affected by the cold, dark months. Summer can also impact our mental health for a number of reasons. For example, we may struggle with the heat and humidity, and the changeability of the weather. You may feel pressure to dress in a way that makes us feel uncomfortable or act “happy” because it is summer. You may struggle to sleep in the hot nights and be exhausted in the day. If you experience symptoms of depression at certain times each year, this is sometimes called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Common symptoms include: Persistent low mood Anxiety Sleep problems Difficulties concentrating Increased irritability Loss of interest or enjoyment in things. Here are some simple tips to help you cope in the summer: Drink lots of water so you stay hydrated. Keep cool by finding shade or wearing loose clothing. Visit cool indoor places like your local library or cinema. Keep a diary of your symptoms to help spot the patterns of SAD. If you’re struggling with your symptoms please reach out to your GP. You can also call our infoline or look at our website for more information on SAD.