Latest news with #MentalHealthWeek
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Mental Health At Work: Build Your 10-Minute First Aid Kit
Mental Health First Aid Kit - Use in case of stress or an emotional emergency Change takes time. Change is hard. Change is painful. Usually, I would be the first to agree that real change requires a big time investment, and that before you start taking random action, it is important to pause, reflect, and ideally identify what the underlying 'why' of your wish to change is. This is a very common situation in my coaching practice as well. And at the same time, I also agree that sometimes all you need is a hands-on toolbox that helps you in a stressful and emotional situation at work – your personal mental health first aid kit. And what better time to start creating it than during the European Mental Health Week? It's always a good idea to prioritize your mental health. Compared to an actual first aid kit, there is no need to buy any band aids or check the expiration date of your disinfectant. All you need is your Notes app on your phone or a simple piece of paper and a pen. Let's go! The first ingredient is simple and you always have it with you: your breath. When we experience a stressful moment and our body turns on the fight or flight response, our breathing automatically gets shallower, and in the worst-case scenario you hyperventilate or faint. Let's agree to not do that when stress knocks at your door next time, and let's do this instead: put one hand on your heart and the other one on your belly, close your eyes and feel your breath moving from one hand to the other. Do this for at least 10 rounds and make your inhale and exhale slower every time. Congratulations, you have connected with your body, told your nervous system that you are in a safe place and used a tool from your mental health first aid kit successfully! Want to try out something new? Alternate nostril breathing is extremely helpful in those stressful moments, too. It helps your body and mind to calm down, relaxes you, and as you close your eyes while doing the exercise, you put the focus on your breath and have less time to think about what you are going through at that moment. If you think 'How do you want me to turn on music while I'm at work and dance?' To this I say, fair enough. But what about getting up from your chair, and maybe even going for a short walk around the building? The important part with the dance/movement tool in your mental health first aid kit is that you break the cycle of being stuck in your thoughts, emotions, feelings, etc. By getting up, you physically break out of your negative self-talk or spiralling. You can even say to yourself while going up 'Let's go!' (and you don't have to say it out loud). Once you start moving, and even if it is only a short bathroom break, your emotions will pass through your body and you can let it go. In case you work from home, you can give the dancing out a chance and alternatively try to shake it out as well – it is all about sending your nervous system the signal that you are safe, that what you are feeling and experiencing right now is temporary, and that this too shall pass. (You can do it!) For all the shakers and dancers out there: Why not have a playlist at hand which you can immediately turn on as soon as you get up and decide to gracefully and courageously move through your emotion (or let your emotion move through your body)? Ever heard of 'emotion is energy in motion'? Have you ever had the experience that once you speak about a major issue with someone else, it all of a sudden shrinks and becomes more manageable? Your mental health first aid kit has to contain at least one person. So that when in need, you know that you are not alone and that you have someone who listens and is there for you. If that person is not available, fear not. Why not go for a quick coffee with a colleague and speak about something completely different to cool (or calm) down and connect with someone else on a random topic. You are not alone and don't have to carry your stress and emotional burden alone – open up and connect. The worst that can happen is that you learn something new about someone else, or yourself. Let's consider this your bonus in your mental health first aid kit. It will be hard to use it in a moment of distress, and don't feel pressured in using it when another strong wave of emotions or stress hits you. Your breath, movement and connection come first. Journaling, or simply writing your thoughts down, helps you to literally see what is occupying your mind. Once your body is calmer, a so-called 'mental download', where you write down all your thoughts that keep your mind busy, can do wonders in calming down your mind. It is like an anchor that brings you back to reality. Nothing is wrong with you when you go through a stressful or an emotionally draining moment. You are human, you are allowed to have feelings and emotions – all kinds of them. And instead of judging yourself for them, do yourself a favour and open up your mental health first aid kit next time it happens. Once you start using it regularly and find your favourite tool in it, you will spend less time in the stressed state and be able to relax quicker. Like with every new skill you want to learn, using your mental health first aid kit will take a while, too. So be patient and kind with yourself along the process. Are you inspired and keen on working on your mental fitness next? Start here!
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Charity teams up with coffee shops to raise mental health awareness
A charity is teaming up with coffee shops to raise awareness of mental health support. No Limits, a charity in Southampton, is joining forces with independent coffee shops for Mental Health Awareness Week. The collaboration aims to spread awareness about free mental health support. Customers at participating coffee shops will receive specially designed takeaway cups featuring a breathing technique and a QR code providing more mental health tips and information. Southampton charity partners with cafés to spread mental health awareness (Image: No Limits) Those enjoying their drinks inside will be given wallet cards with a technique and a positive affirmation. The charity is keen on reaching as many people as possible, providing leaflets in every shop with tips on self-care and information on No Limits' services. The participating shops are Happy Bean Coffee Bar, Bedford Place; Retro Cafe, Bedford Place; The Nest, London Road; and Mettricks in Guildhall, Westquay, and Portswood Road. More information about No Limits' mental health support can be found at Cups and cards deliver calm and care during Mental Health Week (Image: No Limits) Customers can also participate in a competition to win a free drink by tagging No Limits and the shop on Instagram or Facebook with a picture of their cup or wallet card. Each shop has a limited supply of 150-200 cups and about 250 wallet cards, available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kate Middleton Shares How She Relied On Nature During Her Cancer Battle As She Debuts New Short Film
Kate Middleton has revealed the profound role nature played in her journey through her cancer treatment. The Princess of Wales shared that nature has been her "sanctuary" over the past year since she was diagnosed with the condition. Kate Middleton also emphasized how nature's capacity to "nurture us and help us heal and grow is boundless." Kate has opened up about her journey to wellness after she was diagnosed with cancer in March 2024, following a major abdominal surgery earlier that year. At the time, Kate dropped the majority of her public-facing duties to heal privately before announcing in January this year that she'd entered remission. Now, the future Queen has shared details of what her journey was like in a newly released video shared on Instagram, explaining that she had to embrace "the healing power of nature" during her cancer treatment. "Over the past year, nature has been my sanctuary," Kate said, per the Daily Mail. "The natural world's capacity to inspire us, to nurture us, and help us heal and grow is boundless and has been understood for generations." She continued, "It is through nature that we can fully understand the true interconnectedness of all things, the importance of balance, and the importance of renewal and resilience. Connecting to nature helps us to experience a deeper sense of ourselves, the world around us, and each other." Kate seems to be trying her hand at filmmaking with the debut of her new series to share her truth on her journey of healing. The series, which began with a 3-minute film titled "Spring," was narrated by the princess and includes footage of her and William on the Isle of Mull earlier this month. According to reports, the remaining parts of the film will be released over the course of the year, with "Summer," "Autumn," and "Winter" editions in due course. Seemingly alluding to the significance of the title of the series, Kate said Spring "is a season of rebirth, of hope and new beginnings," and that it comes with a "sense of optimism, anticipation, and positive, hopeful change." "Just as nature revives and renews, so too can we. Let us reconnect to nature and celebrate a new dawn within our hearts," she said. "It is often from the smallest of seeds that the greatest change can happen, and in this ever-growing complex world, we need to hold on to what connects us all," Kate noted. "Spring is here, so let's make the most of it together." In the video's caption on her Instagram page, the Princess of Wales raised awareness for Mental Health Week and shared her hopes of bringing positive changes to the "increasingly complex and digital world." "This year's Mental Health Awareness Week, we are celebrating humanity's longstanding connection to nature, and its capacity to inspire us and help us to heal and grow in mind, body, and spirit," she wrote. The mother-of-three explained that finding the "connection" between humanity and nature takes on "even more significance" as we continue to confront the challenges that abound. "The Mother Nature series is a reminder and reflection of the beauty and complexity of the human experience. It is a tribute to the lessons we can learn from nature, helping us to foster our own growth, strengthen our bonds with the world around us and each other," the 43-year-old senior royal added. The launch of the series coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week, as sources say it is being "spearheaded" by the princess and will communicate how nature has the capacity to heal and help us grow. Kate and William are reportedly shielding their second child, Princess Charlotte, from the struggles her estranged uncle, Prince Harry, described in his blockbuster memoir, "Spare." Harry's relationship with his elder brother and heir apparent has been strained, particularly after he dropped his royal roles and relocated abroad with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children. The Duke of Sussex described several potential pitfalls that come with being number two in line to the throne, and mentioned how he particularly struggled with the identity crisis that came with being "spare" to William. Now it seems that's a detail Kate and William did not turn a blind eye to. "The late Queen [Elizabeth] was always very conscious of that extraordinary and challenging role of the No. 2," royal biographer Robert Hardman told People Magazine. "That's why she had a particular soft spot for [her sister] Margaret, for [her son] Andrew, and Harry. She understood that being second place in a strictly hierarchical family and institution has its challenges," he said. "Everyone is conscious of that." A source told the news outlet that Charlotte is being raised by the couple to "strike a balance between private life and duty." Aside from Charlotte, who turned 10 earlier this month, William and Kate are also parents to Prince George and Prince Louis.
Hamilton Spectator
12-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Rubber ducks, real impact: Students champion mental health with scavenger hunt
There was a buzz among Bernie Custis students on Wednesday morning as they raced around the school opening doors and lockers, peering over ledges and rooting around in planters, searching for dozens of hidden rubber ducks. By 10 a.m., most of the 200 of the colourful plastic toys hidden around the school, each bearing a message of encouragement, had already been found. Occasional rubber-duck squeaks sounded in hallways and classrooms. Last week was Mental Health Week, and the King Street East school — and 27 others in the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board — are working to create awareness and destigmatize psychological well-being with a rubber-duck scavenger hunt. It's meant to encourage, spark conversations and build community. Grade 11 student Nikole Silverman, 17, shows some of the locations the rubber ducks bearing positive messages were hidden in around Bernie Custis Secondary School. Ducks, said board manager David Hoy, are 'a playful yet powerful metaphor' that has resonated with students. 'Like ducks who appear calm on the surface while paddling hard underneath … many students relate to the hidden struggles behind a composed exterior,' he said. The idea originated at Bernie Custis in 2023, a take on the trend of leaving ducks on Jeeps as an act of kindness. Students hid 60 ducks, which they soon realized weren't enough. Grade 9 student Alina Hussaini, 14, holds one of the 200 rubber ducks hidden around Bernie Custis Secondary School. Alina is part of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's mental health advocacy group. 'It was chaos, but in a good way,' said Grade 11 student Nikole Silverman, 17, adding there was chatter in the hallways as people compared ducks and shared messages. The idea took flight and, two years later, more than two dozen elementary and secondary schools have hidden hundreds of small, multicoloured rubber ducks as a way of promoting positive school climates. At Bernie Custis, ducks had names like Bob, Ying, Sirius Quack and Duck Vader. Some were named after people, pets and food, like 'Cheese,' students said. Grade 11 student Nikole Silverman, 17, shows the message on a blue duck named Saoirse at Bernie Custis Secondary School. Pieces of paper tied to their necks bore messages like: 'It's OK not to be OK.' Messages are written by students for students, and organizers hope it makes people feel 'that's something someone else has felt,' said Nikole, who was part of the team behind the idea. 'It just brings joy to people,' she said. Bernie Custis Secondary School principal Timothy Powell stands with two rubber ducks hidden in his office. A student advisory panel for mental health, which has membership from several schools, including Bernie Custis, created a tool kit with announcement scripts, posters and materials for a duck scavenger hunt, and promoted the initiative. 'Students have been the drivers of the campaign,' Hoy said. 'We really like how the students have embraced it and shared it across their networks, allowing it to grow,' he said. Grade 11 students Nikole Silverman and Maiya Six, both 17, show off two of the 200 rubber ducks hidden around Bernie Custis Secondary School on Wednesday morning. Nikole and Maiya were part of a team that came up with the idea for a schoolwide scavenger hunt using rubber ducks bearing positive messages as a way to create connections and spark conversations about mental health. Years ago, mental-health issues were something you either had or didn't, said principal Timothy Powell. But the conversation has shifted. 'We all have to be attentive to what's the state of our current mental health, and what do we need to address, what do we need to talk about,' he said. 'That's a powerful reframing in terms of how we think and talk about mental health.'
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Govt to frame policy to address mental health needs
Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt Wednesday announced drafting of a comprehensive mental health policy and setting up of counselling centres across the state amid the rise in mental health issues. Deputy CM Pravati Parida announced this during the 'Illness to Wellness' summit on mental health and wellness, where experts underscored the urgent need to prioritise mental health alongside physical secretary Manoj Ahuja said the ensuing policy aimed to create an institutional framework to identify red flags early and reach out to vulnerable groups, especially the youth and elderly. "We are witnessing an alarming increase in mental health cases triggered by sedentary lifestyles, technological overexposure, changing family structures, and deteriorating inter-personal relationships. In this era of abundance, learning to say 'enough' is key," he that it is high time to emphasise on mental health, Parida said, "As we work towards building a Viksit Bharat, the good mental health of citizens must be an essential part of this journey. A mentally-resilient population is essential for a healthier, stronger nation."She highlighted the shortage of mental health professionals and said, "We don't have enough seats in medical colleges for psychiatrists. Everyone talks about physical health, but mental health remains ignored. It's high time we address this imbalance." As part of its plan, the govt will observe Mental Health Week and run grassroots campaigns to break the stigma around mental summit was attended by a diverse group of participants, including healthcare professionals like psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists; social workers, educators, including teachers, counsellors, and administrators; industry leaders and corporate professionals responsible for workplace wellness, parents, students, researchers, caregivers, and life and wellness the summit, various key issues were deliberated upon, including recognising early signs of common mental health conditions for early intervention, breaking stigma through open dialogue, exploring the mind-body connection and how physical activity impacts brain health, effective ways to manage stress, anxiety, and depression, and strengthening mental health through mindfulness, social support, and professional Odisha's population projected to reach 4.91 crore by 2036 and the proportion of elderly expected to rise to 13.5% by 2026, speakers called for a balanced approach to the needs of both younger and older citizens.
