Mental Health Awareness Week 2023

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week runs from Monday 15 to Sunday 21 May and the theme is ‘anxiety’.

Anxiety is a natural emotion that all of us experience at different times throughout our lives. But sometimes our anxiety can get out of control and become a mental health problem.

Signs of anxiety

You may be experiencing anxiety if you are feeling or showing some of these symptoms:

Butterflies or churning in your stomach
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Pins and needles
Feeling restless or unable to sit still
Headaches, backache or other aches and pains
Faster breathing
Fast or thumping heartbeat
Sweating or hot flushes
Having trouble sleeping
Grinding or clenching your teeth
Feeling sick
Having panic attacks.

(Source: Mind)

The Five Ways to Wellbeing

If you struggle with anxiety, there are some simple things that you can do to help manage it. The 5 Ways to Wellbeing can help you to look after your mental wellbeing and boost your resilience, which can improve your ability to cope with life’s challenges, your self-confidence and performance.

The 5 Ways to Wellbeing are:

Connect

Connecting is important because we are social beings. Connect by spending time with your friends, your family, your colleagues, your community, and take time to develop those relationships.

Be active

To be active doesn’t have to be hard; it doesn’t have to be going to the gym. It can be going for a walk, it can be dancing, it can be cycling. Whatever it is, make it something that you enjoy and something you can incorporate in your day-to-day.

Keep learning

To keep learning can be beneficial in a number of ways. It can offer us a sense of achievement, it can build confidence, and it can be enjoyable to do with others.

Give

Even the smallest act can count. Whether it’s a smile, a ‘thank you’ or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.

Take notice

To take notice allows us to slow down and to balance the pressures that we face in our hectic lives. Being aware of your surroundings, your thoughts and feelings, can positively change the way you feel about life; it’s about being present in the moment.

#ToHelpMyAnxiety

Throughout Mental Health Awareness Week, we will be sharing examples of how to fit the 5 Ways to Wellbeing into your daily life. We would love to hear how you maintain your wellbeing too! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to tag us in your responses along with the hashtag #ToHelpMyAnxiety or you can email [email protected] along with any photos or videos.

If you need support with your mental health, you can refer yourself to Community Living Well quickly and easily by completing this online form.

Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 10th May 2023