Time to Talk Day 2023 is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in England, in partnership with Co-op. The campaign runs UK wide, with SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) and See Me in Scotland, Inspire and Change Your Mind in Northern Ireland and Time to Change Wales.
The day is all about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health. We all have mental health, by talking about it we can support ourselves and others.
We are pleased to announce Time To Talk Day 2023 will take place on the 2nd of February 2023! We know the more conversations we have, the better life is for everyone. Talking about mental health isn’t always easy, but a conversation has the power to change lives.
Why Talking Is Important
One in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year. We want everyone to feel comfortable talking about mental health – whenever they like. Talking about mental health reduces stigma, helping to create supportive communities where we can talk openly about mental health and feel empowered to seek help when we need it.
That’s why opening up the conversation about mental health problems is so important – by talking about it we can support ourselves and others. However you do it, have a conversation about mental health.
Talking Tips
There is no right way to talk about mental health: however, these tips can help make sure you’re approaching it in a helpful way.
- Ask questions and listen… Asking questions can give the person space to express how they’re feeling and what they’re going through, and it will help you to understand their experience better. Try to ask questions that are open and not leading or judgmental, like “how does that affect you?” or “what does it feel like?”
- Think about the time and place… Sometimes it’s easier to talk side by side rather than face to face. So, if you do talk in person, you might want to chat while you are doing something else. You could start a conversation when you’re walking, cooking or stuck in traffic. However, don’t let the search for the perfect place put you off!
- Don’t try and fix it… It can be hard to see someone you care about having a difficult time but try to resist the urge to offer quick fixes to what they’re going through. Learning to manage or recover from a mental health problem can be a long journey, and they’ve likely already considered lots of different tools and strategies. Just talking can be really powerful, so unless they’ve asked for advice directly, it might be best just to listen.
- Treat them the same… When someone has a mental health problem, they’re still the same person as they were before. And that means when a friend or loved one opens up about mental health, they don’t want to be treated any differently. If you want to support them, keep it simple. Do the things you’d normally do.
- Be patient… No matter how hard you try, some people might not be ready to talk about what they’re going through. That’s ok – the fact that you’ve tried to talk to them about it may make it easier for them to open up another time.
And there are lots of things you can do to support them even if you’re not talking:
- Find things in your community to get involved in together
- Sending a text to let them know you’re thinking of them
- Offering to help with day-to-day tasks
Getting involved with Time to Talk Day in your community
If you want to get involved with Time To Talk Day 2023 out in your community, see below for local opportunities:
- South Tyneside – abetteru Champions Network are hosting a free coffee morning, click here to find out more.
- Sunderland – Washington Mind are hosting a coffee and games morning on the day, click here to find out more. They are also collecting messages of hope in the lead up to it. Click here to find out more and get involved.
Accessing Support
If you are struggling with your mental health and would like to speak to someone, you can contact:
- SHOUT 85258 is a free, confidential, anonymous text support service available 24/7.
- The Samaritans provide free, confidential emotional support 24/7 on: 116 123
- For Sunderland and South Tyneside, the Initial Response Service offer 24/7 support and information on freephone: 0800 652 2868
- If you’re looking to access longer-term support, you can find out what support is available in Sunderland and South Tyneside, here.
