October 10th is World Mental Heath Day and this year, the Mental Health Foundation are encouraging people to understand their rights and know their worth with the theme, ‘Mental health is a Human Right.’  The aim is to ensure those suffering with a mental illness are treated with the same respect as everyone else and to debunk the stigmas associated with the different disorders. Mental health is prevalent in healthcare with a recent study showing 45% of participants who work in ICU would be classed as having a clinical mental illness.

The stigma

The stigmas associated has created a false representation of different mental health disorders and has left those suffering to feel alone and rejected from society. Example of stigmas associated with metal health are:

 

 

Fighting the stigma

In order to fight against the stigmas, here are a few ideas on how to better understand metal health and combat the negativity:

  • Educate yourself by researching different disorders. Mind have created a list of the different mental health problems – Have a read here.
  • Speak up when you hear others speaking negatively about mental health. Stop the stigma spreading.
  • Listen and speak to people around you about their own experience.

Tips to improve your mental wellbeing

Connect with other people

Building relationships with friends and co-workers can help to build a sense of belonging and self-worth. Having lunch with a colleague or arranging a day out with a friend can benefit your mental wellbeing.

Be present

Paying attention to the present allows you to understand yourself better. Taking time to reflect how far you have come and where you are currently can be beneficial.

Learn a new skill

Learning a new skill can boost your confidence and raise your self-esteem. Try and find a new activity to enjoy in your spare time to help build a sense of purpose.

Support available

With the demands of working with healthcare institutions it is important to know the support that is available to you if you are to ever need it. Mental health at work has put together a toolkit full of resources to support healthcare workers who would require extra support.

Whether you’re a mental health nurse or a psychiatrist, we have roles across the UK to fit your unique requirements. Apply for these roles today.