25 January 2024

  • Everyone deserves to live their life to the fullest, so if you’re struggling, the NHS is here to help.
  • Great Mental Health Day takes place on 26 January and is an initiative on tacking mental health stigma and encourages people to reach out for support.
  • We’ll be highlighting the events happening across London as well as showcasing the NHS services there to help people with their mental, including Talking therapies and dedicated Young People (16-25) mental health services.

Anyone can suffer with their mental health at any time of the year but January is often seen as a challenging time, with the start of the new year and the setting of new goals, it can cause pressure and disappointment.

The people you meet may be suffering and today, above all, is a reminder that we can all do our bit to spread kindness, and if someone is acting not like themselves, don’t jump to conclusions but think - maybe I can come from a place of understanding, as you don’t truly know what a person is going through.

One of the key actions for this year is relationships (whether family, friends or from the wider community and faith groups) and how important they are to our wellbeing, that’s why there are events happening across London for people to get involved in, as a group or individually.

Even though this is a London-wide initiative, our message to reach out to the NHS for support is to all people in the areas CNWL services - including Milton Keynes. We are all one community, and by working together we can tackle stigma. 

It’s hard to take the first step but you and everyone else deserves to live their life to the fullest, so if you’re struggling, we’re here to help.

What support is there?

Talking therapies

Talking Therapies is there to support people who are suffering with depression or anxiety.

Often people can say “I’m ok” or “I’ll get over it” but need a place to think through their feelings or cope with a life event.

If you are feeling down, struggling to cope with every day tasks or maybe you’re not sleeping, these can be signs of depression and anxiety, and Talking Therapies can help you.

Please see this article on how Talking therapies can help.

Young Adult (16-25) mental health support

For many young adults living with mental health issues, the winter months can be daunting. It is really important that young adults know there is support available and how it can help their mental health and wellbeing.

Please see this article on the support that is available to young people.

Urgent support for mental health

If you or someone you know needs urgent help or need urgent advice, you can click the below to see the phone numbers and services you can use for support.

Please click here.

Great Mental Health Day events

You can get involved in Great Mental Health Day by seeing what events and support is avialble in your local borough. To view what's near you visit the interactive map on Thrive LDN’s website: Interactive Map is avialble by clicking here.

You can also participate in ‘Walk, Talk, Walk’ - taking place in Central London this Friday (starting at Tower Hill Underground Station). To find out more click here.

One thing you can do without attending any events is simply reaching out to friends, family, neighbours and colleagues, and starting a conversation.

Isolation can impact our mental health, reaching out to friends can help you and help others who feel isolated.

If you feel you don’t have people to talk to, see what events Thrive LDN have going on, it will be hard attending and meeting new people for the first time but in the long term it will benefit you.

You can watch this video to see what Great Mental Health Day is all about: