Words by Abi Scaife
It’s Time to Talk Day in the UK - a whole day just to talk about mental health!
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean hosting your own group therapy sessions or interrogating your loved ones about their feelings.
What it does mean is it’s a great opportunity to open up about how you’re feeling to others and invite them to do the same - creating a safe and open space where conversation about your mental health is normalised.
If that isn’t enough for you, here are a few mental health charities we love that you can support, either with a donation, by getting involved or just spreading the word.
How could we let Time To Talk Day go by without mentioning the originators - Mind and Rethink Mental Illness? Both are incredible charities that do a huge amount for mental health in the UK, and they came up with Time To Talk Day together.
You can find more information on both charities at their respective websites (linked above), and learn more about Time To Talk Day here, on its own website.
Smiley News has talked about the Campaign Against Living Miserably before when we covered its collaboration with music retailer Rough Trade.
CALM are taking a stand against suicide by opening up conversation, running life-saving mental health services, and building communities, so no one has to stand alone.
You can find out how to support CALM here on their website.
Samaritans run a life-saving phone line 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (or, 366 this year - thank you February 29th). It’s not a counselling service, but is equally as important, giving those who are struggling a place to turn to in their darkest hour.
There is no judgment, and no pressure - just a listening ear for anyone who needs it, no matter who they are, where they come from or what they are struggling with.
You can find out more about Samaritans here, on their website.
A brilliant piece of tech, R;pple Suicide Prevention is a tool that intervenes when people search for specific, harmful terms related to suicide. So far, it has intercepted over 22,300 searches, instead signposting them to mental health charities.
It’s completely safe, private and discreet, and will keep your data safe, as well as point you towards those who can help.
You can find out more about R;pple Suicide Prevention and how to help them here.
Mental Health Foundation is a charity committed to improving the mental health of people all across the UK. Rather than a service provider for when people are unwell, they focus on initial prevention - what we can put in place so that things don’t need to struggle.
Their work is incredibly important as they advocate for change in the underlying causes of poor mental health, and encourage those who can make a difference to act.
You can find out more about the Mental Health Foundation and support them on their website.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Ripple Suicide Prevention. R;pple exists to ensure immediate mental health support is presented to individuals following a harmful online search. Learn more here.
Papyrus. This is the leading suicide prevention charity for young people, working with under 35s. Find out more.
PTSD UK. This is a community for everyone in the UK that is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing.
