Online help group now in the town
A new community group to tackle mental health has launched in Hamilton and surrounding areas.
Hamilton’s Mental Health Support Hub aims to bring people of all ages, who are struggling, together virtually and share free resources.
The initiative was put together by mental health first aiders who volunteer to help people at their places of work, and now want to take that experience to support the community.
It has now reached over 100 members with many locals commending the idea, saying it is much needed at a time when people are lonely and trying to beat the lockdown blues.
The people who run the group wish to stay anonymous and put those who need the help at the forefront of their mission.
One of the organisers explained to the Hamilton Advertiser: “The reason behind it all is because mental health has become such a big thing in recent years, people in school are being taught more of it and there’s a big drive for it in workplaces too.
“We knew Hamilton didn’t really have something like this online. There’s services people can go visit but due to lockdown it’s not something that can be easily accessed. It’s also a subject many don’t feel comfortable talking about face to face so we thought it would be something to run on social media where someone can simply log on and speak to the mental health first aiders whenever they need to.”
The group has trained mental health responders in different backgrounds including a representative that works with children and families.
They have also placed suicide prevention as a key area to focus on after alarmingly high rates have became prevalent in recent years.
Speaking on this, the group added: “Mental illnesses will exist until the end of time, but our main goal is to keep them living. That’s the main purpose.
“It’s definitely a crisis. Some of our friends we know have tried to take their lives in recent years.
“The goal is to try and help people and help them not go down that route. Another was 16 which is absolutely tragic because they have their whole lives ahead of them and it’s been cut short.
“Depression and these issues are hard subjects to try to talk to somebody about but our job is to try and get people to open up about them, find out why they feel like that, what’s brought it on, and if there’s anything we can do to help.
“From my experience, opening up and talking about stress and things like that is the best way to go.
“It is difficult but it helps a lot.”
You can join the group by searching Hamilton’s Mental Health Support Hub on Facebook and sending a request.