Thought for the Week

Someone recently recounted a phone conversation they had with a friend who was phoning them up to ask a favour.

“How are you?” the friend asked.

“A bit so–so but I’m just about getting there,” was the answer, to which the friend responded: “Great! Now the reason I’m phoning...”

One might have thought there was enough in the answer given to make the friend feel concerned about the person’s mental wellbeing but, for whatever reason, they chose not to go down that road.

Perhaps they were caught up in their own concerns, perhaps they weren’t really listening or perhaps they found talking about such things awkward.

See Me (www.seemescotland. org) is a Scottish programme which aims to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination by making people more aware of issues surrounding mental health.

Although it may be something people prefer not to talk about, it is an issue that directly affects one in four people in Scotland during their lives and indirectly affects many others.

One way we can help end the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health is by being less reticent to talk about it and more willing to talk about how we ourselves are feeling.

Another way to help, in contrast to the example above, is by giving others space to tell us how they are really feeling and give them the opportunity to talk without feeling they are being judged.

Jesus said: “I have come in order that you might have life life in all its fullness”.

Should we not do what we can to help ourselves and others to live fulfilled lives? John Sanderson Rutherglen URC