Help make a difference this World Mental Health Day
EACH year, World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10, with the aim of raising awareness of the issues around mental health and illness.
On the eve of the annual event, researchers at the National Centre for Mental Health (NCHM) have renewed calls for the Welsh public to volunteer their time to help with research.
The centre, which is funded by Health and Care Research Wales, brings together researchers from Cardiff, Bangor and Swansea Universities.
Professor Ian Jones, director at NCMH, said: “We’re working to learn more about the complex causes of mental health problems, and ultimately to improve diagnosis and treatment for those affected in the future.
“In order for our research to make a real difference, we need thousands of people from all over Wales to help us. Everyone experiences mental ill health differently, and we can only build up a complete picture of the causes by collecting a wealth of information from many different perspectives.”
Almost 10,000 people have already taken part in the study, which involves completing an online survey. It asks questions around mental and physical health, lifestyle and demographic information, like age, occupation and address. Anybody can take part, even if they’ve never received a diagnosis.
“I heard about NCMH on Twitter, and was interested in helping with the research. I completed the survey on my phone, which was really straightforward,” said Kathryn, a pharmacist from Cardiff who recently took part in the study.
Kathryn has since taken on an honorary role as one of 24 research champions for NCMH, encouraging others to join them in giving their time to help others in the future. The champions also help NCMH in its work to reduce the stigma around mental illness by sharing their stories online, at events and in the media.
Paul Gauci, communications manager at NCMH, explained: “Our champions help show that there is no shame in being unwell, and people shouldn’t be defined by a diagnosis.”
Kathryn added: “I hope by sharing my story I can help tackle the stigma around mental illness. I want to show that you can be a professional and achieve whatever you want in life, even if you happen to have a mental health problem”.