It's time to talk say charities

York Mind was throwing its support behind Time to Talk Day today, a nationwide push to get people to open up over the way they are feeling.

A spokeswoman for the charity said Time to Talk Day 2021, led by the mental health anti-stigma campaign Time to Change, came at an 'absolutely vital moment in our history.'

She said Mind saw a significant increase in demand for both its one-to-one and group based mental health support during the first lockdown and this had continued into 2021.

She said: "It’s so important that we can all take the time to stop for a few minutes, and make an effort to reach out and connect with someone we know.

"It is an important and accessible reminder for everyone, regardless of their experience with mental ill-health, to have a go at starting small conversations that can make a big difference.

"A third lockdown in winter, physical health worries, furlough, job losses and the devastating loss of life in the last year due to Covid-19 – all these factors can add up to a breeding ground for poor mental health."

Organisers of Time to Talk Day said it had adopted the theme this year of ‘The Power of Small’, which aimed to show the big difference that seemingly small conversations or gestures could make. They said a survey of more than 4,700 UK adults had shown that mental health was still taboo when it came to taking time out. More than half of people in Yorkshire and the Humber had felt the need to take time off work, school, or university due to a mental health problem but only 21 per cent actually did so.

More than 1 in 5 said they had had fewer people to talk to, partly because working or studying from home meant fewer opportunities to catch up.

The survey showed that a simple message of support from a colleague, friend or family member made all the difference, making them feel reassured they weren’t alone and there was someone to listen.