World Mental Health Week 10 to 16 October 2009

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Raising awareness of mental health issues

Since 1992 World Mental Health Day has taken place on 10th October each year. It is an international campaign to raise awareness of mental health issues and to tackle the stigma surrounding mental illness. This year’s theme is ‘Primary care and mental health’ or ‘first port of call’ for people with mental health problems.

The Wandsworth Mental Health Promotion Forum1 will be coordinating free events around the borough in a wide variety of venues. The events will provide information about self-help, mental health services and new initiatives to improve and maintain good mental health. Many of the events will be interactive with plenty of time for discussion.

Dr Rose de Boer, Chair of Wandsworth Mental Health Promotion Forum said:
“We recognise the importance of promoting positive mental health for everybody and it is wonderful to see this being done in places that people visit in their daily lives, like children’s centres, schools, libraries, churches, universities, GP surgeries, and civic and community centres.  Developing strategies to cope is an important way to help people enjoy life and survive pain, disappointment and sadness. It is, and should be, everybody’s business.”

Details of all the events running are available on the NHS Wandsworth website at www.wandsworth.nhs.uk and click on the world mental health day link.

 

 

October 7, 2009