By Lisa Mulholland
Today marks World Mental Health Day 2017.
Here at The Avenger UK we would like to mark this day for a number of reasons. As many of our readers will know we cover many topics but mental health seems to be the most popular of our posts.
And there is a reason for that…
One in four of us adults will suffer from mental health issues in our life time yet mental health still remains somewhat of a taboo and with that comes stigma.
Many of us that struggle with mental health not only have to struggle with the difficulties that the various conditions brings, but we also have to face a society that doesn’t understand and a mental health care service that is significantly underfunded.
So much work needs to be done to raise awareness of mental health and how mental wellbeing underpins a happy and productive nation.
Something that this government seems to have forgotten.
Hellbent on cutbacks, they have missed the point that when mental health and wellbeing is a priority in our society (with proper treatment and understanding for those that suffer from ill mental health) that a happier nation is actually more productive and costs less to the taxpayer in the long run. Developing a different approach at the outset can prevent so many future problems.
Mental health needs to be addressed in every aspect of social and public policy.
Children need the freedom to be children.
Pressure for milestones to be met and constant tick boxes start the day the child is born and sets the tone for a lifetime of scrutiny. As parents we worry about raising children that have mental health issues.
In school children are constantly assessed and now even take tests at the age of 6. Squeezing productivity from very young children , categorising them, setting them apart from each other; it can only lead to unhappiness and disenchantment from children’s natural love of learning.
And so this continues; all throughout childhood.
On the one hand the government push pressure for children to perform better and on the other hand, the ever increasing number of children with mental health issues is rising. If you combine this with a severely underfunded system that spends between £35 and £70 per head on children’s mental health in England and you have a crisis on your hands not to mention a timebomb in the future.
The reality of having a child that cannot access mental health services can be devastating.
These children with untreated mental health grow into adults.
We have all heard about the mental health bed crisis. We have our own Masked Avenger stories from both acute mental health service users and mental health workers all saying the same thing;
More funding and understanding is needed!!
So there is a lot of work to be done and Rome wasn’t built in a day. But the first step is awareness.
And that is what World Mental Health Day is all about.
So today we want to raise awareness. Not only of what what it is to suffer from mental illness and the struggles that come with it, but also we want to raise awareness of the creativity and intelligence that people with mental health possess.
We want to celebrate the neurodiversity and showcase art and poems of people with mental health issues.
And this is why we created our World Mental Health Day special collaboration of art, poetry and commentary.
Please take a look and enjoy a varied approach to raising mental health awareness by clicking here:
Please show your support by reading, liking and sharing our mental health posts today.
And maybe one day we can all work to a more tolerant, understanding and supportive society, where mental health and wellness is a priorty.
Thank you
Lisa Mulholland- Editor The Avenger UK
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If you would like to find out more about World Mental Health Day or get involved please visit :
https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/
The Avenger 