Mental Health Awareness Week 2019

In the UK, the 13-19 May marks a time where the Mental Health Foundation campaigns to raise awareness around mental health.

The theme this year is ‘Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies.’ People have never been more connected and with rising pressures from social media, what effect does this have on how we see ourselves and our body image?

In a recent study, the Mental Health Foundation found that 30% of all adults have been so stressed by their body image and appearance, that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.

Stress can affect a person’s physical health as well as their mental health. Statistics show that when stressed, 46% of people eat unhealthily, 19% reported that they started or increased their alcohol consumption and 16% began smoking or increased their smoking habit. Concerns about appearance may also negatively affect participation in the workplace, with one survey finding that 17% of women said they would not go to a job interview, and 8% would avoid going to work if they felt bad about their appearance.

All these behavioural changes can create a cycle which in the long term, takes its toll on a person’s physical and mental health.

Facts on mental health:

• 1 in 6 adults will experience a common mental health problem each week, such as anxiety or depression

• In 2017/18 mental health problems accounted for 15.4 million sick leave days in the UK

• Better mental health support in the workplace could save UK businesses up to £8 billion per year

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How can you support?

• Wear a green ribbon

• Encourage people to be active

• Become a mental health first aider

• Join the conversation on social media @mentalhealth

#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #BeBodyKind

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We would like to take this opportunity to thank our mental health locums for choosing to be a mental health professional but most importantly, for choosing Maxxima. Click here to find out more.

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