Posted: by Jo Friday, 30 April 2021 @ 12:03
May sees
both Mental Health Awareness Week (10th to 16th), and Maternal Mental Health Week (3rd to 9th
May) take place – both intended to draw attention to challenges around mental
health.
During the
last year, with lockdowns and huge restrictions on our mobility and our
connections with other people, the toll on people’s mental health has been
incredible. From anxiety and depression, to loneliness and fear, to self-harm
and thoughts of suicide, many people have suffered from the crippling effects
of isolation. For new mums, it has often been even worse, with few of the
support systems they would normally have around them.
Here at
Mantra, we support MIND, the mental health charity, with all their work to
raise awareness of, and remove the stigma around, mental health issues. Our
‘Strength’ necklace raises funds which go directly to support their work, with
25% of the sales of the necklace going straight to the charity.
We also
work with PANDAS, a specialist charity that provides support for all forms of
pre-and post-natal mental health issues. Our ‘Intuition’ necklace raises funds
for PANDAS, with its empowering message, ‘I trust my intuition. I call upon my
inner strength’.
The
organisations behind these two important awareness weeks have given a lot of
thought to the theme and focus for this year.
Mental Health Awareness Week
The theme
for Mental Health Awareness Week (10th to 16th May) is
‘Connect with Nature’. Nature is so central to our psychological and emotional
health, that it’s almost impossible to achieve good mental health without a
greater connection to the natural world. According to research carried out
throughout the pandemic, going for walks outside was one of our top coping
strategies, and 45% of us reported being in green spaces had been vital for our
mental health.
As Chief
Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, Mark Rowland, explains:
“During
Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, we will pull together the evidence that
demonstrates the powerful benefits of nature for our mental health. We will
look at nature’s unique ability to not only bring consolation in times of
stress, but also increase our creativity, empathy and a sense of wonder.
We have
two clear aims. Firstly, to inspire more people to connect with nature in new
ways, noticing the impact that this connection can have for their mental
health. Secondly, to convince decision makers at all levels that access to and
quality of nature is a mental health and social justice issue as well as an
environmental one.”
For more
information about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, visit
mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw and join the conversation on social media using
#ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek 
Maternal Mental Health Week
The theme for Maternal Mental Health Week (3rd
to 9th May) is ‘Journeys to Recovery’, highlighting the different ways in which recovery can take place. It
is a week-long campaign dedicated to talking about mental illness while
pregnant or after having a baby.
The organisation behind it is dedicated to signposting
support for all mums and families, and focuses on advocating for those affected
by Maternal Mental Health, to access the information and help they require to
enable recovery.
Facebook - PerinatalMHPartnershipUK
Twitter - @PMHPUK
Instagram - perinatalmhpartnership
Website – www.perinatalmhpartnership.com
Mantra Changes Lives
You can also
support two very important charities who are involved in finding solutions to mental
health challenges, by buying a Mantra necklace for yourself or as a gift, with
25% of the sales going straight to charity.
Choose our
‘Strength’ necklace to support MIND, or our ‘Intuition’ Necklace to support
PANDAS:
