“Mental Health is a universal human right.”

That is the theme for this year’s world mental health day, which falls on 10 October each year. The theme is set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This year, mental health day is about acknowledging that mental health is a right for everybody, and no matter who they are, or their location a human has the right to the “highest attainable standard of mental health.” The WHO defines this as “the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community.”

Good mental health is a core component in our wellbeing. Its not the only thing that defines what your wellbeing consists of, but it is a fundamental part. Having the right, and ability to prioritise things that boost our mental health is really important. Yet for many, basic mental health care is unavailable. You can read more on the WHO’s campaign website.

Stigma remains around mental ill health. Many people are treated differently when they have a mental ill health condition. I’ve experienced this myself. When I told friends of my depression in 2018, suddenly I was treated differently. I was no longer invited on day trips, activities nights out or to the cinema. I did challenge this at the time, and I was told excuses like oh we thought you would be busy looking after yourself. If a friend or loved one tells you they have depression or a mental ill health condition, you don’t have to treat them differently. Keep them included in social plans, keep talking – be there. You do not need to suddenly fear a friend because they have opened up about their circumstances.

As someone who manages an anxiety disorder and has had mental ill health issues on and off through much of my life, making that step to tell someone what you are experiencing is so very hard. It can often be the first step towards getting some help. I found acknowledging to myself that something doesn’t feel right, and then talking to someone else about needing help to be a very difficult step. And as a man, in British society, many would view that as a weakness. Oh no, a man should not show any form of negative emotion or weakness – a man should always be a strong masculine figure. This is just an example of a stigma around mental health. These stigmas can really hold someone back, denying them help they could really use.

We still call people crazy, mad, bonkers, insane. Words matter so much when it comes to mental health. The language we use in relation to mental health is important. Last year, at work I had an incident where two individuals decided to openly refer to me as “crazy James” in the office. I can only assume this is because of the work I do around mental health and wellbeing. Luckily, I am a lot more resilient than I used to be, and my strength is something I am grateful for. But I do worry if that had been targeted at someone who was really struggling in silence, it could have had a dire consequence for the victim.

There is so much you can do, even if you have not had any formal or informal wellbeing training. If someone opens up about a mental ill health condition, you don’t need to have all the answer. Just listen to what they have to say. Sometimes just letting someone be heard can be lifesaving and make all the difference. You might not have any training, but being a human, showing compassion and hearing someone out can make a real difference.

I’ll end this blog by reminding everyone they do not need to suffer in silence. There are so many support resources available. Be a human, be compassionate and listen. Its your biggest asset in helping mental ill health.