New mental health campaign in England focuses on adults, South Asians

A new mental health campaign has been launched in England to improve the mental health of adults and South Asians.

The Every Mind Matters (EMM) initiative started after half of all adults and almost two-thirds of South Asians have said that the pandemic had negatively impacted their mental health, a statement said.

The campaign, which was launched on 1 October, will also tackle health inequalities across the country.

The campaign empowers people to look after their mental health by directing them to free, practical tips and advice. It gives personalised tips to help deal with stress and anxiety, boost their mood, sleep better and feel more in control.

According to the statement, Pakistani and Bangladeshi adults reported struggling the most, with 60 per cent saying their mental wellbeing was negatively impacted by the pandemic, closely followed by Indian adults at 57 per cent.

South Asian adults were also more likely to say they have experienced worry and anxiety, 59 per cent of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis and 54 per cent of Indians, compared to 45 per cent of the general public.

However, 74 per cent of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis and 70 per cent of Indians were more likely to look for support and advice to help with their mental wellbeing compared to 47 per cent of the general public.

Minister for care and mental health, Gillian Keegan, said:  “There are simple steps we can all be taking to improve our mental wellbeing and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. For anyone who is unsure what they can do, I urge you to visit Every Mind Matters and take advantage of the expert advice and practical tips available to you.”

New research by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has revealed that more than a third of all adults in England (15.1 million) said they did not know what to do to help improve their mental wellbeing.

Over 3.4 million individual Mind Plans have already been created since the campaign was first launched in October 2019.

The campaign is supported by CALM, The Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Innovations, Taraki, The Heera Foundation and Sharing Voices.

“The mental health of the South Asian community has been hard hit by the pandemic, but thankfully there are some simple steps we can all take to improve our mental health. Whether it’s hobbies like, going on walks, reading,

gardening or practicing mindfulness and yoga, there are simple, low-cost tools out there to get you through challenging times. A great first step is to answer the five quick questions to generate your Mind Plan on the Every Mind Matters site," said Dr Chirag Gorasia, Clinical Psychologist.

Pavandeep Johal of The Heera Foundation, said: “The reality is that with the pandemic we have all experienced some form of stress, anxiety or a low mood at some point so it’s so important that we continue to signpost people to the support available and help people find ways to manage their mental wellbeing.”

For more details- ww.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/