Following a survey that showed eight in 10 people from Asian communities experience poor mental health, the Public Health England (PHE) has launched an initiative to help people improve their wellbeing.
Every Mind Matters initiative, started in association with the NHS, enables people to create a personalised action plan recommending a set of self-care actions to deal with stress, boost mood, improve sleep and feel in control.
This follows a PHE survey that showed that 82 per cent from an Asian background have experienced early signs of poor mental health including feeling anxious, stressed, having low mood or trouble sleeping in the last 12 months.
Over a quarter (28 per cent) waited at least six months before taking action to manage their mental health, the survey showed.
Praising the initiative, health secretary Matt Hancock said: “Every Mind Matters will benefit us all with an accessible tool to help manage our wellbeing at the click of a button. It will offer vital support to those living with a mental health condition and give each of us valuable and personalised tips on how to better cope with life’s daily struggles, while contributing to tackling the stigma that can still surround mental health.”
In a bid to promote awareness on the need to look after our mental health, a special film to promote Every Mind Matters has been released. Written by Richard Curtis and directed by Rankin, the film has The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex as narrators.
The film features a range of people whose lives have been affected by poor mental health, including a cast of well-known faces: Nadiya Hussain, Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Freddie Flintoff, Professor Green, Davina McCall, Jordan Stephens, Will Young, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sarah Taylor, Rob Beckett, Katie Piper, Joe Sugg and Alastair Campbell.
Meng Khaw, Centre Director for the East Midlands of PHE said: “We recognise that there is still social stigma attached to poor mental health within some South Asian communities and that aspects such as cultural barriers can make it difficult for some people to know where to turn to for support."
TV doctor Ranj Singh said that the latest data from Public Health England shows that all of us will be affected by poor mental health at some point in our lives.
"However, not all of us feel able to access the right help, especially minority communities, which is why I’d like to encourage the whole country, including everyone within the South-Asian communities to feel more empowered to look after their own mental health. We can all make a start by visiting the Every Mind Matters website,” said Singh.
For more information, go to www.everymindmatters.co.uk.
