Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Public Health England encourages South Asians to look after their mental health

A SURVEY from Public Health England (PHE) reveals more than eight in ten (82%) people 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.

While these can be a natural response to life’s challenges, they can become more serious if people don’t take action, and many wait too long. Indeed, the PHE survey also found that over a quarter (28%) of people who experienced early signs of poor mental health from an Asian background waited at least six months before taking action.


PHE is encouraging the South Asian community to look after their own mental health, and support friends and family who might be struggling. They can start this by completing a ‘Mind Plan’, a quick and free tool from Every Mind Matters.

The plan recommends a range of evidence-based self-care actions which are designed to deal with stress, boost mood, improve sleep and help people feel more in control, from breathing exercises, ways to reframe unhelpful thoughts and ideas on how to get more active.

Shuranjeet Singh Takhar, Director of Taraki, an organisation which works alongside Punjabi communities to reshape approaches to mental health, first experienced social anxiety when he was at university. At an event which he had helped to organise, he found he was unable to speak with anyone.

As University continued, it became worse. He spoke to his housemates who were supportive. They helped him cope with social situations by going with him to events and through conversation, they helped him find the courage to go out alone.

He also found that meditating in the mornings and evenings helped ease him into the day and provided him space to reflect.

Shuranjeet says, “I know from my own experiences of overcoming social anxiety that it can be hard to know where to turn for help to feel better, for me, talking to my friends was one of the things that helped, but different techniques work for different people. That’s why Every Mind Matters is important, the reality is we all experience stress, anxiety, low mood or have trouble sleeping at some point in our lives, and now, there’s one more place to turn to for support.”

Dr. Chirag D Gorasia, a Clinical Psychologist said: “Through my work as a Clinical Psychologist, I come into contact with people from a range of communities, including the South Asian community. I regularly engage people through workshops and talks on mental health, as well as individually. Teaching and discussing issues around mental health is central to challenging social stigma, and helps people to understand there is always something they can do to improve how they feel. This is why I am so pleased about the launch of Every Mind Matters. I strongly request everyone to take the Every Mind Matters quiz today to receive a personalised action plan around looking after their individual mental health, go on, you’ll be glad you did.”

www.everymindmatters.co.uk

(Sponsored Feature)

More For You

Mounjaro price rise

Eli Lilly has agreed a discounted supply deal for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro

iStock

Mounjaro’s highest dose to rise from £122 to £247.50, not £330

Highlights:

  • Eli Lilly had announced a steep price rise of up to 170% for Mounjaro.
  • A new discount deal with UK suppliers will limit the increase for patients.
  • Pharmacies will still apply a mark-up, but consumer costs are expected to rise less than initially feared.
  • NHS pricing remains unaffected due to separate arrangements.

Eli Lilly has agreed a discounted supply deal for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro, easing fears of a sharp rise in costs for UK patients. The new arrangement means that, from September, pharmacies and private services will face smaller wholesale increases than first expected, limiting the impact on consumers.

Why the price rise was announced

Earlier this month, Eli Lilly said it would raise Mounjaro’s list price by as much as 170%, which could have pushed the highest monthly dose from £122 to £330. The company argued that UK pricing needed to align more closely with higher costs in Europe and the United States.

Keep ReadingShow less
chicken-pox-istock

The Department of Health said the rollout would reduce missed days at nursery and school, cut time parents take off work, and save the NHS about £15 million a year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

England to introduce free chickenpox vaccine for children from 2026

CHILDREN in England will be offered a free chickenpox vaccine for the first time from January 2026, the government has announced.

GP practices will give eligible children a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine childhood vaccination schedule. Around half a million children each year are expected to be protected.

Keep ReadingShow less
Naga Munchetty urges women to prioritise their health

Naga Munchetty

Naga Munchetty urges women to prioritise their health

WHEN broadcaster and journalist Naga Munchetty began speaking openly about her experiences with adenomyosis and debilitating menstrual pain, the response was overwhelming.

Emails and messages poured in from women who had endured years of dismissal, silence and shame when it came to their health. That outpouring became the driving force behind her new book, It’s Probably Nothing, which calls for women to be heard and to advocate for themselves in a medical system that has too often ignored them.

Keep ReadingShow less
London temple project for Shree Banke Bihari launched

London temple project for Shree Banke Bihari launched

Mahesh Liloriya

The Shree Kunj Bihari Vrindavan (UK) Temple has officially launched its project to establish a grand home for Shree Banke Bihari in London.

The inaugural event, held in Harrow from 4 pm, featured devotional chants, the Deep Pragtya ceremony, and a presentation outlining the temple’s vision. Speaking at the gathering, Shalini Bhargava described the planned temple as “a spiritual home promoting bhakti, unity and seva for generations to come.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Dickie and Watt

Dickie and Watt launched BrewDog at the age of 24

Getty Images

BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie leaves after 17 years as James Watt steps back

Highlights:

  • Martin Dickie has announced his departure from BrewDog and the alcohol industry.
  • He co-founded the Ellon-based brewer with James Watt in 2007.
  • Dickie cited family time and personal reasons for his exit.
  • His departure follows recent bar closures as part of a company restructuring.
  • BrewDog confirmed no further leadership changes will follow.

BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie has announced he is leaving the Scottish brewer and the wider alcohol industry for “personal reasons.” Dickie, who founded the Ellon-based business with James Watt in 2007, said he wanted to spend more time with his family after more than two decades in brewing and distilling.

Early beginnings

Dickie and Watt launched BrewDog at the age of 24, starting from a garage in Fraserburgh and selling hand-filled bottles from a van at local markets. The company grew rapidly to become one of the UK’s best-known craft brewers.

Keep ReadingShow less