World Mental Health Day takes place on Friday 10 October. Here, Liverpool’s Director of Public Health, Professor Matt Ashton, outlines how people can get support if they are struggling…
World Mental Health Day in 2025 focuses on the mental health impact of difficult events, crises and conflict in our world.
Sadly, there are tragic events happening all the time across our world and closer to home, and sometimes it can feel really difficult to cope during such difficult times, regardless of whether you’re directly affected or not.
Mental health needs in Liverpool are high and growing due to the increasing difficult circumstances faced by families and communities. Things like money worries and loneliness cause distress that leads to poor mental health over time. These factors are made worse when distressing events take place which disrupt our communities and cause many people to feel unsafe.
Public Health Liverpool are here to remind you that when times are hard, it’s ok to not be ok, and help is out there.
What are we doing?
We may not be able to influence or change the bad things happening in our world as much as we would like to, but there are things we can do to protect ourselves and others from feeling overwhelmed and hopeless in the face of current events.
Kind to Your Mind Liverpool
Kind to Your Mind Liverpool is a campaign for Liverpool symbolising what works well for wellbeing and mental health. We continue to grow this campaign and raising it’s profile so that it has high impact and involvement from local services and communities.
You can access the campaign, information, help and support for wellbeing and mental health via our website www.kindtoyourmindliverpool.co.uk where you will find more information about protecting yourself and others through difficult events and other negative factors.
To celebrate World Mental Health Day 2025, this blog provides a reminder of some of the key Kind to Your Mind campaign messages to hold on to during difficult or distressing times.
It’s ok to not be ok
After a very upsetting or traumatic event, it’s not uncommon to have bad dreams, flashbacks, intrusive negative thoughts about yourself or others and difficult feelings (upset, worry, fear, anger, guilt, shame) you may even behave differently (not wanting to go out or unable to enjoy things) or struggle in your relationships (feeling detached or guarded against others).
You are not alone, these feelings and symptoms are normal after difficult events and usually temporary. You can help yourself by taking more time for yourself and those you care about.
Self-care and self-help are vital to feeling better
Self-care is what we do regularly to maintain wellbeing. We often lose sight of these things when we’re distressed, but this is when they are most important. Remember, even during tough times you have the right to feel safe and carry on your normal routines.
Eating well, moving around, being with others, getting enough sleep and taking care of our responsibilities are all part of self-care and essential to our wellbeing.
Self-help is what we choose to do to address a problem like talking to someone about what happened and your feelings about it. This can help you to feel better and could help them too if they are going through the same.
Lots of people don’t open up because they don’t want to worry or burden others in already difficult times. Being closed can increase isolation and loneliness and make things worse. Talking about feelings and connecting with others helps people feel better and more supported.
Listening with your full attention is one of the best ways to help, you don’t need to have the answers, responding with empathy and compassion makes a big difference.
Help is available if you need it
Sometimes difficult feelings persist and it’s important to know the signs that your mental health is at risk. If you begin to feel worse over time, or feel bad most of the time, and don’t feel able to cope or do the things you normally would the best thing to do is ask for help.
Your GP can help with mental health and wellbeing and connect you with support.
Samaritans provide 24-Hour listening support, call 116 123, or log on to www.samaritans.org.
For NHS Talking Therapies at Merseycare call 0151 228 2300 or www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/liverpool/talking-therapies.
Anyone in need of immediate support with a mental health crisis can call 111 and select option to 2 to access urgent mental health support.
For Emergency Help – If you or someone you know is in immediate danger dial 999.
This blog is part of our efforts to mark World Mental Health Day 2025 which this year aims to address the mental health impact of difficult events, crises and conflict in our world.
By visiting our Kind to your Mind Liverpool website you can find out more information and support for yourself and be ready to help someone you meet, or someone you know and care about.
