The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 557 (November 3 - 16 2021)

Page8 TheTrumpet NOVEMBER 3 - 16 2021
Mental Health
Black community urged to support
their mental wellbeing
Following new research which
reveals that more than half of
England’s black population say their
mental health was negatively impacted by
the pandemic, Black Africans and
Caribbeans are urged to find “what works
for me” to support their mental wellbeing.
The research commissioned by the
Office for Health Improvement and
Disparities (OHID) reveals nearly half
(49%) of adults and over half (52%) of
Black adults in England said the COVID-
19 pandemic had a negative impact on their
mental wellbeing. And 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.
To stem this tide, the OHID has
launched the latest Better Health – Every
Mind Matters (EMM) campaign which
empowers people to look after their mental
health by directing them to free, practical
tips and advice.
By answering five simple questions
through the Every Mind Matters platform,
people can get a tailored “Mind Plan”,
giving them personalised tips to help deal
with stress and anxiety, boost their mood,
sleep better and feel more in control.
Black adults who said they were
negatively affected by the pandemic were
also more likely to say they felt lonely and
isolated (51%) compared to the wider
population (45%); and 1 in 3 Black adults
(33%) said they didn’t feel motivated to
work, compared to 1 in 5 of the general
public (20%).
Encouragingly, 94% of Black adults
said they exercise more to help with their
mental health, compared to 52% of the
public. And of those who took up exercise
classes, 60% felt more relaxed and 50%
felt happier.
This is the first campaign delivered by
the new Office for Health Improvements
and Disparities which was launched on 1
October with the aim of tackling health
inequalities across the country.
Minister for Care and Mental Health,
Gillian Keegan, said: “The public showed
great resilience throughout the pandemic,
but it has served as a stark reminder that we
all need to look after ourselves not only
physically, but mentally.
“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.”
Over 3.4 million individual Mind Plans
have already been created since the
campaign was first launched in
October 2019.
Famous faces - including Mercury
prize winner Arlo Parks, Singer and actor
Kelle Bryan, and TV presenter Jay Blades -
are supporting the new campaign sharing
their personal mental wellbeing
experiences during the last 18 months, and
encouraging others to take steps to look
after themselves.
The campaign is supported by a
coalition of leading mental health charities,
including CALM, The Mental Health
Foundation, Mental Health
Innovations, and a range of commercial,
third-sector, NHS and Local Authority
partners, who will share mental health
messages with their customers, members
and colleagues, including Mental Health
First Aid, Carers organisations and more.
Singer Arlo Parks, who supports the
campaign, said: “I think the pandemic
enforced that insidious feeling of being an
island, of being unable to connect to the
rest of the world outside our heads. I found
real beauty in small things, in playing card
games, in painting, in eating perfectly
prepared rice - doing small, good things for
myself often.”
Eternal singer and actor Kelle Bryan,
said: “We all have things in our lives that
can be stressful, especially during the
pandemic, and we’ve learnt different ways
of dealing with it. For me, making sure I
regularly checked in with my family and
friends was key. Just a quick text or call
helped reduce my stress and anxiety. I want
to remind anyone struggling that they
aren’t alone and to reach out if you need
help.”
Vanessa Boachie, Psychological
Therapist & Director of Inside Out Wellbeing
a community organisation
committed to improving the mental health
of the Black community says, “We know
that many Black people have struggled
with their mental health during the
pandemic but it’s also great that there are
tools and strategies we can implement to
improve our mental well-being. It could be
as simple as doing just one thing for your
mind and one thing for your body every
day. Whether that’s using affirmations,
staying in contact with friends and family,
listening to relaxing music, stretching your
body or going for a walk. Often time, it’s
the simple things that can make the biggest
difference”
“There are lots of organisations out
there like ours that are here to listen and
help, as well as a host of NHS services.
Start by building your own Mind Plan via
the Every Mind Matters site simply by
answering five quick questions. You may
discover a new hobby that makes you feel
more relaxed.”
Better Health - Every Mind Matters
offers information and videos to help
young people look after their own mental
wellbeing, and will be promoting them
through social media channels and in
schools. The Every Mind Matters website
also provides dedicated support to help
parents and guardians look after the mental
wellbeing of the children and young people
they care for.
• Search Every Mind Matters to see what
works for you.