This week,from the 14th to the 20th May is mental health awareness week. Mixed anxiety and depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain, and 4-10% of people in England
will experience depression in their lifetime. Common mental health problems such as depression

and anxiety have been shown to disproportionally affect poorer and more disadvantaged people in the UK. In addition mixed anxiety and depression has been estimated to cause one fifth of days lost from work in Britain.

There are a variety of resources out there if you need support. For example, Mind, a mental health charity, have a website with a wide range of resources. Samaritans are also there if you are having suicidal thoughts. You can also make an appointment with your GP if you are struggling with day-to-day living, and they can suggest useful resources or treatments for you if necessary.

In addition comedian Ruby Wax has set up a project with Marks and Spencers called Frazzled Cafe. You can sign up online and meet people in a specified Marks and spencers cafe which is made private for attendees. The idea isn’t that it is therapy, but that its a space where you can share as much as you want with other people in an informal but private setting.

I will speak about some of the places to go to if you or someone close to you is struggling with mental health. Resources can be found on the Mental Health Foundation website if you are interested in ways if tackling stress at work or other aspects of life. They have specifically focussing on stress this week, which is an often underestimated part of life which can have a negative impact on our mental health.

Additionally, CALM, or the Campaign Against Living Miserably are a charity dedicated to preventing male suicide, which is the biggest killer of men aged under 45 in the UK. In 2015, 75% of all UK suicides were male,so I would suggest getting in touch if you need help fir you or someone you are concerned about.

For eating disorder support you can visit the BEAT website, and MIND also have a very wide range of resources.

Mental health is nothing to be ashamed of if you are struggling, so try and speak to someone or access resources if you can.

blog script written By Anahita Harding