MOST Scots consider their understanding of how psychological well being and discrimination impacts individuals has improved within the final 20 years, in keeping with analysis.
Information printed on Monday confirmed round eight in 10 individuals in Scotland say they’re extra knowledgable on the topic than they had been 20 years in the past.
See Me – Scotland’s programme to finish psychological well being stigma – is now urging individuals to start out up psychological well being conversations in locations resembling faculties, schools, communities, workplaces, and with family and friends forward of Time to Speak Day on Thursday, February 2.
After two years of on-line exercise, Time to Speak Day will this yr run as a combination of on-line and in-person occasions and actions, to get as many individuals as attainable speaking about psychological well being.
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See Me volunteer Richard Wooden, 46, who lives in Glasgow, is amongst those that have skilled the advantages of speaking about psychological well being.
Wooden has struggled together with his psychological well being since he began having panic assaults on the age of 15 however didn’t begin to discuss extra brazenly about his points till he had a breakdown in 2017.
He stated: “I spent the most effective a part of 30 years pretending that my psychological well being wasn’t as unhealthy because it truly was.
“Psychological well being simply wasn’t spoken about, so I satisfied myself that every one my issues had been both of my very own making or it was all the way down to some form of a failing on my half.
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“I’ve had so many conversations about my psychological well being over the previous few years. That’s been with an entire vary of individuals – in medical settings and healthcare, but in addition with associates, household, colleagues, numerous totally different individuals.
“I feel each dialog is necessary, as a result of all of it helps break down these obstacles and normalise issues.”
Wooden signed as much as run the Edinburgh Marathon in assist of the Psychological Well being Basis in 2019, writing brazenly about his psychological well being on his fundraising web page, and stated he was blown away by individuals’s reactions and the conversations it sparked with associates.
He’s now encouraging individuals throughout Scotland to help Time to Speak Day and begin a dialog about psychological well being on February 2.
He stated: “You actually don’t know what anyone else goes by way of. For me, the concept of anyone truly understanding how I used to be feeling and what I used to be going by way of was petrifying, however I understand how a lot it helped after I lastly spoke about it.
“Taking the time to speak and pay attention is so necessary.”
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Time to Speak Day goals to assist break down obstacles and cut back the stigma which prevents many individuals from asking for assist after they want it.
See Me director, Wendy Halliday, stated: “Because the cost-of-living disaster impacts on households and people throughout the nation, it’s no shock that individuals’s psychological well being is taking a success.
“Time to Speak Day gives a really perfect alternative to open up about a number of the worries that will probably be weighing on individuals’s minds and the way that’s making them really feel.
“Speaking about psychological well being reduces stigma, serving to to create supportive communities the place we are able to discuss brazenly about psychological well being and really feel empowered to hunt assist after we want it.
“By speaking about psychological well being, we are able to bust myths and break down obstacles – and ease a number of the pressures that many people are feeling simply now.”
The analysis, which questioned 1000 individuals in Scotland, was carried out by Censuswide in August final yr.
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