Mind

We know lots of you have been feeling heavy with the news about benefit cuts. It’s not good enough. Our mental health is getting worse, and cutting benefits won’t help. Your words hold power. Email your MP - we’ve written a template, and you can quickly edit and share it with them here ⬇ https://lnkd.in/eKT-zXVR

Seasonal affective disorder affects people differently at different times of year. Just because the days are getting brighter doesn’t mean you’re going to feel brighter. Sometimes it’s the opposite. Remember if you’re impacted by the changing season, you’re not alone 💙

We're so proud of our supported self-help programme 💙 Since 2023, we've supported more than 15,000 people across the country to understand and take care of their mental health problem. With long waits for NHS therapies, we've helped people while they're waiting and prevented their problems from getting worse. Look at some of the results ⬇️ We couldn't have done it without the generosity of our funders - a big thanks to Erborian, Great Causes II, The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust, and TK Maxx Foundation 🙌

"When I was first diagnosed, I was incredibly embarrassed about having bipolar disorder. Over time, I have realised that although stigma still exists, bipolar disorder is nothing to be ashamed of. It is possible to have it and live a fulfilling life. After all, a diagnosis is just learning new information about yourself that helps you take better care of your brain. "One thing that has allowed me to accept my diagnosis is writing about it. This enables me to get all my thoughts out and is a massive stress reliever. "I spent a long time terrified that I would never get better no matter how hard I tried and although things aren’t perfect now, I’m finally turning a corner, and I see a future for myself in the world. Even the most awful days and moments couldn’t destroy me. I did it – I survived." Read Mia’s full blog about her experience with bipolar on our website ➡ https://bit.ly/4iM4g2e

Mother’s Day can be painful for so many reasons. We send our love and support to all of you struggling today 💙 Thanks so much to @ellaharding.illustrates (Insta) for her lovely illustration.

Yesterday, the UK government confirmed that mental health spending as a share of the NHS budget fell last year in England - and is set to fall again next year. This is happening while: 🔹 More people than ever need mental health support. 🔹 People are waiting months, sometimes years, for support. 🔹 The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care admits mental health services are in a dire state. If the government is serious about fixing the NHS and helping people back into work, it needs to fund mental health care properly. We need shorter waiting times. We need better inpatient care. And we need real and sustained investment. https://lnkd.in/eFkP8VJj

We understand the news about welfare cuts might feel overwhelming and scary right now. Please know you’re not alone. We’re fighting hard behind the scenes to challenge the government’s decisions. If you’re struggling, need support, or just need someone to talk to, we’re right here with you 💙📞

The welfare cuts announced today mean people don’t know how they’ll survive. Some fear they’ll have no choice but to take their own lives. This government must take responsibility for the impact of the Spring Budget on the mental health crisis.

 Last week, the UK government announced huge cuts to welfare benefits. Charities across the health sector pushed back - hard. We explained this would make people’s mental health worse and simply move costs elsewhere in the system. They didn’t listen, and today they’ve announced even more cuts. This is despicable. The government is choosing to take away the last line of support from some of the most vulnerable people in our society. People are telling us they don’t know how they’ll survive, and might have no option but to take their own lives. If ministers push ahead with these cuts despite clear warnings, they must take responsibility for the harm that will be caused. We’ll keep fighting these changes and speaking up for you against the cuts.

“Their voices unheard, this is never ok, Parliament please I beg you to show them the way.” At our exhibition in Parliament earlier this month, India reads her poem about being sectioned. ’The 54,000 people behind the Mental Health Act’ was an exhibition we put on to show MPs the experiences of real people who’ve been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. India’s poem highlights how important it is to address racism in the use of the Mental Health Act.

Last night, the whole episode of EastEnders took place in a mental health hospital. An entire episode dedicated to a story about a mental health inpatient unit could not be more relevant right now. Things are pretty bleak for the nation’s mental health. But good mental health support exists, and it has a huge impact to see it brought to life on screen. It helps us see what “better” looks like. Our media advisory service supported the EastEnders team, alongside Rethink Mental Illness, Samaritans and Calm, on this storyline. We wanted to make sure the story felt relatable for men experiencing suicidal feelings and symptoms of psychosis. These experiences are sadly increasingly common, so we need storylines like Phil’s now more than ever. BBC