16 May 2023 Blogs
The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 15 – May 21) is anxiety, and we want to remind everyone of our open-door policy for any of our colleagues, delegates or bookers who may be struggling with anxiety, stress, or depression.
Develop is part of the JTL Group, so we’d like to remind people of the free and accessible resources available on fellow JTL Group member, JTL Training’s TuneUp channel. Here you can find a collection of videos that cover topics including mental health and provide our guidance for staying healthy.
Wear it Green Day
For this year, we will also be taking part in the Mental Health Foundation’s official Wear it Green Day initiative (May 18.) For this, we will be encouraging colleagues to wear something green to help raise awareness of the fact that one in six people are affected by mental health problems every week.
With that in mind, here are some additional tips from the Mental Health Foundation for managing anxiety.
- Focus on your breathing
Breathing exercises can help to ground oneself when feeling overwhelmed by anxious thoughts. Consider a 4-7-8 technique, four seconds inhale, seven seconds hold, and eight seconds exhale.
- Spend time in nature
Studies have shown that whether it be something simple like tending a potted plant or something bigger like camping, spending time in nature can have a positive impact on our mental health.
- Exercise
Exercise can be a good way of dealing with anxiety. This doesn’t have to be lifting weights at the gym, it could be playing a sport, doing yoga or just going for a walk.
- Talk about how you feel
Anxiety can be isolating, and spending time with others can help to lighten this load. If you feel comfortable to open up, verbalising your anxieties to others can help to reduce their power.
This is why we will always encourage anyone who trains or works with Develop to be open about how they are feeling. Whether it be with a Develop staff member, a friend, a family member, or a mental health professional.
We believe that everyone deserves to be heard. To view more tips please visit: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week/what-can-we-do-cope-feelings-anxiety
