Look after your mental health during the festive period
The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) is encouraging people to look after their mental health, especially during the festive and New Year period and is to run a public information campaign to raise awareness of the issue.
Deirdre McNamee, Senior Manager for Public Health at the HPA, said: �Christmas and New Year can be a difficult period for some people. It is a time when everyone is expected to be enjoying themselves yet it can become a time when problems may be heightened and additional stresses, such as money worries or family and relationship issues come to the fore. There is also an increase in alcohol use at this time of year and excessive use of alcohol, which is a depressant, can worsen the symptoms of depression and anxiety.�
�We hope the Minding your head campaign will encourage people to be more aware of their mental health and to know that there are positive steps everyone can take to promote and maintain their mental health. These include keeping active, doing something to relax, eating healthily and asking for help and support when needed. We would also ask that individuals, families and communities be supportive of others who may be finding Christmas a particularly difficult time.�
The campaign was developed in response to actions outlined in the Protect life � a shared vision, the Northern Ireland suicide prevention strategy and action plan 2006 � 2011 and the Promoting mental health strategy and action plan 2003 � 2008.1, 2
An evaluation of the first phase of the campaign, which ran earlier this year, revealed that more than eight out of ten (83%) adults were aware of it. Of these, four out of ten (41%) had been encouraged to do at least one positive thing as a result of the campaign, such as talk about their mental health, seek help or get information regarding their own mental health or the mental health of others.
The findings showed that continuing to communicate positive messages around the issue of mental health can lead to a reduction in stigma by improving the public�s knowledge and understanding of the issues.
Deirdre continued: �We are very encouraged by the findings from the evaluation of the first phase of the campaign, but we are also aware that a lot more needs to be done to reduce the stigma around mental ill health and to reinforce the positive mental health message to people in Northern Ireland.�
The mental health campaign will run from New Year�s Day until the end of January 2008 and will feature two television advertisements, one targeting adults and one targeting young men, as well as new radio and online advertising.
END
Notes to the Editor
The campaign website, www.mindingyourhead.info provides practical information and resources for the general public and mental health professionals, including advice on what to look out for and what we can do to improve our mental health.
For media enquiries contact:
For media enquiries please contact the HPA Press Office on Tel: 028 9031 1611.
1Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Secondary analysis of the 2003 young persons behaviour and attitudes survey (drugs, solvents and alcohol). Belfast: DHSSPS, November 2005.
2Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Promoting mental health strategy and action plan 2003 � 2008. Belfast: DHSSPS, 2003.
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