Time to Talk Day

Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation taking place on Thursday 3 February 2022, it’s the day that friends, families, communities, and workplaces come together to talk, listen and change lives. We all have mental health, by talking about it we can support ourselves and others.

Why talking is important

One in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
Talking about mental health reduces stigma, helping to create supportive communities where we can talk openly about mental health and feel empowered to seek help when we need it.
That’s why opening up the conversation about mental health problems is so important – by talking about it we can support ourselves and others.
However you do it, have a conversation about mental health.

Take things one step at a time

The way we all work is likely to keep changing in the coming weeks so we will need to keep adjusting. Don’t expect everything to quickly return to normal. We have a long journey ahead. We may not be able to go back to our old ways of working for some time – and if we are lucky, this could give us an opportunity to do things differently, and better. Look out for yourself, look out for others and take each day and week at a time.

Monitor and review how you are getting on

It is important to have regular check-ins with yourself (How am I coping? Could I do more to help stay mentally healthy?) and check-ins with your team and manager

(How are we working? Is there anything we could do differently to work better together?) Take the opportunity of talking about it on Time to Talk Day.
We all want to be good friends who are there for the people we care about. We might be worried about a mate, or want to check in with a colleague, but starting conversations that seem ‘deep’ or potentially emotional can be daunting.
Here are 5 tips for starting conversations about mental health that you might find helpful.

Sometimes it’s easier to talk about our feelings when we are doing something else.

1. Don’t wait to find the perfect moment

When we imagine conversations about mental health we might envisage something like a therapy session: two people alone in a quiet room, sitting face to face, giving one another their full attention. But in reality, when was the last time you and a mate found yourselves in this scenario? It’s important that conversations happen at times and in places that feel natural.
Sometimes it’s easier to talk about our feelings when we are doing something else. Driving in the car; jogging around the park; eating breakfast in the cafe. The more typical the setting, the less unusual and uncomfortable the conversation can feel. Having something else to do at the same time also means that the pressure is off to fill silences, maintain eye contact, and wrap things up in a particular way.

2. Ask twice

We know that people often say they’re fine when they’re not. So asking twice is an important way of starting conversations about mental health and letting people know that you really are interested. Sometimes we feel uncomfortable opening up if someone asks, “how are you?” because we think they’re just being polite. But if that person says, “no, really, is everything OK?” we know that they’re not just going through the motions. Even if someone doesn’t feel like talking at that moment, they know you’ll be there to listen when they’re ready.

3. Talk about yourself

If you want someone to open up to you it can help them feel safe and understood if you share your own feelings. You don’t have to disclose a mental health problem to them – you might not have any personal experience of one. It could be as simple as sharing that you get down sometimes or sharing something that you’ve been worrying about recently. This will make it clear that you’re happy to talk about feelings and that there won’t be any judgement.

4. Approach the elephant in the room

If you know that someone has experienced mental illness – maybe they took some time off work recently or spoke about it in the past – don’t be afraid to ask how they’re doing. There are respectful ways to do this and it might not be appropriate to bring up specific details, but asking, “how are things now?” or “are you back at work?” shows that person that they have nothing to feel awkward about.
If you think someone has been acting differently it’s OK to mention that too if it is done in a kind way. “You’ve seemed a bit quiet recently, is everything alright? I’m here if you want to talk.” This shows that you care and opens the door for them to chat about things when they’re ready.

5. It doesn’t have to be face to face

Talking in person is great. It can help to see someone’s facial expressions, read their body language, and give them a hug if that feels right. But some people find it easier to talk about things via text or email, and that’s fine too. If your main form
of communication is WhatsApp, check in with them on there.

All the above tips still apply online. Social media is a brilliant way of keeping in touch with people, but just because we’ve liked a post or shared a funny video doesn’t mean we’ve really connected with that person.