RMA – The Royal Marines Charity is supporting Mental Health Awareness Week.
Today marks the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health.
The week, which is hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, is in its 22nd year and runs from 9-15 May.
This year, the theme for the week is ‘Loneliness’. Across the country, people will be reflecting on loneliness and how it impacts our mental health. Long-term loneliness is closely linked to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. RMA – The Royal Marines Charity will continue to engage with our community on Mental Health matters, encouraging help-seeking behaviours through our Lifting The Lid Campaign.
The Royal Marines Association offers support, stability and friendship to the entire Royal Marines Family. The sense of belonging and comradeship is embedded from day 1 as you step off the platform and walk through the gates of the Commando Training Center or join the Royal Marines School of Music. Loneliness can be a part of life and something that most of us experience at some point. It’s human to feel lonely but there are always things you can do to feel better or make someone else feel better. Why not reach out to an oppo that you haven’t been in contact with for a while this week. Reach out.
Danny Egan, Director of Health & Wellbeing, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity
Mark Rowland Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation said:
“We hope this year’s theme of loneliness will strike a chord with many of us who felt lonely and struggled throughout the Covid pandemic.
“Millions of us experience loneliness from time to time. We know that some people are at higher risk of experiencing loneliness and the evidence shows the longer we feel lonely, the more we are at risk of mental health problems.
“Loneliness deserves more attention and we’re calling on everyone who has struggled as a result of being lonely to share their experiences. We must work together – as individuals, as a society and through government policy – to reduce loneliness and prevent mental health problems by investing in welcoming, social spaces and new community initiatives.”
For more information about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week visit mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw or join the conversation on social media using #IveBeenThere and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.