Opening Up About Mental Health: Time to Talk Day
Time to Talk Day takes place on February 6, 2025, and it's known as the nation's largest mental health conversation. The campaign aims to encourage friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen, and change lives.
In care workplaces, fostering open discussions about mental health can lead to a more supportive and productive environment among staff and those we care for. At Nurseplus, we're all about finding ways to bolster mental well-being so we've pulled together some helpful strategies designed to encourage more of these types of conversations.
Here you'll find ways to help someone open up about their mental health, you'll learn what to avoid, and how you can provide support to a person you work with or care for who might be struggling with their mental health.
Plan Ahead
During our busy days, either at home or at work, finding the right time to talk can be tricky but it's also essential. Choose your time to talk wisely by selecting a comfortable setting free from interruptions. This could be as simple as taking a lunch break away from work or setting some time aside in the mornings or evenings before or after your shifts.
When you've chosen a time to talk that works for you, take some time to gather your thoughts. It's good to know what you want to talk about and which questions you want to ask. Try writing a list or practicing your conversation prompts beforehand to help you articulate your thoughts.
Be Open and Honest
Time to Talk Day works both ways. You may have something on your mind you want to talk about, or you could take the opportunity to make time for someone else who you know is struggling. Either way, the best practice is to come to the conversation prepared to share. If you are the person prompting a colleague, friend, or family to open up, try sharing your own mental health experiences. This way they'll feel they are in a safe space, where they can share as much or as little as they want without pressure. If you feel it's time you shared your struggles with someone else, be brave and take the time to talk with honesty with someone you trust.
Listen Actively
It can be easy to try and solve someone's mental health issues with your own practices or ideas, but immediatley offering solutions can often have a negative effect on the conversation, making the person feel pressured or misunderstood. Instead of trying to fix the problem use your time to talk by focusing on the speaker.
It's best to acknowledge their feelings, show that you have empathy, and validate their experiences. Rushing in with solutions before fully understanding the situation can sometimes make matters worse.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
When approaching a person who you know is struggling with mental health it's important to pose questions that invite discussion. Try starting your conversations with "How have you been feeling lately?" or "What can I do to support you?". Mental health is often difficult to understand, especially if you do not have issues of your own so ensure your questions are neutral and supportive, fostering a non-judgmental environment.
Even though you may not be able to relate to the person you are talking with, you can provide an open and easy discussion, which is some time all that person needs.
Be Patient
Even though you've taken all the right steps this far you may find some can still struggle to talk. Should this be the case, don't give up on them. The good thing is that you've already spotted the signs of the person struggling. From here you can assure them you are available to talk when they are ready.
It may take some time but knowing you are there can often be a comfort. Also, now that you're aware the person is struggling, you can check in regularly and reinforce your support is available when they need it.
Share Coping Strategies
Once you have taken the time to talk and you've actively listened to the person struggling, you can offer some well-known well-being practices. You can talk about adding mindfulness, exercise, and hobbies into their daily lives as these are all known to promote good feelings and better overall health. It's also wise to check the person is looking after themselves.
People, especially care workers, can find their day-to-day experiences emotionally draining and physically exhausting, so self-care practices and setting boundaries are essential to recharge and not burn out.
Be There
Even after all this, you could find that the time to talk just isn't enough. You are not a mental health professional so if you feel the person needs more help you can offer a list of resources and assistance programs. By doing this you are still providing support to the person but you are also showing them that there are options out there for them to seek the support they need that you can't give.
Look After Yourself
Taking the time to talk with others is a wonderful way of showing you care, and it can certainly go a long way to helping your friends, family, and colleagues feel safe and cared for. It is however important that you're not overextending yourself while supporting others. Don't put yourself in a position where you feel responsible for others, continue with good mental health and self-care practices and seek support if you feel you need it. You can't care for others if you don't first care for yourself.
Take some time to talk this February
By adopting these strategies in your workplace you can help create an environment where mental health discussions are normalised. This can lead to a more supportive and understanding workplace culture where initiating a conversation about mental health makes a significant difference in someone's life.
Posted on February 06, 2025 by Nurseplus