In 2022 Mental Health Awareness Week was 9 to 15 May 2022. The official theme was ‘loneliness’ and, across the week, we encouraged you to build meaningful connections with your friends, family, colleagues and communities. Find out more about our campaign below.
In 2023 the week is taking place 15-21 May. Want to know how to get involved in our 2023 campaign? Head to our Mental Health Awareness 2023 page, where you can find out more about the week’s theme and what you can do to make a difference.
Learn more
Loneliness affects many of us at one time or another. We know that loneliness can be both the driver for and a product of poor mental health.
Our society is changing fast. The pandemic has given rise to a sense of loneliness and isolation undermining confidence in daily routines. In recent times, many of us have had far less access to loved ones. Tech is enabling healthcare professionals to see more patients without the need to travel, but on the flip side of the coin, convenience and cost efficiencies are driving more and more activities online.
Our workplaces are also changing. With many adapting to home and hybrid working, we need to embrace this change while building and maintaining meaningful connections with our colleagues.
We can give people the tools they need to live their best possible life. Let’s connect during Mental Health Awareness Week, and together, we can:
We’re asking people and organisations alike to consider their ‘unique contribution’ in tackling loneliness, isolation and the barriers to connection. We need you to:
Help people to understand links between loneliness and poor mental health, and actively check in on those around you at work and in your communities
Use our advice, information, and conversation starters, and join our community on Clic to foster conversations about mental health
Give back some of your time – either by helping our service users to get online or by helping us to moderate Clic, keeping users safe
Raise these issues within your community and encourage more people to act
1 in 5 of us feel lonely at work
Our workplaces have changed a lot in recent years. The pandemic has helped us to embrace flexible ways of working for the better, but what about our connections at work? We teamed up with YouGov to get a snapshot into British workers’ experiences of loneliness at work right now. Check out our new information page which includes headlines from our study and practical guidance on how to tackle loneliness in your workplace.
The challenges faced by people who are lonely living with poor mental health are not ones we can overcome ourselves. We’re delighted to be joined by our campaign partners and supporters.
If you can help us to tackle loneliness by building connections, we want to hear from you! Email us today with some details about which of our campaign asks you can support, or any other ways you can make your unique contribution.
Connect with people
Use our Connect for Mental Health board to help you build meaningful connections with your friends, family, colleagues, and communities throughout Mental Health Awareness Week and beyond.
We believe that no one should be lonely or isolated. That’s why we set up Clic – our online community here for everyone’s mental health. Clic helps thousands of people feel more connected and less alone by offering resources and facilitating a safe environment where people can chat online that is moderated 24/7.
Mental Health Awareness Week may be the first you decide to talk openly about mental health with someone. It may feel tricky knowing how to approach that chat or to find the ‘right’ words once you do. Our conversation guide is designed to help you along the way.
Autonomy over your life is linked to good mental and physical health. Hybrid and agile ways of working are growing in today’s workplaces because they support wellbeing and better mental health. But what is hybrid and agile working and how can they support a more inclusive work environment?
For this podcast, we caught up with Helen Garnham, Head of Equalities in our Community Mental Health team. Helen tells us about the work we’re doing in rural Somerset to connect with other organisations to ensure that residents get the support they need, when they need it.
Real life stories
We won’t stop until everyone has the tools to manage their mental health – and there are a number of ways you could join us.
The Big Mental Health Get Together is all about creating a supportive environment for people to reconnect and to talk about mental health if they want to. Whether it’s a picnic in the park, a coffee and cake break with colleagues, a book club, or a party – why not host an event this Mental Health Awareness Week and fundraise for us?
By giving a regular gift to Mental Health UK, we can grow our capacity and support many more people like Sarah – who received 1-2-1 home check ins, support groups as well as weekly drop-ins from our Mum’s Wellness Project, which helps mums with infants under two years and their families manage and overcome post-natal depression.
From charity of the year partnerships, colleague fundraising and volunteering, through to payroll giving and cause-related marketing – there are plenty of ways we work with organisations to promote good mental health and reach more people. However you choose to work with us, we can do something amazing together.
Find your 'Balance'
Mental Health Awareness Week is all about supporting each other to understand and manage our mental health. Sign up to hear from our in-house mental health experts regularly on a variety of topics, and start living your best possible life.
