AN awareness campaign about mental health is running in the Island this week.
A promotional bus will be visiting numerous locations so people can pick up leaflets and information regarding mental health and the services available in the Island which provide support and advice.
Mental Health Awareness Week - which runs from today (Monday, August 16) to Friday, August 20 - has been launched by Social Services' mental health promotion team who are working to increase awareness that everybody needs to be concerned about good mental health and well being.
The week aims to promote some key messages and "myth busters" about mental health and an understanding that:
*Good mental health is more than simply an absence of a mental illness
*Mental health and well being are fundamental to the quality of life and productivity of individuals, families and communities
*Good mental health and well being enables people to experience life as meaningful and helps them to survive disappointments and times of difficulty
*Just like our physical health, sometimes our mental health is good and at other times it may be poor but we can recover from illness.
*Many of us will experience difficulties or problems in our lives which have a negative effect on our mental health.
Political member for Social Services Bill Malarkey MHK said: "One in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some point in our lives; therefore there is a good chance that many of us will have encountered a mental health issue, either our own or that of someone we know.
"Mental Health Awareness Week aims to increase our understanding. It will highlight some of the ways in which we can promote our mental health and well being and build our resistance to, and our ability to cope with, mental health problems.
"During this week Julie Bennion, our specialist in mental health promotion and representatives from a variety of our own services and those of our statutory and third sector partners will be providing information and advice."
The bus will be at the following venues:
Today (Monday): Regent Street, Douglas - 10.30am to 4pm
Tuesday: Market Place, Peel - 10am to 12pm
Wednesday: School Road, Onchan - 10am to 12pm
Thursday: The Square, Castletown - 10am to 12pm; Shoprite Car Park, Ramsey, 2pm to 4pm
Friday: Shoprite car park, Port Erin - 10am to 12pm; Clifton Road, Port St Mary - 2pm to 4pm
