Here's when this year's Mental Health Awareness Week takes place - and how to get involved

Mental Health Awareness week takes place every year, raising awareness of mental health conditions and having a dedicated theme to help those struggling (Photo: Shutterstock)Mental Health Awareness week takes place every year, raising awareness of mental health conditions and having a dedicated theme to help those struggling (Photo: Shutterstock)
Mental Health Awareness week takes place every year, raising awareness of mental health conditions and having a dedicated theme to help those struggling (Photo: Shutterstock)

Mental Health Awareness week takes place every year, raising awareness of mental health conditions and having a dedicated theme to enable open conversations.

But when does it take place this year, what is the theme and how can people get involved?

Here’s what you need to know.

What is Mental Health Awareness Week?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event which was started by the Mental Health Foundation 21 years ago, and focuses on achieving good mental health in the UK.

Each year, the Foundation sets a theme for the week and the event has grown to become well-known both across the UK and globally.

The Foundation says that Mental Health Awareness Week is open to everyone, and is “all about starting conversations about mental health and the things in our daily lives that can affect it.”

When is Mental Health Awareness Week 2021?

This year, Mental Health Awareness Week is from Monday 10 May until Sunday 16 May 2021.

What is this year’s theme?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This year’s theme is nature, and the Foundation says the topic was chosen as being in nature is known to be an effective way of tackling mental health problems, and also of protecting our wellbeing.

The Foundation’s website said that this “seemed particularly important this year - in the year of a pandemic,” and that their own research has shown that being in nature has been “one of the most popular ways the public have tried to sustain good mental health at a challenging time.”

The Foundation also said that it hopes that by growing awareness of the importance of nature in relation to good mental health, it can also work to ensure that everyone can share in it.

“This year we want as many people as possible – individuals, communities and governments – to think about connecting with nature and how nature can improve our mental health,” the Foundation’s website added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, Mental Health Awareness Week is also a chance for people to talk about any aspect of mental health that they want, it doesn’t just have to be around this year’s theme.

How can I get involved?

People can get involved with Mental Health Week in a number of ways.

In regards to this year’s theme of nature, the Mental Health Foundation would like people to share images, videos or sound recordings of the nature on your doorstep - alongside how this made you feel - on social media using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.

Mental health charity Mind also said you can get involved by speaking out and sharing why you're fighting.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The charity said that whether you use social media or simply speak with friends, family or colleagues, you can mark Mental Health Awareness Week this year “by telling those around you why you’ve joined the fight for mental health and help create a movement for change.”

You can also donate in order to help give more support to those with a mental health problem.