Time to Talk Day: How having a chat can make all the difference
On Time to Talk Day, Independent Age’s Senior Digital Content Officer Meaghan Spencer discusses why we should be opening up and her role as a Mental Health First Aider.
When was the last time you asked someone how they are? How they really are?
Despite one in four of us experiencing mental health difficulties, there’s still a huge amount of stigma attached to our wellbeing.
The beginning of February marks Time to Talk Day, an event run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness that aims to encourage conversation about how we’re feeling. How we’re really feeling.
In 2022, I trained as a Mental Health First Aider so that I could support my colleagues and learn more about our wellbeing.
I’ve experienced anxiety from a young age and know that I often feel worse if I keep my thoughts to myself. I feel strongly that having a chat about your feelings is often the first step in making a change for the better.
Things are challenging right now. We’re knee-deep in a cost-of-living crisis, and across Independent Age we are hearing stories every day of older people making heartbreaking choices to make ends meet. The wider news agenda also doesn’t offer that much hope.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.
As the charity’s Senior Digital Content Officer and having worked in social media for around six years, I’m often on the frontline when it comes to negative comments, frustrated direct messages and the challenging stories revealing the reality of the cost-of-living crisis at the moment.
But what makes my job easier is knowing that I have a brilliant team to vent with and a support network willing to listen. Focusing on the positives that social media can be used for also helps. Like our recent partnership with Centre For Ageing Better — we’ve been celebrating our new collection of photographs that highlight the diversity of ageing and focus on often underrepresented groups in a stunning series of pictures.
I chose to train as a Mental Health First Aider so that I could help others the way they help me. Whether it’s a quick check-in over a cup of tea or a longer conversation about something that’s worrying them, having that chat can be the simplest way to unburden yourself and make you feel less lonely. It might not fix everything, but it’s a start.
At Independent Age, we choose to take part in awareness events such as Time to Talk Day in order to offer support, education and information. We know the importance of speaking openly about wellbeing and the difference it can make for people to share their feelings with someone they trust, whether that’s a friend, GP or even a helpline.
Whether you’re feeling stressed about your rising bills, anxious about what’s going on in the world or concerned for someone close to you, reach out and talk about it. It can make all the difference.
Find support and advice around mental health on our website here.
You can also call us for further support. Get in touch with our friendly helpline advisers by calling for free on 0800 319 6789. All calls are confidential.
