Combating Loneliness this Mental Health Awareness Week
Today marks the first day of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and this year the focus is on loneliness. The vast majority of us have undeniably been grappling with ways to feel as connected as possible over the last couple of years due to the pandemic, and so creating more discourse around this topic is absolutely a step in the right direction.
Mental Health Awareness Week
Everybody has mental health; and so making sure that we’re looking after our own, as well as being understanding of others, is important. It’s no secret that the pandemic introduced a lot of us to new struggles and concerns that we’d never experienced before – one of them being the abrupt and sudden level of isolation and uncertainty that came with it. Even as we encroach on a new chapter which includes more hybrid working and fewer restrictions when it comes to meeting with people and even travelling, there still exists a certain amount of detachment that will take some time to recover from.
Loneliness
Loneliness is something that impacts 45% of people in England occasionally. Therefore, it’s clear that it needs to be addressed more, particularly as it’s something that most of us will experience at least once in our lifetime. That said, although easier said than done, it’s important not to let despair creep in more so than it has already.
One thing that has improved over the last few years has been the significant amount of openness around mental health and wellbeing. We’ve come far from the days when the topic itself was largely stigmatised. However, there’s still work to be done if we’re to reach a point where we can be honest with ourselves and those around us without fear of judgement. The pandemic, whilst difficult, has somewhat altered this, too. Mental health and well-being – and loneliness – have been topics of discussion more so than ever before. And the main thing that’s helpful to remember is that there are always people who want to help and are ready to listen. Speaking up and connecting with others is a good way to feel heard and supported.
Here at Neo PR, we’re incredibly lucky to have such a tight-knit team where you feel supported and well-connected with one another. Whilst there’s no pressure to come into the office more than you need to, or equally to work from home, Neo PR really gets it right in terms of giving the team enough flexibility – but which doesn’t make us feel disengaged or alone. We’re all here for each other, and that’s really important.
