Mental Health Awareness Week 2022 - Lift Someone Out of Loneliness

This year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is loneliness. Feeling lonely is something that all of us can experience at any point in our lives, it can make us feel isolated and have a negative impact on our wellbeing.

Sometimes it can feel easier to help someone else who may be feeling lonely than to help ourselves. There are lots of simple actions that you can take to help others. And the best thing is - in performing one of these actions, not only can you lift someone else out of loneliness, but it might help you feel less lonely too.

Here are some examples of ways to help yourself and others when it comes to feeling lonely:

Connect with others:

• Checking in with a family member, friend or neighbour by sending a text or giving them a call to see how they are doing
• Reaching out to someone to suggest catching up over a tea or coffee
• Inviting someone to join you in getting some fresh air and going for a walk
• Reach out to a work colleague and sit with them for lunch
• Send a letter and photos to those who live further away such as parents or grandparents

Be active together:

• Join our Getting Active Community Facebook Group
• Start Couch to 5k at the same time as a partner
• Take part in our next Argyle FIT programme and meet new friends whilst losing weight and playing some footie
• Join or try a new exercise class
• Join a sports team
• Grab a friend and take part in our YouTube Partner Workouts

Keep learning while meeting new people:

• Take part in one of our many Mental Health based training sessions
• Cornwall Adult Education are offering free taster sessions for a range of courses. So why not sign up and try something new while meeting new people

Give to others:

• Make new friends and make a difference through volunteering with Volunteer Cornwall
• Share your skills and experience to help teach someone something new, such as a guitar lesson, how to build a birdhouse, how to knit, how to cook the meal they love etc.
• Perform a random act of kindness to another person for example pay for an extra coffee to gift to the next person in line, compliment a stranger on their hair or clothes etc or even just make someone a cup of tea out of the blue and ask how they are.

Take notice of the everyday interactions:

• Take notice of all the small connections you make every day, whether it’s opening the door to the postie, buying milk at your local shop or even seeing strangers when out or a walk. All of these moments can be a way to improve the mental health of the other person but also yourself. Next time you find yourself in a situation like the above, why not ask them how they are, or even just make sure you give them a smile.

You can find lots of useful resources on a whole range of mental health topics at www.cornwall.gov.uk/mentalhealth.

If you're worried about your own or someone else’s mental health you can call the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 24/7 NHS mental health response line on 0800 038 5300. It's free to access by anyone, any age, any time, day or night.