The Commissioner, Chris Quinn, and everyone at NICCY is proud to support Mental Health Awareness Week.
Chris said: “I welcome Mental Health Awareness Week as an important moment to pause and reflect on mental health, our understanding of mental health and wellbeing, and how we can help ourselves and help each other. This is a particularly important moment for children and young people, serving as an opportunity to enable them to speak about their mental health and their understanding of issues in their lives which can impact on their mental health.
“It is a week which can allow us to listen directly to young people as they share their stories, experiences, and thoughts of mental health and what they believe are issues in mental health recognition and support in NI. We continue to emphasise the importance of listening to young people and learning from their views and experiences in matters of planning support services.
“We have heard directly from children and young people about their feelings and views of mental health, and what they know affects them and their peers. We have heard experiences and concerns of things like bullying, completing exams, managing homework, and feeling pressure to fit in with their peers and on social media.
“This time of year can make many young people feel anxious and overwhelmed, due to exams, results, and the start of new journeys, maybe from primary school to secondary school, moving into a new job or further education. These are big moments in the lives of young people that can cause feelings of anxiety and worry.
“It can feel daunting to think about your mental health, and to reach out and ask for help or support. You may feel that you are alone, and the only one to feel this way. Maybe you feel you are overreacting. But your thoughts and feelings are valid – and it is important to know that you are not alone. There are support services available to listen to you and to help.”
Find out more about #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and some of the mental health support that is available here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
