#LetsShare
28 February 2018
Jo, Wellbeing Practitioner and Time to Change Champion, talks about Cardiff University’s new Mental Health Campaign: What’s on your mind?#LetsShare, encouraging us all to share more when it comes to mental health…
Mental health problems are common; one in four of us will be affected at some point in our lives. So being able to talk about mental health is something that’s important for us all. However, talking about mental health can feel difficult.
Whether its fear or awkwardness about talking about your own mental health, or nervousness about speaking to somebody you know about their mental health, being unable to talk isn’t good for anyone.
A new Campaign for Cardiff
On 1 February (National Time to Talk Day), Cardiff University launched a new Mental Health Campaign for students and staff: What’s on your mind? #LetsShare.
The Campaign encourages us all to share more about our own mental health and to encourage other people to open up about their mental health, as a way to support ourselves, support others, and to help beat the stigma that still surrounds this area.
Let’s SHARE…
Speak about your own mental health
The fact that it’s sometimes difficult to talk about mental health problems can be one of the hardest parts of having a mental health difficulty; however, many people find that talking about mental health problems – to friends, family or to professional staff – is extremely helpful, as well as being one of the best ways to help to end mental health stigma.
Take up opportunities to talk about mental health openly and honestly; choose a time and place that feels comfortable and don’t be surprised if your honesty encourages other people to talk about their own experiences.
Help others to speak about their mental health
People often avoid bringing up the subject of another person’s mental health due to fear, stigma, or worry about saying the ‘wrong thing’.
However, asking somebody directly about their mental health is one of the most helpful things you can do.
Take the lead; if you know somebody has been struggling (or even if they haven’t), don’t be afraid to ask how they are. Simply listening to what they say, without judgement, can be incredibly helpful.
Access support if you need it and encourage others to do the same
Seeking professional help is often the first step towards getting and staying well; however it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start or who to turn to.
It’s common to feel unsure, and to wonder whether you should try to handle things on your own.
But it’s always ok to ask for help – even if you’re not sure you are experiencing a specific mental health problem.
A wide range of flexible, specialist support services are available at the University for students, at the Student Support and Wellbeing Service, and for staff, from the Employee Assistance Programme.
Your doctor can also offer advice, support and treatment (including Emergency Appointments) for mental health, and visiting your GP is also a great first step.
Recognise that the language we use is important
It’s really common for words or phrases relating to mental health to be used in everyday language, for example: ‘last week was bonkers’, or ‘I’ve had a mental day’.
It is also common to use words or phrases relating to mental health when this isn’t really what we mean, for example saying ‘I’m so depressed’, when we really mean ‘I’m having a bad day’.
Although this is commonplace, using jokes, words or phrases relating to mental health about yourself or about somebody else inappropriately – i.e. when you / the other person does not have a mental health condition – can minimise the very real experiences of people who live with mental health difficulties.
Inappropriate remarks or jokes can also feed mental health stigma, and the common stereotypes, myths and misunderstandings which surround certain mental health conditions.
Everyone slips up sometimes and says things without thinking, but the important thing is to learn from our mistakes; to challenge ourselves to say what we really mean and to be mindful of the way we talk about mental health.
Expect small things to make a big difference
Sometimes it’s the small things in life that mean the most to us or create the biggest difference: the ‘Little Big things’.
Simple, everyday gestures of support such as: keeping in touch, stopping for a chat, making a meal, inviting somebody to join you for an activity or sending a message, can make an enormous difference to somebody experiencing a mental health problem. And you don’t need to be a mental health expert to do them!
There are also ‘Little Big things’ we can do to self-care and support our own wellbeing, such as having an early night, keeping active, eating a healthy meal, turning off your phone for a few hours, spending time on a hobby and staying connected with friends and family.
Consider a small thing you could do today, to help somebody who is struggling with their mental health or to self-care.
Students and staff share their stories
Watch our #LetsShare video, featuring Cardiff University students and staff, who have been brave enough to speak about their own personal experiences of mental health, in support of the #LetsShare Campaign.
Help end mental health stigma and discrimination
The #LetsShare Campaign has been developed in collaboration with Time to Change, a growing movement of people, working to change how we all think and act about mental health.
The Time to Change Pledge, signed by Cardiff University in 2014 – and re-signed on 1 February 2018 to demonstrate ongoing commitment to this work – is a public declaration that an organisation wishes to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination.
You have the power to change behaviours and attitudes.
Together, we can create a community which is free from mental health stigma, fear and discrimination.
#LetsShare
28 February 2018
Jo, Ymarferydd Lles a Hyrwyddwr Amser Newid, sy’n sôn am Ymgyrch Iechyd Meddwl newydd Prifysgol Caerdydd: Beth sydd ar eich meddwl? Mae #LetsShare yn ein hannog i gyd i rannu mwy pan ddaw hi’n fater o iechyd meddwl…
Mae problemau iechyd meddwl yn gyffredin; bydd yn cael effaith ar un ym mhob pedwar ohonom ar ryw adeg yn ein bywydau. Felly mae gallu siarad am iechyd meddwl yn rhywbeth sy’n bwysig i ni i gyd. Fodd bynnag, gall siarad am iechyd meddwl fod yn rhywbeth sy’n anodd ei wneud.
Boed yn ofn neu’n chwithdod am siarad am eich iechyd meddwl eich hun, neu deimlo’n nerfus am siarad gyda rhywun rydych chi’n ei nabod am ei iechyd meddwl nhw, dyw methu â siarad ddim yn gwneud lles i neb.
Ymgyrch newydd i Gaerdydd
Ar 1 Chwefror (Diwrnod Cenedlaethol Amser i Siarad) bydd Prifysgol Caerdydd yn lansio Ymgyrch Gofal Iechyd newydd i fyfyrwyr a staff: Beth sydd ar eich meddwl? #LetsShare
Mae’r Ymgyrch yn ein hannog i gyd i rannu mwy am ein hiechyd meddwl ein hunain ac annog pobl eraill i fod yn fwy agored am eu hiechyd meddwl, fel ffordd i’n cynorthwyo ni ein hunain, cynorthwyo pobl eraill, a helpu i drechu’r stigma sy’n dal i fodoli am y maes.
Let’s SHARE…
Siarad am eich iechyd meddwl eich hun
Un o’r pethau anoddaf am anawsterau iechyd meddwl yw’r ffaith ei bod yn anodd weithiau siarad am broblemau iechyd meddwl, ond mae llawer o bobl yn teimlo bod siarad am broblemau iechyd meddwl – gyda chyfeillion, teulu neu staff proffesiynol – yn gymorth mawr, yn ogystal â bod yn un o’r ffyrdd gorau i helpu i ddileu stigma iechyd meddwl.
Manteisiwch ar y cyfle i siarad am iechyd meddwl yn agored ac yn onest; dewiswch amser a lle sy’n teimlo’n gyfforddus a pheidiwch â synnu os yw eich gonestrwydd yn annog pobl eraill i siarad am eu profiadau eu hunain.
Helpu eraill i drafod eu hiechyd meddwl
Yn aml mae pobl yn osgoi crybwyll iechyd meddwl rhywun arall oherwydd ofn, stigma, neu bryder am ddweud ‘y peth anghywir’.
Ond gofyn i rywun yn uniongyrchol am eu hiechyd meddwl yw un o’r pethau gorau y gallwch chi ei wneud i helpu.
Cymerwch yr awenau; os ydych chi’n gwybod bod rhywun wedi bod yn cael trafferth (neu hyd yn oed os nad ydyn nhw), peidiwch ag ofni holi sut maen nhw. Gall gwrando ar yr hyn sydd ganddyn nhw i’w ddweud, heb feirniadu, fod yn gymorth aruthrol.
A chofiwch fanteisio ar gefnogaeth os oes ei hangen arnoch ac annog eraill i wneud yr un peth
Ceisio help proffesiynol yn aml yw’r cam cyntaf at wella a chadw’n iach; ond gall fod yn anodd weithiau gwybod ble i ddechrau neu bwy i droi atyn nhw.
Mae teimlo’n ansicr yn beth cyffredin, a meddwl tybed a ddylech chi geisio ymdrin â phethau ar eich pen eich hun.
Ond mae bob amser yn beth da gofyn am help – hyd yn oed os nad ydych chi’n siŵr a ydych chi’n profi problem iechyd meddwl benodol.
Ceir amrywiaeth eang o wasanaethau cymorth arbenigol yn y Brifysgol i fyfyrwyr, yn y Gwasanaeth Cefnogi a Lles Myfyrwyr, ac i staff, yn y Rhaglen Cymorth i Gyflogeion.
Gall eich meddyg hefyd gynnig cyngor, cefnogaeth a thriniaeth (gan gynnwys Apwyntiadau Brys) ar gyfer iechyd meddwl, ac mae ymweld â’ch meddyg teulu’n gam cyntaf gwych.
Rhaid cydnabod bod yr iaith yr ydym yn ei defnyddio yn bwysig
Mae’n gyffredin iawn defnyddio geiriau neu ymadroddion yn ymwneud ag iechyd meddwl er enghraifft ‘roedd yr wythnos ddiwethaf yn wallgof’ neu ‘roeddwn i bron â mynd o ‘ngho’’.
Mae hefyd yn gyffredin defnyddio geiriau neu ymadroddion sy’n ymwneud ag iechyd meddwl pan nad dyna rydyn ni’n ei olygu er enghraifft, ‘Rwy’n depressed’ pan rydyn i’n golygu ‘Rwy’n cael diwrnod gwael’.
Er bod hyn yn gyffredin, gall defnyddio jôcs, geiriau neu ymadroddion sy’n ymwneud ag iechyd meddwl wrth sôn amdanoch eich hun neu rywun arall yn amhriodol – h.y. pan nad oes gennych chi/y person arall gyflwr iechyd meddwl – ddibrisio profiadau gwirioneddol pobl sy’n byw gydag anawsterau iechyd meddwl.
Gall sylwadau neu jôcs amhriodol hefyd fwydo stigma iechyd meddwl, a’r stereoteipiau, mythau a chamddealltwriaeth cyffredin sy’n ymwneud â rhai cyflyrau iechyd meddwl penodol.
Mae pawb yn llithro o bryd i’w gilydd ac yn dweud pethau heb feddwl, ond y peth pwysig yw dysgu o’n camgymeriadau; ein herio ein hunain i ddweud yr hyn rydym ni’n ei olygu a bod yn ofalus sut rydym ni’n siarad am iechyd meddwl.
Er mwyn gwneud gwahaniaeth, cofiwch y pethau bach
Ambell waith, pethau bach bywyd yw’r pethau pwysicaf i ni neu sy’n creu’r gwahaniaeth mwyaf: y ‘Pethau Bach Mawr’.
Gall pethau bach bob dydd sy’n cynnig cefnogaeth fel: cadw cysylltiad, aros am sgwrs, gwneud pryd o fwyd, gwahodd rhywun i ymuno â chi mewn gweithgaredd neu anfon neges, wneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i rywun sydd â phroblem iechyd meddwl. A does dim angen bod yn arbenigwr iechyd meddwl i’w gwneud nhw!
Mae ‘Pethau Bach Mawr’ y gallwn ni eu gwneud i ofalu am ein lles ni ein hunain hefyd: cael noson gynnar, cadw’n brysur, bwyta pryd iachus, diffodd eich ffôn am ychydig oriau, treulio amser ar rywbeth sy’n eich diddori a chadw cysylltiad gyda theulu a ffrindiau.
Meddyliwch am rywbeth bach y gallwch chi ei wneud heddiw, i helpu rhywun sy’n cael trafferth gyda’i iechyd meddwl neu i ofalu amdanoch eich hun.
Myfyrwyr a staff yn rhannu eu straeon
Gwyliwch ein fideo #LetsShare , sy’n cynnwys myfyrwyr a staff Prifysgol Caerdydd, sydd wedi bod yn ddigon dewr i siarad am eu profiadau iechyd meddwl eu hunain, er mwyn cefnogi ymgyrch #LetsShare.
Helpwch ni i roi terfyn ar stigma iechyd meddwl a gwahaniaethu
Mae ymgyrch #LetsShare wedi’i ddatblygu mewn cydweithrediad ag Amser i Newid, mudiad ar dwf sy’n ceisio newid sut mae pawb yn meddwl ac yn ymddwyn yng nghyd-destun iechyd meddwl.
Mae’r Addewid Amser i Newid, a lofnodwyd gan Brifysgol Caerdydd yn 2014, ac a ail-lofnodwyd ar 1 Chwefror 2018 i ddangos ymrwymiad parhaus i’r gwaith hwn – yn ddatganiad cyhoeddus bod sefydliad am fynd i’r afael â stigma iechyd meddwl a gwahaniaethu.
Gennych chi mae’r grym i newid ymddygiad ac agweddau.
Gyda’n gilydd gallwn greu cymuned sy’n rhydd o stigma iechyd meddwl, ofn a gwahaniaethu.
