Tips to get the conversation started this Time To Talk Day, from Mind Cymru
There’s no right or wrong way to talk about our feelings but finding the right time to be honest about our emotions can be more difficult.
Time To Talk Day on February 5th is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation and is a space for people across Wales to come together to talk, listen and change lives.
There’s been some great progress made in destigmatising mental health problems, but there are still times when what we’re experiencing can feel really big and difficult to talk about.
For example, if you’re someone who is waiting for therapy, hearing voices, or coping after a suicide attempt.
This year’s theme is therefore about encouraging people to ‘Brave The Big Talk’ and have conversations about mental health experiences that might still feel a bit unspoken.
To help get the conversation started, Mind Cymru has some tips to help.
Supporting someone else
Ask questions and listen – Asking open questions like ‘how does that feel?’ or ‘what was it like?’ can help a person to find the space they need to share what they’re going through.
Use positive body language – Small comments like ‘I see’ or ‘what happened next?’ can show that you’re paying attention and actively listening.
Don’t try and fix it – Simply talking can be really powerful so, unless they ask for advice directly, it can be best just to listen.
Be patient – Sometimes people might not be ready to talk – the fact you’ve tried might make it easier for them to open up another time.
Sharing your own feelings
Find a way that feels right for you – That could mean talking to someone face-to-face, on the phone, via video-call, voice note, or even writing it down.
Find a suitable time and place – It could be easier to talk to someone side-by-side or while you’re doing something else like walking, or cooking.
Practice what you want to say – You could do this in your head or write down phrases like ‘I’ve not been feeling myself lately’, or similar, beforehand.
Be honest and open – It can be hard to share feelings that are deeply personal but explaining them to others could help them to understand.
There are lots of other ways to get involved this Time to Talk Day too, from texting a friend to ask how they are, to inviting your colleagues for a cup of tea and a chat. You could host a lunch and learn at work or deliver a school assembly on mental health, or simply post something on social media using the hashtag #TimeToTalk.
Julian John, Associate Director of Mind Cymru Operations, says: “It can be hard to talk about what we’re going through with the people closest to us, but it can so often be the first step towards feeling better too.
“Getting support and encouragement from people who have been in a similar situation, or simply finding the right moment to express our feelings out loud to someone who is able and willing to listen, can be really valuable.
“Mind Cymru wants to make it as easy as possible for everyone to start conversations about mental health this Time To Talk Day, and has created information packs full of simple ideas to get you, your family, school, community group or workplace talking with this in mind.”
For more information on Time To Talk Day and resources to help visit www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/time-to-talk-day
If you are finding it hard to talk to someone about their feelings, or to open up to others about your own mental health, you can also seek support for your mental health in a number of ways by:
Calling one of Mind’s Helplines or accessing information on the Mind website at www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
Reaching out to Mind’s online community Side by Side, available 7 days a week and 24 hours a day at https://sidebyside.mind.org.uk/
Calling Samaritans on 116 123 (freephone). Their English language line is always open and their Welsh language line opens daily from 7pm to 11pm.
Texting SHOUT to 85258, a free 24/7 crisis text service.