Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has today shown his support for Time to Talk day. A day to encourage people to have a conversation about mental health as part of mental health campaign Time to Change.
Across the city today (1February) people are taking part in the campaign by having conversations in person, by phone or even by text, wherever they are, whether that be at their workplace, places of study, or just with friends at home.
The campaign, which is led by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, aims to challenge the stigma attached to mental health by opening up conversations in a nation-wide push to get people talking more openly about mental health.
Stephen Morgan MP said:
“Mental health issues affect around 1 in 4 people in Portsmouth every year, whether it’s ourselves, or someone we know, and it’s about time the barriers to talking openly about mental health are broken down.
Any campaign that addresses mental health is a good thing. So it’s fantastic that people from across the city will be having these conversations today.
We must do everything we can to break down the stigma around these issues and Time to Talk day is a great start in challenging that stigma.”
Angela Etherington, Community Equalities Coordinator – South East
Time to Change, added:
“Being able to have that conversation about mental health, to be open to talk and willing to listen makes a big difference to how I feel.
Having conversations doing everyday things like being in a shop queue or on a bus really helps open up the topic of mental health and makes me feel less alone.”
