Share mental wellbeing tips

Staff and students are being invited to contribute to national University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day at an Edinburgh event this month.

The event, which will be held at the Main Library on 20 February, is designed to encourage people to look after their mental wellbeing.

Five a day

Emphasis is regularly placed on eating five portions of fruit and vegetables daily for good physical health, so on 20 February staff and students are being asked to think of five daily activities that will benefit mental health.

These suggestions can be shared on a mindeapple tree that will be displayed in the Main Library foyer.

Anyone who drops in to the event can write their tips on apple-shaped cards that will be hung on the tree, for everyone to read.

Pledge

A year ago the University signed up to the Scottish Government’s See Me pledge to reduce mental health discrimination in the workplace.

The move was part of the University’s broader commitment to equality and diversity.

To support the pledge, the University has created an action plan outlining measures to improve training and awareness of mental health issues throughout the organisation.

Many of these measures have been taken or are being progressed.

The plan can be found on the University’s Health and Wellbeing and Equality and Diversity websites.

Statistics

Statistically one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives.

Nearly two thirds of the population know someone close to them who has experience of mental ill health.