Time to Talk Day - The conversation around mental health within MoD

Time to Talk day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. Happening every year, it’s a day for friends, families, communities and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives. ​​​​​​​

Message from our Mental Health Champion, 

“While I think every day should be time to talk day, given the spotlight let’s make time today to talk to our friends, families and colleagues, to listen and enable positive change. Talking about our mental health isn’t always easy – yet it’s funny how talking about our bad knee or a headache or a cold very much is!

“So let’s continue to normalise the conversations around our mental health – we all have mental health and it will go up and down in response to life events just as our physical health does; but as with our physical health there is lots that we can do to help ourselves mentally. So start with a conversation today, find out what others do to support their mental wellbeing and use the opportunity to do something positive to support your mental health and that of those around you.

“Building up small positive habits can make a really positive difference – find out more on the Time to Talk website.”

Within our lifetime, many of us will suffer from mental ill-health, or have problems with our mental health. Everyone should feel comfortable to talk about their own mental health without judgement. We need to end the stigma around these conversations, taking steps towards ending mental health discrimination.

There are many steps we can take:
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• If you are a line manager, encourage conversations about mental health. This could be by sharing your own experiences and asking others how they are and if they want to talk.
• Ask others if they are facing challenges or if there is anything that can be done to make things better. Make your team aware of what can be pushed back or re-prioritised.
• Get to know your team: Identify stress behaviours ‒ how do your team members behave when they are stressed or anxious, and what can you do to help?
• Work some time into your regular team meetings to talk about something that is not focused on work.

Defence Mental Health and Wellbeing network

​​​​​​​The Defence Mental Health and Wellbeing Network is relaunching this month (February). All Defence civilians and personnel are welcome to join.

The network is there to support policy teams to get out key messages, share best practice, challenge the department where we need to do more and to provide peer to peer support for those suffering from mental ill health and/or supporting people that are.