Mental Health Awareness Day: Guidance cafe encouraging people to open up over a cuppa
Ahead of mental health awareness day ITV Border has been talking to support groups available in Cumbria and the South of Scotland.
In West Cumbria, a guidance cafe is encouraging people to open up over a cuppa.
Hug a Mug in Maryport offers free advice to the community. Their trained volunteers sign-post those in need, to help available in the area.
The free service has been running for three years, launching on mental Health Awareness Day 2017. Since then it has;
Hosted more than 870 drop-in sessions
More than 300 people have asked for support
75% of people attending, have asked for help with their mental health
53.5% of people engaging with the free service are women.
The charity normally runs a coffee shop, where people can talk freely about their mental health concerns, over a cuppa.
But because the cafe is based in a GP surgery, face-to-face sessions have been called-off.
Volunteers are instead offering support over the phone and are urging people to get in touch if they need someone to talk to.
For more information bout the free services available, please visit the Hug a Mug website.
Support for new mums mental health 'more important than ever' because of Covid restrictions
Cumbria's push to help those struggling with mental health during the pandemic
Coronavirus: 10 ways to cope with six more months of Covid rules
Over the last few months, anxiety and loneliness have greatly increased, with rates of depression doubling during lockdown.
Talking can ease stress and reduce anxiety. But not everyone has someone to talk to or somewhere to turn for help. That's why Britain's mental health helplines have never mattered more.
ITV is encouraging people to speak out with their 'Britain Get Talking ' campaign.