Welsh dad urges people to get talking amid fears of Covid-19 mental health crisis

A father of two from Brynna is urging people to reach out and get talking amid fears of a mental health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rhys Jones has a history of anxiety and depressions but found his mental health deteriorated during lockdown.

He had been managing his mental health by maintaining a daily routine and regular exercise.

But this was disrupted when the coronavirus pandemic meant the country had to introduce lockdown rules.

Rhys is in the process of setting up him own mental health charity to help people with similar experiences to himself.

Before lockdown restriction were introduced, Inch By Inch organised group walks to help encourage people with mental health issues be active and them an opportunity to talk.

Prior to lockdown Rhys Jones would organise group walks. Credit: Rhys Jones

While these group activities have been put on hold for now, Rhys has been using his time to check on others.

For Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 (18-24 May) people are being encouraged to show kindness to themselves and look after their emotional wellbeing.

There are concerns the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a spike in the number of people experiencing mental health problems.

A poll commissioned exclusively for ITV News has found that 44% of people feel more concerned about their mental health than usual, whilst more than half a concerned about the mental health of family members.

ITV’s Britain Get Talking campaign encourages people to connect and take simple steps that can help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.

Samaritans Cymru have launched a self-help app which aims to offer people practical ways to manage their mental health if they are going through a difficult time.

The app features a mood tracker, recommends 'coping techniques' and activities others find useful.