Rethink Mental Illness

🗣️ "When I got the phone call early one morning to say he’d been found on a roundabout, bruised, confused and psychotic, I was terrified." Deirdre has been supporting her son, who lives with schizophrenia, since he was 19. For Carers Week, she reflects on the past 27 years and what has helped them both. Read the full blog 👉 https://bit.ly/49CuLF2

Many of us are feeling anxious, angry or simply worn down right now. The steady flow of distressing news. Violence. Racism. Hostility. Deeply divided debate, here in England and across the world. These moments are often complex. There are real questions about safety when tragic, sometimes random acts of violence happen. But too often, those moments are used to blame whole communities, deepen division, and fuel hate. At Rethink Mental Illness, we stand firmly against hate in all its forms. We stand with everyone feeling targeted, unsafe or singled out because of who they are. We also know that when violence happens, mental health is often brought into the conversation in ways that can be misleading or harmful. Those of us living with mental illness are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators, and we deserve compassion, not blame. What matters does not change: We must look out for each other. We must treat people with respect. We must refuse to let fear define us. If this moment is affecting you, it’s OK to step back from the news. Check in with yourself, and with someone you trust. Small acts of care matter. We stand together, and we will keep showing up for each other.

💜 For #CarersWeek, we want that to change. Find out more on our website 👉 https://bit.ly/4vsC2iS

For Carers Week, Rachel looks back on her mother’s journey with bipolar disorder and how that experience inspired her to create a supportive space for carers. The content in this post features quotes from Rachel's blog. We have not included alt text on this occasion. But our website is fully accessible, and you can read the blog via a screen reader on this page 👉 https://bit.ly/4ab5XEb Carers UK

For #CarersWeek, we’re thinking of all the amazing people who support those of us living with mental illness when we are at our lowest. The friends. The family. The colleagues. To all the carers, we salute you. Thank you 💜

As part of our campaign calling for safer mental health care, we want to hear about your experience. What one change would have made you feel safer during your time in hospital? Let us know in the comments 👇

Everyone can feel anxious at times, but anxiety disorders can be severe and debilitating. If you're experiencing these symptoms often, and they're impacting your daily routine, you should seek support. Find out more about how to cope with anxiety on our website 👉 https://bit.ly/4nZgsQB

Everyone deserves compassionate mental health support, without judgement or exclusion. Happy Pride to everyone taking part in the celebrations. For guidance on lgbtq+ mental health, head to our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3RB2WGZ

If you go to hospital for your mental health, you should be kept safe. But too often, that is not the case. Devastating examples like these show that we need system-wide change to provide the therapeutic environments that people deserve 👇 https://lnkd.in/eu5P3MVf

Mental illness is not a choice and it can affect anyone. Those of us experiencing it deserve support, not judgement.