Today has been Time to Talk day, Time for Change’s annual initiative to get more people to talk about mental health. It’s something we’ve done to great effect over the last couple of years. You can read the many moving and personal articles our readers have written here.
One Liberal Democrat parliamentarian who was definitely talking about mental health today was Welsh AM Eluned Parrott. She led a debate in the Senedd this afternoon.
Delighted that my individual members' debate on mental health has been accepted by the Assembly #TimetoTalk
— Eluned Parrott (@ElunedParrottAM) February 4, 2016
Debate tabled looks at improving awareness of mental health in public services, & how we can reduce suicide & self-harm #timetotalkday2016
— Eluned Parrott (@ElunedParrottAM) February 4, 2016
Word cloud from first @TTCWales Mental Health debate in the Assembly in 2012. Still #TimetoChange and #timetotalk pic.twitter.com/Qcqris1el7
— Eluned Parrott (@ElunedParrottAM) February 4, 2016
As you would expect, Norman Lamb has been tweeting about the event all day:
It's good 2 see mobile library service in Norfolk promoting #itstimetotalk – Mary, my wife, getting people talking! pic.twitter.com/H6PDZ22Ewn
— Norman Lamb (@normanlamb) February 4, 2016
I'm fully behind the inspiring #itaffectsme campaign – it's #timetotalk openly about mental health! @itaffectsme pic.twitter.com/49ssBynuFr
— Norman Lamb (@normanlamb) February 4, 2016
Tim Farron also talked about mental health on Facebook:
Another reminder this week about the desperate need for proper funding for mental health services. My Lib Dem colleague…
Posted by Tim Farron on Thursday, 4 February 2016
I think my plea for today would be to ask people to be careful about language when talking about mental health. For some people, it’s a massive struggle just to get through the day. It causes them even more distress if they hear their condition being trivialised. The example that comes to mind is that of people saying that they’re “OCD” if they have to have their mugs in a straight line all facing the same way. The reality of OCD is much darker, more debilitating and much more of a struggle than people realise. If people are already struggling, please be sensitive and try to ensure that you don’t add to their distress. It’s not something I’ve ever had myself, but I’ve been close to people who know how hard they have to work to get through it.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings