Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 - Q & A.
We asked one of our Kia Ngāwari models Khalan Clyde to answer some questions in light of Mental Health awareness week this week and here is what he had to say!
1. What does mental health awareness mean to you?
“Mental health to me is a state of mind. It’s important because it plays a big factor in how you are able to portray yourself as a person and how others view you.”
2. How do you take care of your mental health?
“Some things I do to take care of my mental health are things like going to the gym, listening to music, being around people that encourage and motivate me to be better. These are the things I lean on to help me maintain a positive state of mind, they play a big part in how my days go. For example, starting my day by going to the gym always sets me up to have a good rest of the day.”
3. How can we reduce stigma about mental health?
“Talking about it freely with my mates and checking in on them often. A small “How are you going?” can go a long way. The more often we talk about our feelings and how we are going we are more likely to continue to express their feelings and thoughts.”
4. What resources help your mental health?
“Knowing that I have friends and family that I can lean on if I need to. This safe space allows me to share the way I am feeling in a healthy and loving environment where I know that my feelings will be cared for.”
5. How can mental health awareness week help?
“It can help by shining light on mental health and bringing attention to it. Letting people know it’s okay to go through hard times and that there are many people who are here for them. ”
6. What can we do to help someone struggling with mental health?
“Just letting people know you are there for them. The feeling of knowing someone is there for you is comforting and allows them to know you have their back. Another one is treating people how you want to be treated and not judging people because you never know what battles everyone else is going through.”
From the kindness project to you, you are loved, you are seen and you are not alone.
