Mental Health Awareness Week – we’re supporting those who need our help 

Published: Friday, May 19, 2023

  • We’re marking mental week by highlighting our commitment to those who need our support the most. 
  • We’ve refreshed our suicide and self-harm strategy and increased mental health and well-being support across the borough. 
  • Our review of mental health need across the borough, gives us a really clear picture of what help people need.

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Watch our video to highlight what we are doing to make sure people of all ages and backgrounds get the support they need early on.  

Mental health awareness week 2023
Mental health awareness week 2023 is about raising awareness of mental health problems and what we can all do to look after ourselves.  


This year’s theme is all about anxiety, what we feel when we are worried, tense, or afraid, particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we think could happen in the future.   

Everyone experiences anxiety at times. Feeling anxious is a perfectly natural reaction to some situation​​s.Did you know that the Collin’s Dictionary word of the year for 2022 was ‘Permacrisis’? This really sums up what it has been like to experience one upheaval after another over recent years.  

Anxiety is not all bad, it can help us to focus or take extra care when needed, but if it gets too much or goes on for a while, it can affect our daily lives.Some of the most common signs of anxiety are: 

  • feeling tired, restless or irritable 
  • feeling shaky or trembly, dizzy or sweating more 
  • being unable to concentrate or make decisions 
  • trouble sleeping 
  • worrying about the past or future, or thinking something bad will happen 
  • headaches, tummy aches or muscle pain 

Top tips to manage anxiety
The good news is that there are ways to manage anxiety successfully. Here are some tips:  

  • Understand your anxiety - keep a diary of what you are doing and how you feel at different times. It may help you understand why you’re anxious and identify ways to manage or get rid of anxiety.

  • Make time for worries - if anxiety or worry is taking over your day, try setting daily "worry time" to go through your concerns. Doing this at a set time every day can help you to focus on other things.   
  • Talk to someone you trust - talking to someone you trust about what's making you anxious could be a relief. It may be that just having someone listen to you and show they care can help.  
  • Shift your focus - some people find mindfulness and meditation (including breathing exercises and relaxation) help to calm anxiety and reduce tension by focusing awareness on the present moment.   

Mental health resources
There are also some excellent resources to support you:  

  • Good Thinking supports Londoners to look after their mental health and wellbeing in a way that works for them. It contains lots of helpful tips and resources to help with some of the most common mental health problems. 
  • Every Mind Matters has lots of helpful advice to help you keep anxiety in check. 
  • Talk Wandsworth provides helpful support for people who are struggling with anxiety and other common mental health problems. 


If you are concerned that anxiety is making you unwell it’s a good idea to book an appointment with your GP. They will be able to assess you and suggest some ways to help you feel better.