Get a head-start on World Mental Health Day with Safe In Our World

Either you’re reading this in advance of World Mental Health Day (October 10), or it’s arrived and you’re wondering how to mark the day. Don’t worry, we’re here to give you a little inspiration!

Share to your socials 👉 Click to download our free World Mental Health Day square (1:1) or Instagram (4:3) graphic to share, to let your community know you’ll be a tether if they ever feel lost in the dark.

What is World Mental Health Day, really?

What’s it for? What does it actually achieve? It might feel like we have lots of awareness days for lots of things (because we do), and you might ask the question: haven’t we achieved awareness by now? It’s a fair question, but like with most things in life, it’s never that simple.

‘Awareness’ requires upkeep. It’s something we maintain, not something we attain. So, yes, days like World Mental Health Day are still vital and still serve to raise awareness.

But one day (out of 365) isn’t enough to resolve the global crisis we’re facing in mental health. According to the World Health Organization, over a billion people are living with mental health conditions – such as anxiety and depression. Odds are you know someone who’s struggling, or maybe you’re the one struggling.

What can I do about it?

Naturally, when dealing with big problems, we’ll look for big solutions. To really tackle the root cause of mental ill health, we’d need to look at sustained investment in mental health services, social reform, and significant action to tackle inequality. It’s not something we can really summarise in one blog, and we don’t want to overwhelm you.

But neither do we want you to feel like you don’t have the power to make a difference. You don’t necessarily need to bring the big solutions! Change comes in all shapes and sizes, and we’ve got some simple, sustainable ideas to help you take action. We’re not expecting you to do all of these, but committing to one or two can help the mental health of your community, friends, and family.

🔴 I’m low energy right now, what can I do?

Before we dive into this one, it’s important we recognise those who are feeling this way, who still show up and throw their support behind our mission. That’s a big deal! We’re very aware that there are many within Safe In Our World’s community who personally struggle with their mental health, or have a dynamic disability or chronic illness, which makes it harder to keep pushing forward. But still, you keep pushing alongside us. We see you.

When you’re low on energy, you need to prioritise your own mental health. It’s not selfish, it’s survival. If you’re struggling with your mental health right now, we’d encourage you to seek out some support, because you don’t need to struggle alone. If you’re still eager to get involved, you could consider the following:

• Tell someone how you’re feeling
• Share a self-care tip that helps you
• Demonstrate how to set healthy boundaries

🟡 I want to improve mental health at work, what can I do?

Thank you! People like you help us create a safer, healthier games industry for current and future generations. You don’t need to be in a leadership position to push for change (but it helps when leaders get involved). There are many ways you can help, so we’ll list off a bunch, and you can find the one(s) that fit you best:

• Register now for our FREE mental health awareness training (Oct 9 & Nov 6)
• Promote and join our Level Up initiative (for free resources and training)
• Share notes and insights from training you attend with colleagues
• Lead by example by taking your breaks and finishing on time wherever possible
• Create your own Human Handbook for improved communication at work
• Contribute to and share stories from Safe In Our World with colleagues
• Get accredited and become a Mental Health Star

It’s a great time to become a Level Up partner! We’ve just given our Level Up Employer Toolkit a glow up (click to download a sample copy). Much like this list, we’ve included a bunch of ideas for how you can improve mental health in the workplace – only it’s way more comprehensive, and marked as either essential, an easy win, having a cost implication, or an industry best practice that’d get you a gold star in our books.

🟢 I want to help mental health in my games community, what can I do?

This is a great ambition to have, and we need more people who think like you. Friends and community are vital elements of good mental health, and provide us with so much support throughout our lives. We’ve been living through a loneliness epidemic (1 in 6 people experience loneliness) and social isolation takes a great toll on our wellbeing. Thankfully, video games can offer a haven from that darkness. Many people find connection and friendship through video games, and the communities that grow around them.

You can help nurture those communities and maintain safe online spaces where everyone feels welcome and included. Don’t underestimate the impact you can have. You might help one person that you know of, but many others then see the example you’re setting. You can help inspire more people to take an active role in increasing mental health awareness and online safety. (You’re also very welcome to attend our free Mental Health Awareness Training!)

• Volunteer as a Discord or forum moderator
• Share your mental health story and amplify other people’s stories
• Prioritise signposting in community spaces you look after
• Encourage positive interactions and reject toxicity
• Play mental health-themed games alone, with friends, or on stream

When we focus on the big solutions, we can sometimes lose sight of the small, sustainable ways to improve mental health awareness – and we hope these lists have helped you focus in on what you can do right now! Maybe you’re the kind of person with the energy, ambition and drive to lobby governments, shape policies and lead movements. That’s amazing, and we can’t wait to see you make waves in mental health!

For the rest of us, remember that some waves start as ripples. A small impact is still an impact – and even if you help just one person, that’s one person more than if you didn’t take action. So, this World Mental Health Day, commit to making a ripple.