Train for happiness during RWC says Mental Health Foundation

GET IN THE GAME and train for happiness during RWC says Mental Health Foundation

Mental Health Awareness Week this year (10-16 October) falls just after the Rugby World Cup quarter finals and concludes on the weekend of the semi-finals. Given this, the Mental Health Foundation has decided to embrace the Rugby World Cup and have set our 2011 theme accordingly with ‘GET IN THE GAME: Training for happiness’.

Whether or not you’re a die-hard rugby fan, a New Zealander or one of our many international visitors during September and October, there are things you can do to support your mental health and wellbeing, and this could be vitally important in October depending on how well, or not, your team is doing in the Cup!

As any top coach would say, training makes you play a better game, and it’s no different for your mental health. By consistently doing the five ways to wellbeing; Connect, Give, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Be Active you can improve your mental health and wellbeing.

“Just like our physical health, our mental health requires effort and application”, says Judi Clements, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation. “Caring for our mental health should be a part of everyday life, in our interactions at home, in our communities, at work and with the people around us.”

“And it needn’t be a daunting task, start small, work at it over time and you’ll ‘get in the game’.”

Research by the UK-based Foresight Project has proven that the five winning ways to wellbeing are a great ‘game plan’ in the pursuit of wellbeing.

The Mental Health Foundation will be releasing more information in the ‘build up’ to Mental Health Awareness Week over the next two months.

Details on this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme and other supporting documents can be found on the Mental Health Foundation’s website, www.mentalhealth.org.nz

Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 10-16 October, 2011 and is endorsed by the World Federation for Mental Health and marked in over 150 countries.

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