Bermuda Hospitals Board invites the public to Be Kind for Mental Health Awareness Week

Tuesday 29 September 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) through its Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI) invites the public to Be Kind in its mental health awareness campaign for 2020. Kindness is the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week this year and MWI is highlighting its connection to good mental health.

While we all know that when someone is kind to us it makes us feel good, research now shows that it is more far reaching than most of us may have considered – it actually has a positive impact on mental health.

In April 2020, an online survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation in the UK saw 63% of the 4,246 surveyed; agree that when other people are kind, it had a positive impact on their mental health.

BHB Chief of Psychiatry Chantelle Simmons, MD said, “Studies indicate that kindness is associated with increased happiness, wellbeing and life satisfaction.

“There are multiple opportunities for kindness as we go about our day. A compassionate word to a colleague, an encouraging text message to a friend or a video chat to check in with a neighbour are all good examples.

“Such acts of kindness may be one of the ways we create and maintain our social connections which is a key contributor to overall wellbeing.

“It is also important to be kind to ourselves. This may include self-care, meditation, or giving ourselves the opportunity to rest and recharge.”

Mental Health Awareness Week chairperson Shanay Scott said, “Mental Health Awareness Week runs from Sunday 4 to Monday 12 October. We are calling it Acts of Kindness Week and are encouraging everyone in the community to commit to doing acts of kindness. It may be to friends, relatives, work colleagues, complete strangers and, no less importantly, to themselves. Then, in a show of support for good mental health, we would like all those who did so, to wear green on Friday 9 October our Be Kind BDA Grub Day. Additionally we are inviting everyone to take photos and post to social media #BEKINDBDA.

“We also encourage the public to share their thoughts on kindness. Email essays, poems, artwork etc. to bekindbda@bhb.bm.”

The Acts of Kindness Week culminates with a Keep Bermuda Beautiful Committee (KBB) clean-up on Sunday 11 October. Participants should observe social distancing and carry out their clean-ups in small groups. Those who do not have a group can join MWI at 9am on Devon Springs Road.

On Monday 12 October, a proclamation on Mental Health will be read at City Hall at 12:30pm.

For more information on Acts of Kindness Week email bekindbda@bhb.bm. You can download the calendar of events and Kindness flyer below.

Mental Health Awareness Week-Events calendar OCT2020

Mental Health Awareness Week Kindness-flyer OCT2020

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