Nearly a quarter of Brits (23 percent) who have dealt with their own mental health struggles – admit they have never opened up about this to anyone, according to research. A survey of 2,000 adults found that almost half (46 percent), of 18-44-year-olds, feel they would have no idea how to strike up a conversation with a friend about their mental wellbeing.
And 56 percent believe this is the hardest topic for them to talk about, with 28 percent saying that such discussions leave them feeling awkward.
In fact, six in 10 reckon there is still a stigma attached to mental health – with 56 percent having pretended to be okay, just to get out of talking about it.
But while one in four (24 percent) feel as though they wouldn’t know what to say if a friend asked them if they were alright, 42 percent admit they would be more likely to share their true feelings with someone who had opened up to them first.
The research was commissioned by Beavertown Brewery, which has teamed up with suicide prevention charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), to introduce limited-edition crisps, called “Open Up”.
Emotive questions and prompts are printed on the interior of the packets, to encourage people to open up about how they’re really feeling, and talk about their mental health.
Actor and comedian, Tom Davis, who has openly documented his own struggles with mental health, said: “We often shy away from getting deep and opening up with our loved ones about what’s going on in our lives, masking it with comedy – something I’ve done many times.
“These crisps give you that natural invitation to start sharing in a laid-back way, right there at the pub – which is the perfect place to do so, if you ask me.”
The study also found 56 percent of adults believe that women are better at discussing their mental health – with only five percent saying the same about men.
Opening up over a drink would make 18 percent feel more at ease, while 10 percent would be more comfortable doing so in a pub. But 41 percent would be most likely to open up to their partner about such issues, according to the OnePoll data.
Tom Rainsford, managing director of Beavertown Brewery, which will be offering the free crisp packets in more than 260 UK pubs and venues during April, said: “Pubs are a place where we can come together with our mates to catch-up and chat – but that doesn’t mean we always feel able to be honest about how we really feel.
“Our research shows many of us don’t know how to start a conversation about mental health with our friends. We hope our crisps will give people an opportunity to have a more honest and open chat with their friends.”
Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), added: “Our partnership with Beavertown is about finding ways to help us all feel more connected.
“Checking in with your mate is one of the most important things you can do. It’s not always obvious if someone is struggling, so together we’re finding ways to make important conversations part of our routine.”