Government officials have designated May as “Mental Health Month,” and plan a series of presentations and outreach events to generate community awareness of the issue.

Celebrations of the month formally began on May 1 with a religious service at the Apostolic Faith Mission in Road Town. The month’s theme, “Talking is Good: Everyone Needs Someone to Talk to,” was chosen to promote the need to support others, according to a press release from the BVI Health Services Authority.

Sometimes, just talking to people with mental health conditions can help, according to Dr. Virginia Rubaine, head of the authority’s Community Mental Health Centre.

“The ‘talking cure’ has been established for over a hundred years and it is widely recognised that just talking things through with a trained professional, a member of clergy, a close family relative or friend can often help,” Dr. Rubaine said, according to the release.

 

See the May 5, 2011 edition for full coverage.