World Mental Health Day, on the 10th October each year, invites us to think about mental health in our own lives and communities. This year’s theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” asks a further question: Who gets a say in the decisions that affect people living with mental health conditions?
Research across 29 countries suggests that around one in two people will experience one of the mental disorders studied by the age of 75. Yet people with lived experience are still too often invited to share their stories without being included in decisions about the support they receive.
Key takeaways
- People who have experienced mental health conditions have knowledge that can improve the support available to others.
- Listening matters, whether in a personal conversation or when planning support in a school, workplace or service.
- Real change means involving people with lived experience in decisions, acting on what they tell us and checking whether the changes help
Experience is a form of expertise
Someone who has sought help may know which words made it easier to speak up, which responses made them withdraw, or what stood in the way of getting support. Professionals bring essential knowledge, but the people using a service can tell us how it works in practice.
This same insight can help a school understand why students hesitate to approach staff. It can show a workplace why employees are unable to use a well-being service that looks accessible on paper. It can help a health service see why its information or appointments do not meet people’s needs.
Listening is the first step. Meaningful involvement means inviting people with lived experience to help design support, make decisions, and assess whether changes have worked. It also means hearing from a range of people: no single person’s experience represents everyone’s.
Listening in everyday life
The theme matters in our personal conversations, too. If a colleague seems quieter than usual or a friend has stopped joining in, a gentle question can open the door: “I’ve noticed you seem a little quieter lately. How have things been for you?”
Choose a private moment, give them time to answer and listen without judging or rushing to offer a solution. You might say, “That sounds difficult. Thank you for telling me.” Then ask what would be helpful. They may want you to listen, help them explore support, or simply check in another day.
Follow their lead where you can. But if you are concerned about their immediate safety, seek urgent help.
A conversation may also reveal a barrier that needs attention beyond the individual. If someone cannot access support because of its timing, language or the way they expect to be treated, taking that concern seriously means considering what can change.
Turning voices into change
This World Mental Health Day, we can make space for honest conversations and take people’s answers seriously. Schools, workplaces and services can go further: ask people with lived experience what needs to improve, involve them in decisions, and report back on what has changed.
At HealthFirst, we believe people are better supported when their experiences inform both the conversations around them and the services they rely on. Real voices lead to real change when people are heard, have a say and can see the difference their input has made.
Resources
