People experiencing anxiety and depression are being encouraged to come forward to get the support they need from the NHS, with the help of a new landmark campaign using the iconic Beatles song ‘Help!” to get the West Midlands taking better care of its mental health.

“It is not an embarrassment to admit you have mental health issues,” says Paul from Litchfield.

Backed by some of the UK’s biggest artists, the campaign encourages people struggling with their mental health to seek support, as new figures show that over 57% of people in the West Midlands were concerned about their mental health last year.

They included 54% reporting experiencing stress, 51% experienced anxiety and 42% experienced low mood or depression, with 59% reporting that they did not seek professional help.

However, this year people are more conscious of their mental health, with 59% of people planning to focus more on their mental health in 2022.

The NHS campaign is now encouraging anybody experiencing anxiety, depression, or other common mental health concerns to come forward and see how talking therapies can help them.

NHS mental health talking therapies are a confidential service run by fully trained experts and can be accessed by self-referral or through your GP.

And thanks to Sony Music and Apple Corps, who have donated the lyrics and melody of the Beatles classic to the campaign, top names from the UK music industry including Craig David, Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts, Tom Grennan, Laura Mvula, Ella Henderson and Max George, will launch the campaign with a speaking rendition of the song – encouraging more people to seek ‘Help!’.

‘Help!’, written by John Lennon in 1964, was credited by the superstar songwriter as one of his most honest and genuine songs and with lyrics like ‘Help me if you can I’m feeling down’, the song is the ideal soundtrack to get others thinking about their mental health.

The all-star campaign, which will run across radio, social media, and on demand, is also being backed by a number of leading charities.

Giles Tinsley, Programme Director for Mental Health at NHS England and NHS Improvement in the Midlands, said:

“The last few years has had a huge impact on the nation’s mental health and our message to people is clear: the NHS is open and staff want you to come forward, so please seek help either by referring yourself to the NHS talking therapy programme online or by contacting your local GP, particularly if you were one of the many people who felt unable to do so as the pandemic hit.

“The world-leading NHS Talking Therapy programme has helped a record high number of people struggling with their mental health during the pandemic.

“The health service increased the number of talking therapy sessions available to people and is set to expand the programme even further”.

Paul from Litchfield developed mental health issues in 2009 and recalls, “It is not an embarrassment to admit you have mental health issues. Even if you feel like you’re on your own, there are people out there who care. By contacting the NHS mental health services like I did, you will be given help and the tools to look after yourself. I urge anyone who is feeling low to ask for help”.

Talking Therapies – also known as IAPT services – can be offered in several ways including a self-help workbook with therapist support, as an online course, over the phone, via video-platform, or one-on-one or group therapy.

Anyone wishing to access talking therapies can speak to their local GP team or self-refer to the services, with more information about where to seek help and how to self-refer for treatment is online here.