Sound Mind Africa World Mental Health Day Campaign 2014

World Mental Health Day is the annual global celebration of mental health education, awareness and advocacy, taking place on the 10^th October 2014.

In order to help spread the mental health message, Sound Mind Africa are staging an interdisciplinary campaign to engage the general public through a variety of interventions taking place online and within Lagos.  Founder Oyindamola Fakeye describes the basis of this initiative as “An opportunity to provide a synergistic delivery of this important issue.”

1. #uberlagosMHD
2. #BrainFoodMHD
3. #MotivatedMHD
4. #RetailtherapyMHD
5. #Eden MHD
6. #HealthyspacesMHD

7. #YogaPicnicMHD

#luvmeandmyMHD

#ifactoryngMHD
8. #DanceMHD

1. #uberlagosMHD

Laughter has been well documented for its role in positively promoting mental health through the reduction of stress and anxiety. Taking laughter as the basis of our intervention, Sound Mind Africa has collaborated with Uber Lagos and popular personality Bizzle Osikoya to run the “Uber Lagos MHD” competition. 

Contestants are asked to enter a 15 second clip of them selves telling their funniest joke. Videos will be posted via instagram.com/bizzle01 with a winner selected based on the number of likes. The participant whose post has the most likes will win ONE-WEEK worth of FREE Uber rides. All new Uber account holders will be eligible for a free ride (up to N3,000) with UBERLAGOSMHD promo code. 

2. #BrainFoodMHD

Food plays an important contributing role in the development, management and prevention of specific mental health problems such as depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease. Sasa’s Kitchen will be featuring a range of innovative food and drink recipes that can be recreated at home to help improve mental health functions.  www.sasaskitchen.com

3. #MotivatedMHD

“When the dog bites. When the bee stings. When I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favourite things. And then I don't feel so bad...” We are faced with a variety of challenges in life that can lead to negative effects on mental health. Effa Management will be sharing positive affirmations to negate undesirable responses to daily stresses. http://effamanagement.com

4. #RetailtherapyMHD

When people think of the benefits of “retail therapy,” concepts like escape, entertainment and rejuvenation are usually at the top of the list. Popular lifestyle store L’espace will be offering a discount of up to 10% off selected items and services on Friday 10^th of October. L’espace, 19a Olosa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

5. #Eden MHD

Eden Lifestlye will be encouraging help seeking behavior via social media outlets and online digital mediums. www.edenlifenigeria.com

6. #HealthyspacesMHD

Meditation has been long practiced as a method of stress reduction, due to its calming effect. As such A White Space have created a meditation room, which will be open to the public from Friday 10^th- Saturday 11^th October.  FREE meditation classes will also be available for beginner to intermediary levels Saturday 11^th October.  A White Space, 58 Raymond Njoku Street, SW Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. For more information and to register for the class please email soundmindafrica@gmail.com

7. #YogaPicnicMHD

#luvmeandmyMHD

#ifactoryngMHD

Consisting of activities such as relaxation, meditation, socialization, and exercise, yoga has been proven helpful in reducing your anxiety and depression. Luvmeandmy in collaboration with The Amalgamation Project and Innovation Factory will be holding a Yoga x Picnic.  

A FREE outdoor Yoga class will be held at 4pm on Saturday 11^th October at The Dock beside Bush Bar, off Oyinkan Abayomi (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos. Enjoy the serene lake scenery while taking a still moment being good to your body and mind with yoga. The Campaign will end with a picnic on Sunday 12^th from 5:30pm at the same location.

“If there’s one antidote to emotional distress, it’s human connection. We’re a species that’s meant to be with others.” Kit Yarrow. Get Outside! For more information: www.luvmeandmy.com  & www.ifactoryng.com or to register for the class contact: hi@luvmeandmy.com

8. #DanceMHD

On the 10^th October Sound Mind Africa will also be facilitating Salsa dance classes with Latin dance instructor Charles Agbemashior at Child Lifeline, an organisation that provides educational and residential programs for street children in Lagos, to promote the positive impact of dance on mental health.

About Us

Sound Mind Africa is an independent organisation concerned with the distribution and accessibility of information and advice relating to mental health issues, as it relates to those of African descent or who reside on the African continent.

For more information email: soundmindafrica@gmail.com or log on to our blog: www.soundmindafrica.blogspot.com

Keep up to date with the campaign on line by searching for #SoundmindafricaMHD while the global campaign can be followed by searching #worldmentalhealthday