Mental health issues are a growing public health concern with around a quarter of the Welsh population experiencing mental illness in any year. Anyone can be affected at any stage of life.
Anxiety and depression are amongst the most common forms and the pressures and strains that act as a catalyst to mental health issues are often magnified for professional sportspeople.
WRPA’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead, Lloyd Ashley, has this week started work presenting our new Resilience For Rugby programme delivering education around mental health to WRPA members.
The Resilience For Rugby programme will initially be presented across the regional academies in Wales with the help and support of psychologists Dr Dale Thomas (WRU) and Steve Mellalieu (Ospreys).
Lloyd is working to champion awareness and help change the stigma and approach to mental health here in Wales as part of his voluntary position with the WRPA, alongside his work as a professional rugby player at the Ospreys.
With WRPA support, Lloyd, who recently launched his new venture “Living Well With Lloyd Ashley” to help provide wellbeing support and mental health awareness, has successfully qualified as a First Aid for Mental Health Instructor.
For anyone wanting more information or mental health support, the WRPA, regions, WRU and LivingWellwithLloydAshley are all on hand for on-going support.
It’s ok not to be ok. It’s ok to ask for help.