The Premier League have announced a new Inside Matters campaign in an attempt to reduce the rise in mental health cases and improve the wellbeing of those involved in football.
Global prevalence of anxiety and depression has increased by a monumental 25 per cent since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Premier League trying to make a change.
They have joined forces with Shout which provide a free, confidential 24/7 text support service for anyone in the UK who is struggling to cope. This service has been available since 2019 and has since helped thousands of people.
Anyone experiencing anxiety or depression can text the word 'TeamTalk' to 85258 to be connected with a trained volunteer, who are supposed by a team of professional clinicians. The Premier League aim to get people talking and buck the trend, having seen the amount of mental health cases sky-rocket in recent years.
With mental health awareness week also upon us, the Premier League will dedicate fixtures between May 6 and May 15 to the Inside Matters campaign. The first set of matches will be the 3pm kick-offs on Saturday, with Leicester's game against Liverpool marking the end of the campaign.
The theme of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety. With that in mind, the Premier League and Shout are set to produce a handbook to provide people with tips and advice for managing mental and physical symptoms of anxiety. This includes input from a number of players and managers, as well as advice from Shout clinicians.
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: "It is so important for people to look out for others and find time to check in regularly on the mental wellbeing of friends, loved ones and colleagues. Through the Inside Matters campaign, we want people of all ages to feel they can discuss their mental health and understand that support is available.
"A simple conversation can have a positive impact on those who are struggling with their mental health and we are pleased to be working with Shout to provide a confidential text service for anybody who feels they need extra support.
"Football is our national sport and is followed by millions of people. We are proud to use this platform to build on the wide-ranging mental health initiatives run by the League and clubs, and use our role to support fans, players and communities."
The Premier League initially started its Inside Matters campaign in 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and after a successful start, they have now ramped up their ideas. They hope to raise more awareness for anxiety and depression, especially in football and for those involved in the beautiful game.
Trevor Chalobah, Joe Bryan and Bojan Krcic are amongst the high-profile players to have opened up about their battle with mental health, while ex-Nottingham Forest coach Steven Reid also detailed his fight. Tottenham forward Harry Kane, who established his own foundation in 2022, is proud of the Premier League's efforts.
He said: "It's just as important to look after our mental health and wellbeing, as it is to care for our physical health. Although awareness has improved, we need to change the way our generation thinks about it. I believe in normalising conversations to help tackle stigma and promote positive habits."
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
