On World Mental Health Day, 10th October 2025, psychotherapist and dramatherapist Noel McDermott, who has more than 30 years of experience, emphasises the growing importance of psychological safety in a world that often feels threatening. With anxiety and mental health challenges increasing, he urges people to strengthen emotional resilience through higher cognitive functioning and meaningful social connections.
McDermott draws inspiration from a scene in Dune where the protagonist says, “Fear is the mind killer.” He explains, “There is also a saying from a behavioural psychologist which states ‘we are afraid of the bear because we run away from it, we don’t run away because we are afraid.’” For McDermott, these ideas reveal how fear perpetuates itself, fuelling cycles of anxiety that harm both mental and physical health. Excessive fear, he warns, makes people ill, reinforcing the need to cultivate inner and communal safety.
Balancing fear and safety
The theme of World Mental Health Day 2025 focuses on psychological safety as a counter to a hostile world. McDermott explains that human survival has always required balancing danger and safety, a tension mirrored in Freud’s eros versus Thanatos and the neurological interplay between the amygdala and the frontal lobe. Running from fear, he notes, amplifies anxiety, while engaging higher thought and social bonds helps build resilience.
Practical steps to strengthen resilience
McDermott recommends several ways to improve cognitive and emotional functioning:
- Talking about worries or journaling to increase emotional awareness.
- Using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) thought records to challenge unhelpful thinking.
- Practising mindfulness through therapy, meditation, or yoga to gain perspective.
- Engaging in arts such as reading, music, painting, or theatre to boost emotional intelligence.
- Reaching out to five friends to share ideas for enriching activities.
- Enrolling in new courses to keep the brain active.
Building supportive connections
McDermott also stresses the importance of positive relationships. “Before you diagnose yourself as anxious or depressed, first check you are not surrounded by fools … well go on, check and if you are, change your surroundings,” he advises. A supportive social network strengthens resilience, while negative environments can erode it.
Research from the UK’s Mental Health Foundation in 2025 supports this, showing that strong social ties lower stress and improve mental health outcomes. To enhance social well-being, McDermott suggests:
- Expanding social circles through courses and group activities.
- Organising gatherings that promote cooperation and emotional growth.
- Volunteering to help others and encourage tolerance.
- Smiling more often to foster positive interactions.
A daily exercise for calm
McDermott, whose company Mental Health Works provides tailored mental health services, encourages everyone to take five minutes each day to visualise safety and peace. “Imagine the most beautiful, safe and loving place you can dream up and spend some time there in your mind… then repeat every day for ever,” he says.
Addressing rising anxiety levels
NHS data from 2025 indicate that one in four UK adults experiences a mental health issue each year. The Office for National Statistics reports a 12% increase in anxiety-related GP visits since 2023, highlighting the urgency of McDermott’s message. By fostering intellectual growth and social support, he believes individuals can create psychological safety that protects against the mental strain of modern life.
This World Mental Health Day, McDermott calls for a collective effort to prioritise emotional resilience and community connection. His evidence-based approach, shaped by decades of work across health, social care, education, and criminal justice, offers a practical guide for building stability and well-being in uncertain times.