As many of you know I do my best to raise awareness of Mental Health issues and I hope that by doing that I can help people to feel less isolated and less ashamed of having Mental Health problems.
I have what I call 'lived experience' of anxiety, depression and trauma.
I work hard to keep physically healthy by going to the gym, playing wheelchair basketball and trying to eat healthily but I think that I have neglected my Mental Health up to now and have only done anything about it when things have reached breaking point - I now make time every day for some 'Mental Health Physio' - That might be just a quiet five minutes to write in my journal or a Mindfulness session, or just taking time to really enjoy what is happening around me.
I urge you all to add some 'Mental Health Physio' into your daily routine and I promise you will soon feel the benefits.
I think it is vital that nobody feels ashamed to talk about their Mental Health so if you need to talk - I am here for you.
Would you know how to help?
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. Mental ill health can strike at any time and can affect people from all walks of life.
Although things are improving, stigma still exists around mental ill health. As a society, we don't tend to know how to take care of our mental health like we do our physical health. This means that people may not know how to support a friend, family member or colleague experiencing a mental health issue, or where to go for support with their own mental health.
Mental Health First Aid Course
I completed the 2 day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course in 2018 and the Youth Mental Health First Aid Course in February 2019.
These are two of the best courses I have ever done and I am certainly less afraid of talking 'Mental Health' with people I work with.
The courses have taught me to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
It is an intense course that helps you to recognise warning signs of mental ill health, and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone while keeping yourself safe and also to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and more.
Mental Health First Aid England say on their website that ' You’ll gain an understanding of how to support positive wellbeing and tackle stigma in the world around you' this is so true.
For more information on courses visit - https://mhfaengland.org/