Mental Health Victories

As it’s mental health awareness week, I want to make you aware of a book I’ve written.

It’s easy to focus on the problems that mental health sufferers experience, but I believe you can focus too much on the illness and not enough on the recovery.

Mental health challenges can be overcome with the right support.

My book focuses on the recovery journeys of a number of past and present mental health sufferers and the achievements that they have made.

Here is a link.

We Progress

A short mental health film called We Progress will premiere at 8pm on the 8th of May.

See it here:

Two of the films makers have struggled with mental health challenges themselves, so this film is very close to their hearts.

I hope you will tune in for this great short film project.

Mental Health weekender

Dr. Sarah Jarvis, Dr. Radha Modgil, Dr. Aaron Balick, mental health campaigner Natasha Devon the Pilates PT Hollie Grant, are all among the health and wellbeing professionals have come together for the UK’s first ‘virtual’ wellbeing festival, which has been launched in response to COVID-19, to help people better cope in these extraordinary times.

The Live Life Well Weekender will run from the 8th – 10th May 2020, and will bring together experts, health professionals and industry leaders from across the wellbeing industry, for over 30 events that will explore all areas of wellbeing to spark discussions and provide the practical tools that people desperately need to help protect their own, and their families’ wellbeing now, and as we come out of lockdown.

The Live Life Well Weekender is a not-for-profit event and will be accessible to all with free tickets for all frontline and key workers, free access for students, as well as free tickets for those in need who are on low incomes or unemployed as a result of the pandemic.  

A nominal fee of £10 per household for General Admission provides visitors with access to the whole three-days of content, of which all profits received will go charity to support the NHS Charities National Covid-19 Appeal. 

All contributors are doing this event for free, so if you can afford to pay, please do contribute to the hard-working team behind this virtual event.

You can get tickets for the event here.

Nile Wilson’s Mental Health struggle

Nile Wilson has been suffering from depression and anxiety after injuring his neck.

Nile used his vlog to announce his struggles.

The Olympic gymnast has been keeping a vlog of his gymnastics training and family life.

Nile had used his vlog to inspire so-called Wilsonators to pursue gymnastics and achieve their goals.

So it is a shock that such a positive young man has been suffering from depression.

He is going back to blogging and can be inspiration to mental health sufferers.

Dancing with the black dog

You can now buy a black dog logo to show those around you that suffer from anxiety and depression that it’s ok to say they’re not ok.

The dancing with the black dog blog was tweeted by Stephen Fry and you can show your support by buying a badge.

This is a great initiative to get mental health out in the open and discussed.

Feel free to leave a comment on this blog post if you’re down.

Recovering from Mental trauma

It’s mental health awareness week and there have been some very good documentaries on TV, including Louis Theroux’s Mum’s on the edge and Nadiya Hussain’s piece on anxiety.

It was shocking to learn that Nadiya didn’t have any friends, as she is such a well known and likeable TV personality.

She was seeking treatment for her anxiety, because she wants to recover.

I have written a book on mental health recovery called Mental Health Recovery Heroes Past and Present exploring how much mental health sufferers can achieve even while taking medication.

It is nice to see Nadiya Hussain showing how it can affect a very successful person and the effect it has on her life.

Adele and Psychosis

Heartening to see a big celebrity take up the less glamorous cause of mental health this week.

Adele’s friend has suffered psychosis as a result of child birth and released an account online.

Adele, who has suffered from depression herself, was quick to get behind her friend.

Psychosis is one of the most severe kinds of mental distress you can suffer and it’s good to see it have an airing in the media.

Patient X

A spate of mental health stories have emerged in the last few days raising serious questions over how the system is managed in this country.

Investigations of deaths in care are being flanked by high ranking doctors lambasting the current care of suicidal patients.

Added to this Theresa May's promise she was going to funnel more money into the issue you have to question whether there are any clear answers.

In the wash of charities, public bodies and celebrities that tackle the issue a different message seems to emerge each time.

While an overarching focus about sharing and caring is perhaps welcome, it is hard to unpick whether any of these initiatives will have the affect they intend.

Keeping students bright

Amid promises of a mental health overhaul Student Minds outlines the challenges of student mental health.

Theresa May promised a mental health overhaul. 

However, these measures largely do not cater to students, who are a high-risk group. 

The measures mainly focus on secondary school students, by improving teacher’s education in the area and increasing focus on community care among other initiatives.

Student Minds, the UK student mental health charity, has welcomed these changes with caution. 

Rachel Piper a spokesman for the organisation said: 

“We would agree mental health currently does not have parity of esteem with physical health, and we hope funding is put in place alongside the promises to rectify this.”

Future measures

When asked what government could do to further improve student welfare Student Minds pointed us to the University Challenge report, which picks out issues affecting student mental health.

The report recognises because of their age students find themselves at a transition between services and this is further complicated by the fact they are often moving to new areas of the country, Rachel said: “transitions can disrupt a student’s care at a time when they are already particularly vulnerable”. 

She continues: “moving between home and university creates a unique set of challenges for maintaining continuity of care”.

The University Challenge report also points to accessibility as an issue. 

“Waiting times often mean students’ appointments are at inaccessible times during the holidays and treatment is disrupted by vacations.”

High risk group

Students are at high risk of mental health problems, with 29% of students experiencing clinical levels of psychological distress. 

With anxiety and depression being the main problems.

Between 2007 and 2011 the number of students taking their own lives rose by 50%. It is estimated as many as one in eight students feel suicidal while at university. 

A further two in three will feel down at some point in their studies.

Why so down?

Possible reasons for this distress could be: “For many young people these are the first years they will spend away from established networks of family support.”

Adjusting to student lifestyle also brings challenges, with an associated poor diet, work pressures, lack of exercise and alcohol consumption often being a factor. 

The years spent at university often coincide with the peak age of onset for a range of mental health conditions.

These days a tough job market also adds pressure for high attainment, while many who suffer with mental health problems conversely at ‘considerable risk’ of academic failure and dropping out.

Seek support

Despite these worrying statistics it is estimated 50% of students don’t feel comfortable admitting they are not coping. 

So don’t feel alone, you aren’t, seek support, it is there for you. 

Take the advice; everyone wants you healthy and happy.

You can seek a referral to a counselor through your GP, or contact a mental health charity such as Mind or The Samaritans for support. 

And Student Minds are also a great portal of support if you go to http://www.studentminds.org.uk/find-support.html. 

Stay happy.

NHS abuse over criticism

As London goes to the polls to elect the Mayor and assembly and the junior doctor's fight to be allowed into a negotiation over their new contracts, a grieving mother has received verbal abuse.

Sara Ryan who tragically lost her son within the Southern Health NHS trust, has been labelled a "vindictive cow" by someone claiming to be a member of NHS staff.

Sara has been campaigning for accountability within the trust after her son drowned in a bath in the Slade house in Oxfordshire.

Shocking attacks

The message (as reported by The Guardian) started well, with the statement "it's tragic, and I hope you find some closure after the report," but descended into abuse.

A Southern health spokesman is investigating the call.

It is shocking to think that a member of NHS staff would behave in this way, after all a campaign and criticism from a grieving mother should be seen within the context of the loss she has just suffered.

No one is their best self while grieving, especially when that grief is for a child.

Thoughts for the future

I hope that once an investigation has been completed that the trust will identify this alleged member of staff and take them to task.

If you're putting a cross in a box today think carefully about what direction you want the world to go in and which candidate is offering that direction.

"I'm just a girl"

So I made a swipe at the Royal baby, I'm sorry.

Not because I am not still frustrated by the inequality that is being rubbed in my face.

But because of the cover of Elle and a comment from another woman.

Picking us apart

The first thing I clocked when I picked up this £4 glossy was one line.

Why you are still single.

My response, how dare you charge me to destroy me.

The woman trap

I seek to be a self-assured, kind and loving person, but honestly what chance do any of us have against all this rubbish.

10 ways to lose your pregnancy fat.

10 reasons guys don't like you.

10 reasons why you're really down by now.

I will never measure up

Just a thought: maybe it's all this self-esteem draining rubbish that you are throwing at me.

Then, on the same day a woman remarks on me looking good with: "You make me sick."

My inner voice wanted to scream at her that I wasn't as self assured as she thought.

Then I thought of Kate

This made me think of Ms Middleton, she may appear to have it all.

But she is being barraged by the same rubbish that seems to turn even the sanest and most amazing of women against each other.

So, I won't be sending flowers to this woman that I don't know, but I will wish her child the best of health and encourage her to eat as much chocolate as she pleases, until she feels like she wants to go to the gym.