Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing describes your mental state - how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day-to-day life. Our mental wellbeing is dynamic. It can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month or year to year
If anyone experiences low mental wellbeing over a long period of time they are more likely to develop a mental health problem. If someone already has a mental health problem, they are more likely to experience periods of low mental wellbeing than someone who hasn't. But that doesn't mean the person won't have periods of good wellbeing.
The Very Brief Intervention (VBI) pages below recognise that the perception that it can be difficult to start a conversation about a persons Mental Wellbeing. The following VBI uses advice from 'Time to Change' which is led by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness.
Our Mental health can be impacted at any time in our lives, whether this is from a relationship breakdown, a bereavement or financial worries so lets get taking about mental health, its OK to ask!
Very Brief Intervention
Ask
How are you?
How are you feeling at the moment?
What’s been happening for you recently?
Assist
You mentioned you are feeling low, why do you think that is?
What have you been doing to make yourself feel better?
What more would you like to do or do more of that would help?
Reflect back what has been said to you; “you said you have not been sleeping well, tell me a bit more about that?
It may be worth asking about the causes and what could possibly be done to address them e.g. debt management, housing support, stress management.
Act
Give reassurances that there are lots of sources of support
If you are worried that this person is in crisis, please see section for Suicide Prevention
If no immediate risk take the following steps:
Encourage them to ring:
Samaritans - (All age groups)
Tel: 116 123, open 24 hours a day.
Shout - https://giveusashout.org/ (All age groups)
Text: 'SHOUT' to 85258
Papyrus - (Young people)
Tel: 0800 068 41 41
Text: 07786209697
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
Opening hours
Mon-Fri: 10am-10pm, weekends: 2pm-10pm & bank holidays: 2pm-5pm
SELF CARE
- Encourage the person to contact their GP. Their GP will be able support the person in many ways
- Mind 'The charity for better mental health' has an extensive range of self help resources available
- The NHS have has a range of self-help tools available
- For Men -CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer accredited, confidential and free support to men anywhere in the UK through a helpline and web and webchat service. They talk through any issue with you and offer support, advice and signposting.
Coronavirus (Covid-19) and your mental wellbeing
Information and Support from the Mental Health Charity Mind. You might be worried about coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) and how it could affect your life. This may include being asked to stay at home or avoid other people.
This might feel difficult or stressful. But there are lots of things you can try that could help your wellbeing.
Website: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/#collapse28d18
Every Mind Matters
‘Every Mind Matters’ is the first national mental health campaign from Public Health England
- It’s an NHS-approved digital hub full of expert advice and practical tips to achieve good mental health
- It also has a free NHS-approved online tool - ‘Your Mind Plan’ to help us:
- deal with stress
- boost our mood
- improve our sleep
- feel more in control.
Search online for 'Every Mind Matters'
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
Support Services - Adults
Adults can self-refer to Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. IAPT is a national NHS programme, which offers evidence based psychological therapies or interventions approved by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). IAPT is primarily for treating people with mild to moderate mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
IAPT treatments are delivered via a stepped care model where patients are initially offered low intensity therapies, such as computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and guided self-help. If these treatments are unsuccessful, or not appropriate for individuals, higher intensity therapies are utilised and include one to one cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT). Please see local support and contact details for further information.
Support Services - Veterans
Veterans Combat Stress is the UK's leading mental health charity for veterans. They offer free, confidential 24-hour support to Service and ex-Service personnel who are experiencing mental health issues, including feeling suicidal.
Tel: 0800 138 1619
Web: https://www.combatstress.org.uk/help-you
Support Services - Perinatal
PANDAS Foundation
The PANDAS Foundation is here to help support and advise any parent who is experiencing a perinatal mental illness. We are also here to inform and guide family members, carers, friends and employers as to how they can support someone who is suffering.
Tel: 0843 2898401 (0900 - 2000 hrs, 7 days per week)
Web: http://www.pandasfoundation.org.uk/
Support Services - Carers
The Carers Trust
It is important that you take care of your own health, even if you are busy looking after someone else's health. Being healthy is not only important for you, but it also helps the person you care after too. The website contains some helpful guides on relationship management and information on self-care and respite care.
Support Services - Children and Young People
Children and Young People can contact the 'The Mix which is a leading support service that can help young people to take on any challenge they are facing - from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs.
- Web: http://www.themix.org.uk/ : Tel: 0808 0808 4994 (Freephone)
- https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/set-camhs : Tel: 0800 953 0222 (Freephone)
For Parents
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline, which parents/careers can call if they are worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. They also run a group called Parents Say, for parents whose children are accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Web: https://youngminds.org.uk/
Talk about the Five Ways to Wellbeing. The mental health equivalent to the dietary advice to have ‘5 a day’ fruit and vegetables for physical health.
1. Connect - With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community.
- As being well connected is good for your mental wellbeing… Is there anything you could be doing more of?
- Can you think of connections that you would like to make or remake?
2. Be Active - Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity that you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
- What activities do you engage in on a regular basis? How would I like to develop this?
- Are there any minor adjustments you can make in your life that can help you to be more active?
3. Take Notice - Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are on a train, eating lunch or talking to friends.
- How can you practice slowing down and pausing more often?
- What difference will incorporating this into your daily life make?
4. Keep Learning - Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving.
- What would you like to learn about? What interests you? What do you value? What would you find useful?
- What do you need to do to make learning something you look forward to?
5. Give - Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in.
- Do you notice what it’s like for you when you give to others?
- What else could you give others that you hadn’t thought of before?
Local Support and Contact Details
Therapy for you (IAPT - Improving Access to Psychological Therapies)
We‘ll help you feel better
When you’re experiencing mental health difficulties, you want to find help right away. We’re committed to delivering professional support promptly, when and where it’s needed. That’s why we’re helping to break down the barriers to accessing mental health support by exploring new technologies and new ways of delivering the help you need.
We’re the first NHS organisation to offer online video therapy courses, with sessions that deal with a wide range of feelings and symptoms. We’re also able to arrange access to Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Counsellors and Cognitive Behavioural Therapists both remotely and in person.
Provided by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), our service makes a range of CBT-based therapies available to anyone over the age of 18 who lives in South East Essex or over the age of 16 who lives in North East Essex and is not currently receiving secondary mental health care or crisis services.
Tel: 01268 739128
Web: Therapy For You – We’ll help you feel better
Rethink Mental Illness - Support Together Southend Group
The group is coordinated by volunteers with lived experience of mental illness, who aim to empower members and promote and improve the mental wellbeing of people living in Southend-on-Sea and its surrounding areas. We offer friendly support for people with mental illness, whether it's diagnosed or not, and carers are welcome too.
We meet for two hours on the second Wednesday of every month, to talk, socialise and do various activities in a safe space. These activities include art and crafts, writing, games, quizzes, listening to guest speakers, and much more.
We meet for two hours on the last Saturday of every month (except December) to play ping pong, crazy golf, tumble tower blocks, board games, dominoes, cards and we can sometimes use the garden for outdoor activities.
Refreshments of tea, coffee and biscuits are provided.
Website: Support Together Southend Group (rethink.org)
Trust Links
Trust Links is your local mental health and wellbeing charity. We work across South-East Essex to support people experiencing mental health difficulties, unpaid carers and other community members. Our projects support over 1,500 people a year in Southend, Rochford and Castle Point.
We’re committed to building stronger communities, and supporting the environment through sustainable living is at the core of our work.
We offer the following services:
- Therapeutic gardening through our Growing Together projects
- Counselling and peer support activities for carers in Southend Borough
- Recovery and wellbeing workshops and courses through REACH Recovery College
- Access to the REACH Wellbeing Hub, which provides specialist advice and support from visiting agencies
- Youth groups and activities for children of secondary-school age
And so much more.
Email: admin-support@trustlinks.org
Website: Trust Links - Southend's independent mental health charity
For Children and Young People.
Emotional Well-being and Mental Health Service (EWMHS)
The Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service (EWMHS) provides advice and support to children, young people and families who are in need of support with their emotional wellbeing or mental health difficulties.
The service covers Southend, Essex and Thurrock and is open to young people between the ages of 0-18, or up to 25 for those with special educational needs.
Any child or young person experiencing mental health difficulties as well as any parent, guardian or professional can access the service for help and guidance.
There are lots of ways to access the service.
- A child or young person can contact us directly
- Any parent/guardian or professional such as a teacher, school nurse or GP can contact us on the behalf of the young person.
Tel: 0800 953 0222
Email: nelft-ewmhs.referrals@nhs.net
Website: EWMHS for Southend, Essex (Colchester) and Thurrock | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA)
Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA)
To improve mental wellbeing outcomes for staff and as part of Southend Borough Council’s commitment to supporting MINDFUL EMPLOYER, we are pleased to announce that we have successfully trained an ever growing cohort of accredited Mental Health First Aiders across the organisation to offer support to colleagues who may be experiencing a challenge to their mental health condition or struggling with an existing mental health condition.
Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) are trained to spot the symptoms of mental health issues, offer initial help and guide people to services. The Mental Health First Aiders are located within the Civic Centre, Civic 2, and the Forum, and available for colleagues who require support.