Tag Archives: mental health

Recovery from Mental Illness – collaboration

 

20140621_215858Welcome back to another blog post, this blog is on a well known subject within mental health fields and sometimes controversial. I decided to do a collaboration video with Malika Salih from “A Oreo Family”. We talked about mental health recovery, but this time Malika chose to focus on how mental health recovery affected her life.

 

If you wish to watch the video please click on the video below to play it.

As you can tell from the video Malika talked on how mental illness distrupted her life, but also gave her some insight into putting things into pespective. Malika rightly stated that mental health recovery is not the same for everyone, it all depends on the mental illness, the support one is getting and fighting stigma. Still it is so important to raise the awareness that mental health recovery can be possible under the right circumstances. It is a terrible situation to be aware that others fall deeper into mental illness when there are several chances of recovery.

As mentioned in my section of the video, I spoke about what impressed me about what Malika mentioned. It can be incredible difficult to speak openly about mental illness, there is still much stigma to face and the person can face ridicule. Without the support of friends, family or health professionals then the road to recovery will be a difficult one.

When mental illness impacts someone’s life, it can throw the persons life into turmoil, chaos and desperation could be the outcome, but there is always a small chance of reflection. We can begin to see how life can be incredibly fragile and as we begin to reflect on our own illness we slowly become aware of others, we become aware of the daily battle people face if they are struck with mental illness. This is just one of the reasons why Malika and myself continue to raise mental health awareness.

When you have time, please check out her videos off her media channel from the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA3enUqCcuqPt0UQcr-yL9Q/videos

Hope you enjoyed my blog, see you soon.

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World Mental Health Day 2017

Welcome back to another one of my blog posts on mental health.  This blog post is helping to promote World Mental Health Day 2017.  The theme for World Mental Health Day is Mental health in the workplace. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues

To watch the video version, please click video below

The World Federation for Mental Health founded the awareness day in 1992 and since then people all over the world continue to celebrate world mental health day every year.

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The theme for World Mental Health Day 2017 is workplace well-being

Why is workplace well-being important?

We all want to perform well, the workplace is no different, but it becomes a problem when pressured to perform exceeds our ability.

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When well-being is not practiced or understood at work, there are many ways this can affect the worker.

– Increased irritability, poor concentration, reduced productivity

– Feeling negative, depressed and anxious

– Deteriorating personal or work relationships, including bullying behaviours

What is worse is how the workplace reacts when someone becomes unwell.

– They may single out the worker for even more harsh treatment

– Office gossip can isolate the stressed worker

– If mental health wellbeing is not understood, those who state they are unwell, could risk loosing their jobs due to discrimination.

There is a lot you can do do to promote World Mental Health Day 2017.

1. I tend to use a lot of social media, so on twitter or facebook you can use the hashtag #WorldMentalHealthDay

2. You can put up banners at work (ask for permission first) in order to spread awareness.

3. Visit events, speak at events or ask what your workplace, hospital, MP are doing to promote wellbeing or reduce MH stigma at work.

There are many more things can be done to spread awareness. One last thing you can do is make a pledge, for me I feel that “A mentally healthy workplace is….Understanding”

I hope my message has made you at least think about workplace wellbeing.

 

Lambeth Mental Health Carers Forum September 2017

coverWelcome to September’s Lambeth Mental Health Carers Forum. The forum was held over at the 336 building based in Lambeth over on Brixton road. The Lambeth Mental Health Carers forum comes together each month to discuss issues facing unpaid carers who care for someone close suffering severe mental health problems.

To watch the video version, please click on the video below

With a rota of carer’s charing the meeting. On the agenda for september was the introduction of Lambeth Healthwatch and their continued engagement to the MH carers forum.

We also had the carers lead from Place of Safety based over at South London and maudsley’s southwark site.

Next was discussions on Promotions and spreading the word about the forum.

Anna Jones the mental health engagement officer for Lambeth healthwatch discussed with carers at the forum the Theme where there could be a lack of support for carers and lack of information provision.

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Carers raised the problem of lack of funding, meaning services aren’t consistent & aren’t suitable. This has a major effect on the carer.

Throughout all the four mental health carer forums I am involved with, I see each MH carer forum working with Healthwatch to feedback themes from a group of concerned carers.

Next up was Giovanni from SLaM Centralised Place of Safety. She explained section 136 process and her role in the new place of safety. Police bring patients to PoS on section 136, patient can stay for up to 72 hours & are usually discharged in 24 hours. Only exception is section 135 where MH professional can refer patient from their home.

Discussions did focused on A&E not being suitable for patients in crisis.

It was noted that the senior manager of Lambeth Carers hub also attended the forum with the Mental health lead taking the minutes as he usually does each month.

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Lastly we felt that increasing forum to 2 hours could be suggested. we also seek to engage with new carers or carers who cannot attend was raised (facetime skype).

This concludes the update from September’s Lambeth MH carers forum.

Lewisham Mental Health Carers Forum September 2017

Here is the update for the Lewisham Mental Health Carers forum for September 2017. This forum took place on the 26th of September, 1:00 pm at the Carers Lewisham centre.

If you wish to see the video version, please click below

The topic for that day was the importance of involvement in mental health services. While some of the carers are involved at South London and Maudsley foundation trust, which provides the bulk of mental health services in Lewisham, Croydon, Southwark and Lambeth. I was fortunate enough to have Debbie who is an involvement representative over at North East London Foundation Trust.

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When I talk about foundation trusts and mental health services. Usually foundation trusts are a coalition of large hospitals and community teams providing mental health services. As far as I know every mental health trust has some form of involvement and some trusts do this well, while at other trusts there still is a lot to learn.

North east London Foundation trust provides services in several london boroughs being Barking, Dagenham, Brentwood, Havering, Kent, Basildon and more. Debbie spoke about what she does over north east london and the importance of involvement.

The forum discussed what was good about involvement and services, what was difficult or bad and what we would like to change. We also discussed how involvement within our local mental health trusts can empower us, but it is also a duty to speak up for injustice and protect those who are vulnerable.  Debbie mentioned that SLaM was held in high regard, but I pointed out that over at SLaM we speak highly of NELFT.

During the discussion, I found ex service user Debbie to be extremely knowledgeable about getting involved in the mental health services. I also noticed her leadership skills while presenting to carers.

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I was hoping to present a bit about involvement myself while charing the forum, but we ran out of time since a lot of carer issues where raised, plus Debbie had to attend the NELFT annual meeting.

Also at the forum we had another special guest that being the Carer Engagement Project Coordinator from Oxleas Foundation Trust. Oxleas provides services in Greenwich, Bromley and Bexley. We were greatful to have engagement from hard working prople from two different trusts, but the main aim was to learn from each other, which will be an ongoing relationship.

World Suicide Prevention Day 2017

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Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by, this blog is helping to raise awareness for Suicide prevention day, which occurs every year on the 10th of September.

The day an annual awareness raising event organised by International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The theme for 2017 is ‘Take a minute, change a life.’

To see the video I made for the awareness event please click below.

Over in the UK there are many organisations and charities are promoting this special awareness day from Mind to Samaritans, Rethink and also SANE.

Suicide is a cause of premature death which is influenced by psycho-social, cultural and environmental risk factors that can be prevented through worldwide responses that address these main risk factors.

More than 800,000 people take their lives each year across the world. In the UK and Ireland, more than 6,000 people die by suicide a year – an average of 18 a day. in the UK biggest killer in men under age of 45.

What can you do to help someone who may be in need? Start a conversation today if you think a friend, colleague or family member may be struggling. There are also other ways you or others can help spread awareness of suicide prevention. Try and ask your government to launch initiatives to prevent suicide. Attend or speak at Conferences, open days, educational seminars or public lectures about suicide prevent. Educate yourself by watching Media programs promoting suicide awareness and prevention.

Showing compassion and empathy can help a person to turn things around and point them towards recovery.

Southwark Mental Health Carers Forum August 2017

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This is a update from the new Southwark Mental Health Carers forum for July. The Southwark Mental Health Carers forum took place on August the 31st over at Southwark Carers. Yes, the forum has moved from the Maudsely hospital to down the road where Southwark Carers is based.

This is the Second mental health carers forum to take place for Southwark and we had some interest carers attend this forum who also attended the carers support group. Since the forum was fairly new, I presented on updates which occurred the previous month, that being July.

 

To see the video of the forum report, click below

We are looking to run the forum every last Friday of the month. I presented what the forum is about, regarding that

  • It can be difficult for Carers in Southwark have an idea on Mental Health services and influencing them.
  • There has not been a Mental Health forum for some years, although there are Mental Health carer support groups.
  • Mental Health carers need some empowerment in their role.
  • Services have suffered from cuts, carers need to act in order to support everyone.

Mental Health Foundation are working to develop a series of pilot programmes on with The aim is to improve mental health wellbeing for all.

Mental Health and Wellbeing – Strategy patient engagement event where Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Southwark Council wish to improve mental health and wellbeing across the borough

Plus talking about the upcoming CarersUK AGM and the South London & Maudsley AGM.

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Next we had a presentation from Ana who is the co-chair of the forum about her involvement at South London & Maudsley. We also discussed the importance of attending carers support groups

Lastly, Carer support worker Lillian spoke about the definition of a carer.

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The next Southwark MH Carers forum will be on 29th of September.