Mental health: Conditions, support and advice

Transcript

What is stress?

Stress is a natural response to a pressure,

a demand that we are facing,

and it prompts us to address the challenges or the threats in a certain way

to be able to cope with those situations.

We find that we can get stressed in certain situations, for example,

when we are having to face something that we've never done before and this

prompts the body to react in a certain way,

to be able to allow us to cope with that effectively.

The body releases hormones such as adrenaline into the body,

and that is known as the fight or flight response.

Certain amounts of stress can be really positive, really beneficial for us,

and they can allow us to effectively tackle the things that we're having to do.

However, if we have stress over an extended period of time,

and it's excessive for us, that can have negative health impacts on us.

What are the symptoms of stress?

There are a range of symptoms that are commonly associated with stress,

and everyone is a little bit different. We can have symptoms such as low mood,

irritability, feeling worried all the time.

We can have trouble concentrating and attending to things.

We can have physical health implications, for example.

We can struggle to sleep. We can have problems with our eating. For example,

we are overeating or we don't have an appetite.

It might be that we're not motivated at all to do the things we're asked to do,

and sometimes we do see that we've got existing physical health conditions and

they can flare up, for example, skin conditions.

What is depression?

Everyone in life will experience low mood,

and that is a common feeling that we can have as we go through day-to-day life.

However,

clinical depression commonly is all about having a persistent low mood

where we have certain other symptoms that are impacting on our daily

functioning. For example, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness,

low self-worth and low self-esteem.

There can be things to do with our negative thinking around things,

how we view ourselves, the world, others,

there's lots of different negative thinking going on.

It can be about how we can struggle with sleep,

so we can either be sleeping too much or not being able to get to sleep.

There can be problems with eating,

so we are struggling to have an appetite or we are eating a lot excessively,

almost comfort eating. We can also find that people can have suicidal thoughts,

thoughts of not wanting to be here. They can have self-harm thoughts as well.

So there's lots of different things that people can experience and people can go

from the mild with those symptoms right through to the severe,

and it can impair them in so many different ways.

It's a very difficult situation to be facing for people.

One thing I would mention is that people can present very differently with

depression,

so they can lean into certain types of symptoms and one person with depression

isn't going to experience it in exactly the same way as another person.

What are the main symptoms of depression?

The main symptoms of depression are a consistent low mood over a period of time.

We also can see problems with cognition,

so it can be struggled to concentrate, to attend to things.

When we process information,

it can be we're having quite a negative filter on things.

We are having lots of negative thoughts around lots of different

situations. Also about ourselves, very critical thinking.

We can have feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness low self-worth.

We can struggle to want to engage with people, so we can have social withdrawal.

We can struggle with our sleep.

So we can either sleep excessively or not be able to get off to sleep and have

insomnia. We can have problems with our physical health,

so it's almost,

we don't feel motivated and energized to be able to do anything as well.

So there's a range of different symptoms commonly associated with depression.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is something that we all experience.

It's a very common feeling to feel anxious day to day for various reasons.

We can feel anxious in work. We can feel anxious at home for various things.

It can include triggers such as a situation, a circumstance,

an event. We need anxiety almost to be able to perform at times,

and it's actually very helpful for us. When we do have anxiety,

it feels like worry, uncertainty, fear,

sometimes unease, and it might be about a future event, for example,

we're having to face and deal with,

and the body responds to anxiety by triggering this fight or

flight response where it releases hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol into

our body to be able to cope with whatever we are having to deal with in its

milder forms. It's something that we see day to day in our life. As I say.

However,

when it becomes chronic and actually it stays with us and it impairs

our functioning in some way,

we could be starting to see the evidence of an anxiety disorder forming.

Is it normal for people to feel anxious?

It's a very normal feeling to feel anxiety and it can be for lots of different

reasons. So it might be that we are doing something outside of our comfort zone.

We are going to face a difficult situation.

It might be that we are experiencing something in life, which is very difficult.

For example,

we are out of work that is natural to feel that anxiety around those sorts of

things. So it's to totally normal. And when we have anxiety,

we've then got this body response to it,

which is the fight or flight response where the body triggers the hormones such

as adrenaline into our body for us to be able to address the things that we're

having to face and tackle them and address them in a helpful way and

to be successful in whatever we're doing. However,

when it impacts us to a point where we can't do things and it is a struggle

then to cope with whatever we're having to face,

it then starts to become maybe something outside of that and potentially a

clinical condition.

And there are different clinical conditions within the umbrella term of anxiety

disorders,

and it just depends on our certain set of symptoms as to what that anxiety

disorder may be.

What is burnout?

In our lifestyle, particularly our working life and our working environment,

and our approach to our working environment,

we can have a situation where our physical and mental health is affected,

and that can lead to something. What is known as burnout.

Burnout is when we have excessive work related pressure and demands

placed upon us, or we're placing upon ourselves,

which is not successfully managed,

and it ends up in a situation where we're feeling burnt out by work.

In the world that we're in at the moment, which is all about technology,

everyone's on the go all the time, and we're also working a lot from home.

We often have a situation where the boundaries have become blurred between our

work life and our home life,

and people are starting to feel the pressure of all of that and starting to feel

quite burnt out by the situation.

What are the symptoms of burnout?

There can be a range of different symptoms associated with the syndrome of

burnout that we commonly see.

And everyone's a little bit different in how they present and how burnout man

manifests within them. However,

some of the typical ones can be things such as cynicism and negativity

around the demands that we've got on us or the workplace, for example,

or the role we've got in work or our employer.

We can have just negative thinking in general. Our perception of things,

how we're turning up to things as well.

So it might be that we are quite confrontational when we're not.

Usually we can be quite irritable, have low mood.

We can be worrying a lot of the time,

or actually not really caring at the same time.

So a real sort of contradiction in how we're seeing things.

We really want to do well and we want to do a good job. Well, at the same time,

we don't care and we don't really want to do it either.

So it's a real contradiction at times within the person.

We can also see that the person can struggle with sleep.

They can struggle with eating,

whether they're not having an appetite or they're eating too much,

they can have problems with energy and motivation.

They can feel physically and emotionally and mentally absolutely drained and

exhausted by so many different things that they've got going on.

When they go home, they might be getting feedback that they're not a good dad,

they're not being a good partner,

and that is just really hard for the person because they're not having the best

time at work.

Then they're going home and maybe they're getting the feedback that they're not

doing a good job there, and so they don't have that sanctuary in either camp,

and so life becomes extremely difficult and then it just continues to

maintain itself and manifest into a syndrome known as burnout.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a term used to describe sleep problems.

And it can be us getting off to sleep. We are struggling with,

or it might be staying asleep.

And what happens is by the end of the night's sleep,

we haven't had enough rest and recuperation to face the next day.

And so what happens is we all know what that's like when we go into the next day

feeling tired and we've got lots of different things to do and to deal

with.

We find the day then very grueling and it then starts to impact on our physical

health and our mental health even more. Maybe our social relationships,

maybe our workplace.

There's lots of different impacts from not having a good night's sleep.

What types of mental health conditions are there?

There are many different conditions in mental health and just like physical

illnesses, we have conditions that go from the mild to the severe,

from the acute to the chronic and the complex.

We have conditions that are commonly associated with each other. For example,

common mental health conditions of anxiety and depression.

There can be a range of different conditions that you may

feel like you might be experiencing,

and it's really important if you do feel you've got any of these symptoms and

you've been looking at this yourself to contact someone and speak to them about

the situation and get the help you need as soon as you can do.

And I would also say that conditions look very different for different people.

So just because maybe your friend has had depression and it looks something like

this, doesn't mean to say that your depression is going to look the same.

So that is a really important thing to consider too.

Is it OK to be open about my mental health?

It is okay to be open about your mental health.

We're not saying it's easy to do so for certain people it can be a very

difficult conversation depending on the circumstances,

depending on the person and obviously what they're going through. However,

we start to then think about, well, who am I going to open up to?

And it's really important if you can do to open up to someone potentially in a

professional capacity like your line manager or the HR department,

or it might be a healthcare professional,

or if your employee's got an employee assistance program,

it might be speaking to a specialist there.

But we really encourage you to speak to someone as soon as you can do to get the

support you need. If that's in a professional sense,

that would be great because for example, in work,

they're looking after you there.

They would want to know about these sorts of things so that they can help you

and support you within that environment.

And then thinking about the other side of things,

which is your family and friends, and they are often the first port of call.

They are the people that we turn to for support. They love and care about us.

They would want you to be open with them and to share what's going on for you.

So if you do need some support and you're struggling right now,

please do reach out to someone as soon as possible. Don't delay.

Pick up the phone, send someone a text, book an appointment,

and get the help that you need.

How can I start talking about my mental health?

So it might be that you want to talk about your mental health with a colleague,

with a friend, with a family member.

And common things we often hear from people are that they feel worried about

having that conversation. They don't know where to start.

They wonder if it's going to change the relationship they've got with that

person.

They wonder about whether they're going to be judged because of it and

what people will think, will they be concerned about them? Will they be worried?

So there's lots of different things that go through someone's mind when they're

thinking about opening up and starting a conversation about their mental health.

And it might be that your preference is to speak to a healthcare professional in

the first instance,

or it might be that you want to actually speak to a family member or a friend.

And there's no right or wrong to that.

And it depends often on the circumstances and how you feel that conversation may

go. And what we would say is in terms of tips for going about that conversation,

it's things such as consider the mode of communication.

How are you going to share that information?

Is it going to be via a telephone call? Are you going to send a text?

Are you going to open up the conversation face to face?

Where is the place and time that you're going to do that?

Try and be as honest as you can be because that person needs to know what's

going on for you.

Thinking about you might give relevant examples of what's been going on.

You might give them some information about some of the things that you're having

to face and to experience.

It might be good to tell them about what helps and maybe if they're doing

something that doesn't help, maybe suggest that too.

And the last thing I'd probably say is if they're not a healthcare professional,

maybe give that person a break because it might have come like a bolt out of the

blue. They may not be expecting what you're about to say,

or it might be that they have thought it before and actually they want to ask

you lots of different questions about it.

And they may not necessarily navigate it exactly how you would want,

but revisit that conversation again with them when you're both ready to and

continue to have conversations about your mental health with whoever it is

around you that's closest to you,

because they're looking to help and support you as much as they can do.

I think someone is struggling, what should I do?

It may be the work colleague, they may be an employee,

they may be a family member or a friend, whoever they are.

It is important that you do speak to them and it's good to talk.

If we think about what that conversation looks like,

thinking about the fact that sadly,

there is still stigma in society around mental health in certain demographics,

cultures, families, generations.

And so whilst it might be okay for you to talk about your mental health,

that other person might not necessarily be that comfortable.

So just treading carefully,

seeing how they're responding to what you've got to ask and say is a really good

starting point. Then thinking about see it say it principle.

So if you see something and someone looks a certain way, mention it.

So it might be you seem like you've got the weight of the world on your

shoulders at the moment, and they can either say, well, yes,

actually that is the case this month. I've really felt like that.

Thank you for noticing that. Or they might say, well, no,

I felt like that last month, but now I don't feel so bad actually.

And they've put you straight and there's no harm done.

But you've gone out there and you've asked them something because that is what

you are sensing in how they're presenting to you.

And then thinking about that conversation about having open-ended questions

during the course of that conversation, that opens that person up.

It doesn't shut the conversation down,

and that person can go in any direction then with what they've got to say.

There's some tips,

but also just thinking about the actual conversation and making sure that person

is in a safe place. The environment is safe, it's private,

and they can spend some time with you and you can give them your full attention.

How can I talk to my children about mental health?

Giving our children and young people an opportunity to talk to us,

to open up and to share what they've got to say about their mental health and

wellbeing is some of the most important things we can do.

If we think about what that conversation might entail and how we feel about that

conversation.

The child is only looking for you to listen,

to hear them, to understand what they're going through.

You don't have to have all the answers.

You don't have to fix things for them because that is the pressure that we can

feel as parents and caregivers, that we've got to have all the answers.

No one has all the answers. No one gets it perfect every time.

The child will be reassured by you just listening to what they've got to say and

asking them questions about how they're getting on. So if we think about being,

rather than doing with a child, that is really, really,

really important to consider.

If we think about how we have that conversation with the child,

it can be sometimes helpful to just ask open questions about how their day's

been, how they've been getting on with things, how they feel about things,

and you are modelling to them how they should then connect with themselves and

how they should relate to themselves,

and also how they should regulate themselves.

If we think about then the conversation itself and when it can happen,

it might be that you're thinking, well, I don't know when the right time is.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to make things worse.

We really want you to think about maybe having the conversation when you're

doing an activity with the child,

because it can seem less intense for that child.

So it might be that you are making tea or you are driving along in the car and

there isn't that direct eye contact and that intensity then for that child to

then open up and talk to you about whatever they've got to say.

And then thinking about children and what it's like to be a child.

And we love them because they're so quirk and they say things that we don't

expect them to say a lot of the time,

and that's why they're so funny and endearing. So if you think about that,

expect the unexpected. When you ask questions, you get answers,

and we need to think about you having quite a neutral response to those answers

and not be over emotional if you can help it.

And so just giving that child that safe place to be able to speak to you and

disclose whatever it may be,

whatever they're thinking about and feeling that is really,

really important because that reinforces them to do that again with you.

And that is all the child is looking for you to do, is just to be hearing them,

listening to them, and understanding what they've got to say.

Why is there a stigma about mental health?

There is still a stigma in society around mental health.

I'm sad to say as a clinician, however,

it is improving and we're giving a lot of important attention to this subject

and it is work in progress and it is great to see. However,

there are still sections of society there are demographics,

there are generations,

there are cultures where there is still a stigma around speaking about mental

health and accessing mental health services.

And if we think about why stigma exists still, it is about, for example,

prejudice and misinformation and fear around the subject.

And what we need to do is continue our plight breakdown barriers for

people to be able to feel comfortable in sharing about their mental health as

much as they can do. Because if we don't do,

there's all sorts of staggering implications when we don't address our mental

health for us as individuals, the people around us and society.

And it leads to discrimination.

So let's break down the barriers and continue to do so together.

Is it important to look after my mental health?

It's very important to look after our mental health.

And if we think about that rather than anything associated with a mental health

condition for this question,

let's think about then what it looks like to just look after our mental health

day-to-day. And there's three things we typically would want you to think about.

The first one being our physiology.

So that is the foundation of everything really. So our diet,

our exercise regime, what we are drinking.

So are we drinking enough fluids? Are we using alcohol within reasonable limits?

Are we smoking? Are we using illicit drugs?

All of those things impact us as a person. Are we sleeping enough?

Are we getting rest?

These are the things that are the basis for us to exist and exist. Well,

and if you think about the link between physical and mental health,

it's really important that we get that basis right.

Then we think about the choices that we're making with our life.

And if we think about it, we've got 168 hours in the week,

how do you spend yours? And we really think about what that week looks like.

And have you got a good work-life balance?

How are you choosing to spend your time? Who are you choosing to spend it with?

Are you happy in the relationships you've got at the moment?

Are you happy with your finances?

Are you under stress in any way with regards to your social life,

your financial life, your physical health?

Are you doing things about them within your working week,

within the week itself?

And if you are struggling and you can't seem to get the time you need to be able

to go into these things that you want to enjoy. Let's look at that.

Let's take a massive step back and work out what you need to do about it.

Are you spending enough quality time with people?

Are you socially able to go out and enjoy yourself?

Are you taking regular holidays? Are you having breaks in work?

Things like that.

All of those things contribute to your wellbeing and your mental health,

and that is firmly about the choices. Life is a series of choices.

And let's look at the choices you're making.

And then the final thing is attitudes our beliefs, our perceptions,

how we see the world. It's often not the stressor,

it's the way we perceive the stressor. And if we think about,

are you looking at things in a negative sense or is it more of a positive lens?

We need to understand your attitudes, your beliefs,

your appraisals of things,

and whether they are negative or positive or balanced.

Are you able to have gratitude for the things you've got in your life or not?

Are you seeing things as a threat rather than an opportunity?

These are the things that we would expect you to consider when you are looking

to improve your mental health.

How can someone be a better listener?

Being a good listener is one of the most important skills we can have in life

because we are social animals and we are expected to listen to people so many

times throughout the course of even just one day.

And being effectively listened to is so therapeutic and so powerful for someone

emotionally. It has so much benefit for us as a person.

So in terms of mental health,

it is crucial that we are listened to and we listen to others too.

If we think about what it looks like to be a good listener and a better

listener, we think about things such as the way you go into the conversation.

So you are nonverbal body language. Are you having open posture?

So you look like you are the, to listen to what that person has got to say.

Are you giving them good eye contact so you are giving them your full and

undivided attention and they understand that.

Are you picking up on their nonverbal cues?

So you're sensing how that person seems to be in that conversation and going

with that sense.

Are you thinking about the next question you're going to ask or are you just

going to go with the flow? Because that is really what we're looking for.

We don't want you to be interrupting,

to be putting your opinions out there and coming up with solutions when that

person hasn't asked you that.

This is really crucial because people just need to share sometimes and just need

to be heard.

Are you then thinking about being curious about what that person's got to say?

Remaining calm,

remaining quite compassionate to whatever they've got to say and share with you

to make sure that they feel that you,

they're not being judged in that conversation. And finally,

just thinking about the way you handle it. When you finish that conversation,

potentially you might want to thank the person for sharing the information with

you because they may have never shared that before.

So it's really important that you recognize people's efforts if they do start to

speak to you about their mental health particularly.

Should we break the stigma around mental health?

It's really important to start breaking the stigma down because stigma is the

and exists,

and it means that people aren't connecting with what's going on for them as an

individual. They are then worsening potentially in their symptoms,

soldiering gone,

potentially impacting on people around them so that their life is indirectly

affected by this individual.

But also society is the implications of not addressing mental health

and having stigma around mental health in a society are staggering.

They're staggering on many different levels. On an individual level,

on a societal level, on a financial level, on an economic.

There's all sorts of implications for us not addressing stigma

within society. If we go back to the individual as well,

we think about someone who has had worsening symptoms over time.

That is then likely to mean that the,

they are going to have less effective treatment potentially for the mental

health, and also recovery is less likely to be successful as a result.

So there are implications for the person,

particularly if they feel stigmatized when they think about accessing

mental health services or even discussing it and approaching it with other

people.

Can mental health affect my body?

Mental health and physical health are not separate entities.

They are completely combined. They intertwine.

There's a complex interplay between our physical and mental health.

If we are mentally well,

we are likely to be physically well in a lot of ways and vice versa.

When we have mental health conditions,

we can commonly see physical health conditions and

symptoms associated with those conditions. For example, we can have headaches,

we can have digestive problems, we can have aches and pains.

There's all sorts of things that can happen when someone has a mental health

condition in regards to their physical health.

And it's really important that we have parity within looking after our

physical and mental health because both of them are equalling as important as

each other.

Am I the only one struggling with mental health?

So like physical health,

we can see good and bad days so we can feel physically fit and well.

But then for whatever reason, we don't want to go to the gym that day.

We don't want to go for a run. We have aches and pains.

We can't really explain them.

But then the next day we bounce back and we go back into the gym.

We go for that run. Our mental health is just the same. So on any given day,

we might feel a little bit low that day we might be a little,

little bit anxious. No one is a hundred percent happy all of the time.

That is a definite fact.

And sometimes our mental health can be affected by all sorts of different things

for different reasons in different people.

And it's never the same for any two people in society.

Everyone experiences it very differently and is unique.

What we've got to realize is when it comes to mental health and struggles,

it is common and mental health conditions are common actually.

So one in four of us in a year will experience mental ill health,

and if it is you who's struggling with your mental health right now,

please do reach out and speak to a professional about it because they are there

to help you and they will welcome you to do so.

Does talking about my mental health make me weak?

Talking about mental health is definitely not a sign of weakness.

It's actually quite the opposite. Everyone cries at times.

Everyone needs help and support. That is the reality of our lives.

We all experience anxiety at times,

low mood and stress that is common on a day-to-day basis with us

all. When we think about,

when we do share about our mental health and our feelings,

it's actually empowering. We grow as a person.

We can elicit change within ourselves. We get a sense of relief from it.

So there's lots of different benefits from sharing about how we feel.

And it's definitely not a weakness. It's more a strength because if we don't,

we're impacting ourselves. We're impacting people around us.

And so to have the strength and the courage to address your mental health,

it says so much about you as an individual. And what I would say is as well,

it's really beneficial in so many different ways.

And when we do start to share things about ourselves with others,

it actually humanizes us.

It shows a bit of vulnerability and actually people connect with us and bond

with us on many different levels. We're all facing a battle of some form.

It's just what that is.

So I'd really encourage you to speak about your mental health with a trusted

person. With a professional if you need to,

because it's really life transforming.

How can I tell if someone may be struggling?

It really can depend on the situation and the circumstances,

the person themselves, and obviously the problems that they're experiencing.

But in very broad terms, the person has changed in some ways,

in the way they operate, the way they behave,

the way they are speaking to you, their outlook on things, the habits.

There's something that has changed in them as a person,

and you've noticed it as someone close to them.

And it can be things such as you've invited them to come to events and they're

starting to decline them, and that is not typical of them.

Or it might be that they are turning up to events and they're being,

for example, confrontational,

or they're not showing any emotional response to things and they seem quite numb

and detached. Or it might be quite the opposite,

and they're becoming quite tearful for no apparent reason.

But you've noticed a shift in them. You've noticed changes within them,

and I would encourage you to keep asking them how they're doing,

because it might be on one occasion they don't want to speak about it,

but the next time you ask them,

they do start to open up and tell you what's going on for them.

How can mental health affect someone's life?

There are so many ways in which mental health problems can affect someone's

life.

Their life is almost all about mental health that is

intrinsic to every single last thing that they do in their life.

It is about the way they perceive things, how they problem solve,

how they handle stress, how they feel inside themselves,

how they deal with others. There's so many things,

how they manage their finances,

that the implications of mental health are huge on a person.

And what we find is when one thing happens to them, another thing happens,

and things start to compound and manifest.

And the person can then be impacted by multiple,

potentially mental health problems, at least more than one.

And that can be very, very debilitating and difficult,

and has a significant effect on their functioning and reaching their potential

and their quality of life struggles significantly.

What may be negatively impacting my mental health?

Well, you are the expert on you. And when we look at this, we think about, well,

okay, when was the last time you felt, okay, well good in yourself?

And let's think about what was going on around that time.

Who did you have around you? What were you doing? Were you in work?

What was the work environment? How did you present in work?

How did you feel in yourself? How did you seem turn up to things?

And then what we start to do is think about, well,

what's happened since that time when you felt well, when you felt good,

when you felt better? And then let's think about what may have happened.

So has there been changes in finances in your working life,

in your personal life with the people around you?

Has something changed within you? For example,

have you got now a physical health complaint, for example?

There can be lots of different things that have happened along the way to lead

you to this point where you might be feeling that you might be struggling in

some way or something might be negatively impacting on your mental health.

And then we think about then breaking it down and really understanding

what might have gone on.

And if you are doing that and you can't seem to work out what might be the

factors at play and you're struggling to put things together and understand it

in your own mind, reach out to a healthcare professional,

reach out to someone and speak to them and get a fresh pair of eyes on the

subject and they will help you to look at what's been going on and guide you to

the right source of support.

What can I do to improve my mental health?

To stay mentally fit and well, or what we could use as the term mental hygiene.

We think about then what that really looks like in reality.

And I guess it's a bit like dental hygiene. We clean our teeth once,

twice a day. We don't really think too much about it,

but we've got to apply the same principles to our mental health.

Why do you do that every day with your teeth?

You do it because you don't want your teeth to become bad.

The same principles apply to your mental health or your mental hygiene.

So thinking about that, what does that look like on a day-to-day basis?

We've got to think about our physical health because that has a lot of interplay

with our mental health. So we need to keep physically well, for example,

our exercise routine, our sleep, our diet,

things like that are really important for our mental wellbeing.

And then we keep it almost hygienic within our mind. We've got a good mindset.

We've got a growth mindset every day.

We are keeping fit and well within our own mental capacity.

And then we think about what else do we need to do?

We need to have people around us that are good for us.

We need to enjoy our work. We need to have purpose in our life.

Things like this are really important. And also things such as,

are we having a good work life balance?

Are we getting enough play in association with how much we work?

So thinking about that, it's about booking holidays, getting out there,

having hobbies, having interests, and enjoying them as well.

Is it possible to prevent poor mental health?

In most cases, it is possible to prevent poor mental health.

We've got to think about things such as how we understand ourselves.

Self-awareness is so important as an initial step.

Do we understand how we operate, how we tick, what affects us? What helps,

what doesn't help? What are our signs of stress?

These are the things that we should understand about ourselves as we go through

life. And then we start to think about, well, how do we invest in ourselves?

How do we look after ourselves? How do we prioritize ourselves first?

Because before we do that, before we do anything with anyone else,

we've got to do that. That is really, really important.

Thinking about then about the activities that we engage in,

how we choose to live our life,

what choices are we making with regards to the people we're spending time with,

our relationships, our wellness? More broadly,

are we looking after our physical health, our financial health?

There's all sorts of things we can do to prevent poor mental health.

I'm busy, how do I engage with wellbeing services?

Nearly everyone's life is extremely busy.

But it's essential that we engage with services that are there designed to help

us with our mental health and wellbeing. And within any lifestyle,

any schedule, any diary,

we can accommodate one of those services or one of those resources or one of

those facilities. Let's think about what is open to us. We've got things online,

digital, we've got telephone-based services,

we've got appointments and consultations that are face-to-face.

There's so many different things.

There's something for everyone with regards to our mental health and wellbeing

and keeping it in check. And then we've got to think about, well,

what is the first step? And often the first step is the hardest step,

which is planning even to just access that first service or that

resource page. So let's think about how we do that.

We've got to form healthy habits within our life,

and we've got to prioritize our own wellbeing.

And so it's really important that we take stock,

we look at our diary and we work out where can we fit this in?

And we might need to say no to things,

to be able to say yes to things that we need to.

And that is the reality of this.

We've got to invest in ourselves to sustain our mental health and wellbeing.

Is it OK to use mental health support services?

There is still stigma in society around mental health services and people have

sometimes fears around, you know,

what it's going to be like to go through the process of speaking to someone

about their mental health. There can be fear, there can be fear of judgement,

there can be fear of change of what they're going to discover.

There can be the male traditional stereotype of, this is weak.

If I go and access this help. The pride stops them from doing that.

It can be that someone is wondering how it will impact them.

For example, from a career perspective,

there's lots of different things that go on in a person's mind,

and there are also opinions such as, you know,

are mental cell health services going to actually help me? Are they effective?

What do they do to help me in these sorts of situations?

There's lots of questions being asked of us as clinicians,

as people start to access mental health services.

Is it okay to ask access mental health services? What is it going to be like?

And people when they have access services say,

why didn't I do this 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 40 years ago?

And I have that as a clinician on a day-to-day basis. So what I would say is,

if you are struggling, reach out. Pick up the phone,

contact someone today, book the appointment.

We are here as mental health clinicians to support you.

We care deeply about you and we want to get you fit and well,

and to have that quality of life back that you deserve.

Can you have multiple mental health conditions?

Like physical illnesses,

people can have more than one mental health condition at a time,

and this is known as comorbidity.

And we can typically see that certain common mental health conditions can come

hand in hand, for example, anxiety and depression. And so yes,

people can experience more than one mental health condition at a time.

What causes mental health conditions?

There are so many things that affect mental health and therefore can cause or

can be associated with mental health conditions.

The list is pretty endless really. But if we just think about some of them,

they are things such as our genetics, our personality,

our life experiences,

our social and economic status things that happen to us

during the course of our life.

There's lots of different things that can impact on us as a person and can

lead and cause mental health conditions.

Who can experience mental ill health?

Mental health cuts across every sector of society.

It does not discriminate.

And we find that we can all experience mental ill health at times,

and it might be that we are certainly more likely to experience certain common

mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Some of us are more vulnerable to mental health than others for different

reasons. It could be our genetics, it could be our life experiences.

It could be our physical health problems that we may be facing or our

upbringing.

There's lots of different reasons why we might be more vulnerable than the next

person to experiencing mental health problems,

but definitely we can all experience them.

How common is it to experience mental ill health?

So it is common to experience mental ill health, and in the uk,

one in four of us will experience a mental health problem in the year.

And if we think about then within England,

one in six of us will experience a common mental health condition such as

anxiety and depression in any given week.

So if you think about a typical family household,

we're either indirectly or directly going to be affected by mental health

problems on a weekly basis.

How can I keep my employees mentally healthy?

As a manager, we've got a key role.

We are often the first port of call for our employees,

so it's really important that we consider how we keep our team mentally healthy.

And if we think about that,

it could be things such as creating a sense of cohesion, of connection,

of belonging.

It might be about reaching out to people and having a sort of a non-problem

talk conversation. So it's not about work,

it's not about anything to do with their role within that working environment.

It's actually about them as a person, as an individual.

And now with this remote working,

it's harder and harder to be able to connect to people on that personal level.

So just reaching out and just starting the first part of the conversation,

maybe in a one-to-one by talking about them and how they're getting on and what

they've been up to,

and just sharing something about yourself as well that can really start to

create that sense of connection with your employee.

Then thinking about the wider team and thinking about raising awareness of

particular subjects and issues and then people get more used to and more

comfortable in talking about ensuring experiences and things that are going

on for them and really connecting on different subjects.

Thinking then about how you practice what you preach.

So if you are asking them to clock off and make sure they take breaks and make

sure the booking holidays, make sure that you are modelling the same things.

Creating that sense of psychological safety so that people can turn up and show

up to work however they would like to in the sense of they are them,

be you wherever you are in your work because that is really important that

we're not excluding people.

We are inclusive as an employer and as a manager,

you recognize whatever they're bringing to the party and you value them

dearly.

Thinking about then how you communicate with them and thinking about making sure

that you've asked them how they're doing, making sure that you check in,

you're detecting if there's any issues, say what you see.

So if you do notice something, a change in someone,

make sure that you put it to them and see if you can help them to understand

what's been going on for them.

And maybe you need to make some adjustments for them.

But having that open conversation and having that safe place for them to be able

to do that with you as their manager is going to be really beneficial for their

mental wellbeing and work.

Who are you?

Hello, I'm Dr.

Naomi Humber and I'm a clinical psychologist and also head of Mental wellbeing

at Bupa Health Clinics.

Please feel free to ask me anything you want about your mental health,

how to support others with their mental health,

and how to access some of bupa's mental health services.

How can Bupa support me with my mental health?

Bupa,

we've got a range of different resources and services to support you with your

mental health and wellbeing needs.

You can call our mental health specialist support team and they will provide you

with information about what your policy covers.

You can also look at if you have access to an employee assistance program,

and if you're unsure about that,

please do speak to your HR team and they will allow you to understand whether

that is something you have available. And finally,

we have lots of information on our Bupa website too.

How do I access the Bupa mental health services?

If you have a GP referral,

please do feel free to contact the Mental Health Specialist Support Team and

they will guide you through that process to accessing treatment.

If you don't have a GP referral letter,

please do contact the Mental Health Specialist support team and they will talk

you through what is available on your policy.

You may have access to an employee assistance program or access to digital gp,

however,

please do refer to your certificate about those things or speak to your HR

team who will be able to help you and guide you through that process.

What types of mental health treatment are there?

In the main treatments available for mental health conditions are either

medication or a talking therapy or a combination of both.

And people will find that they have a preference for one or the other usually.

And we find that sometimes one treatment is more effective than another for

various reasons, and it's not necessarily about the treatment.

It can be about the person's circumstances, their particular preferences,

what's going on for them at that particular point in time,

or the complexity of different issues and symptoms that they are experiencing.

Do I have a choice of mental health professionals?

You absolutely do have a choice of mental health professionals at Bupa.

You can access our consultant and facilities, find a website,

and there you'll have access to all our Bupa approved clinicians.

And you can have a look there yourself if you'd like to,

or you can contact our Bupa mental health specialist support team,

and they will be able to guide you through that process with an informed

understanding of the right clinician,

with the right training and the credentials that are required for you to get the

right treatment. And also look at your preference.

It might be a personality preference, it might be something to do with,

for example, a gender of the therapist that you are looking for.

And also make sure that that consultant or therapist is covered on your policy.

What if I don't like the therapist I have chosen?

As a clinician and at Bupa, we understand that that can happen on occasion,

and we want you to have the right person for you for that really important

mental health journey.

So we'd encourage you to contact the Bupa mental health Specialist support team,

and they will be able to guide you through that process and make sure that you

have the right person for you,

whether that's the personality fit or there's another preference that you're

looking for,

and they will ensure as well that that person is covered on your policy.

Who can I talk to about my mental health?

At Bupa,

we have a range of different professionals and services available for you to

help with your mental health.

You can call our mental health specialist support team at Bupa and there are a

range of advisors for you to speak to about what is covered on your mental

health policy and also a team of mental health nurses too.

You may have access to an employee assistance program at Bupa,

and I would encourage you to speak to your HR if you're unsure and that goes for

digital GP two,

you may have access to a digital GP as part of your policy. Again,

if you're unsure,

please do contact your HR team and they will be able to guide you.

How are mental health conditions diagnosed?

Mental health conditions are typically diagnosed by a doctor,

and the process is usually something where we talk through the person's

presenting issues and their symptoms, the history of the complaint.

We look at the person's circumstances and needs and the severity of the

situation and how much the symptoms are impacting on their functioning to be

able to make that diagnosis.

Will I see my therapist online or in-person?

Most consultants and therapists these days offer both remote and face-to-face

consultations.

It may be because of the type of mental health condition you have and the needs

associated with that.

The consultant or therapist recommends that you have a face-to-face

consultation. However,

I do encourage you to speak to the clinician about this and they will be able to

guide you on what is best for you.

Will I have to pay towards my treatment?

If you have excess on your policy,

you may have to contribute towards your treatment costs. However,

if you call the mental health specialist support team,

they will be able to explain those costs to you before you go on to any

treatment.

How long do mental health therapy sessions last?

A therapy session typically lasts between.

50 And 60 minutes.

I am scared of having therapy sessions. Any tips?

I think it's a really normal and natural thing to be quite scared about going

into a therapy session. It's the unknown.

It's something maybe you've never done before. It's a stranger,

and you're going to be talking about some very personal things potentially,

and so we understand that as clinicians. It's a big,

brave thing that you're doing, and it's a courageous first step.

Thinking about other appointments that you've been to in your life and how they

went, and typically they've all gone very well and the person who's led that

appointment has guided you through that process.

The same will happen with a mental health therapy session,

particularly an initial session.

It might be that you want to prepare for that session and make some notes before

you go in thinking about what you'd like to convey and what you'd like to say in

that initial session. If you don't want to prepare, that's absolutely fine too.

It might be worthwhile telling your therapist on that initial session how you're

feeling and they will be able to reassure you and support you through that

initial conversation.

Will my manager know if I use my Bupa policy?

No, any of the support you receive through Bupa will not be shared with your

employer and your treatment will remain confidential.

Can I refer employees for Bupa support?

You can signpost your employee to Bupa as a support tool,

and they can come to us and get guidance, advice, and support.

You can also signpost them to the mental health specialist support team and you

may have access to an employee assistance program for your employee.

And if you are unsure about this,

please do contact your HR team and they will be able to help you.

Do I need a GP referral in order to get treatment?

You might not need a GP referral to get access to treatment.

You may have access to an employee assistance program via your employer or

access to digital gp. However, if you are unsure of this,

please do check it with your HR team as it will be subject to your policy.

You may want to contact the Bupa mental health specialist support team who may

be able to provide you with access to a pathway called the Direct Access

Service, where you can get a mental health assessment.

How do I find a therapist?

You can call our mental health specialist support team and they will be there to

guide you through that choice of clinicians who are suitable and appropriate for

your needs, and also to ensure that they are covered on your policy.

And you can also go onto the consultant and facilities finder to look at those

choices.

I have a GP referral. What do I do?

If you call the mental health specialist support team,

they may be able to guide you to an appropriate specialist and also ensure that

that person is covered on your policy and discuss next steps.

Does it take long to treat MH conditions?

The intensity and the duration of treatment for mental health conditions vary,

and it will depend on the level and the type of need for that person and the

symptoms that they are experiencing.

What we often find is that the person and their situation, their circumstance,

what's going on for them at the time of treatment will all play a part in how

effective that treatment is,

and so treatment might be extended because of those reasons. We do align,

though,

with nice guidance and regulation to ensure that we approach treatment in the

right way and we give people the treatment as the evidence base does suggest.

Can I access Bupa services if I leave my role?

Speak to us and we can discuss options with you.

That might include continuation of your insurance policy once your employment

ends. We can also discuss potentially pay-as-you-go services at Bupa,

and also anyone is able to access the health content on our website

and that is free and available for everyone.

Can I find a therapist myself?

You can find a therapist yourself,

and we do encourage you to look on the Bupa Consultant and Facilities Finder

website to ensure that they are Bupa recognized. However,

what we really recommend is that you contact our mental health specialist

support team who can guide you through that process.

Look at clinicians who have the right credentials, qualification,

and training to be able to support you and also ensure that that person is

covered on your policy.

Can Bupa support me without health insurance?

We may be able to support you on a pay as you go basis with your mental health

needs, and you can also access content through our website where there's lots of

information that is free and available to everyone.

My child is struggling. Can Bupa support them?

Bupa may be able to support your child with their mental health if they are

covered on your policy.

And if you call our mental health specialist support team,

they may be able to guide your child to an appropriate specialist depending on

their needs and situation.

You can also contact our family mental health line and speak to a team of nurses

who are there to guide and support you in regards to whatever problems or

difficulties or challenges your child is facing.

If you have access to the Employer Assistance Program at Bupa

by your employer,

they will be able to support your child if your child is 16 or 17 years old

themselves. And if not,

you can speak to your employee assistance program about your child too and get

support for yourself should you need to as a parent or caregiver.

Where can I find information about mental health?

There's lots of information out there from really trusted websites and

resources. I would encourage you to go to the Bupa website.

There is the JA platform. There is the N h S website,

and there's also charities such as mine that have lots of different information

that is free and available to everyone.

Mental health

How can we help you?

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