MindFull

MindFull offers children and young people immediate online therapeutic support. Let It All Out at mindfull.org Tweets by @MindFullUK !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

[mindfulluk]

OCD: a chronic, but treatable condition

  “OCD is not a disease that bothers; it is a disease that tortures.” (J.J.Keeler)

It’s OCD awareness week this week.  Once considered rare, OCD is now thought to affect around 2-3% of the population.  To some degree OCD-type symptoms are probably experienced by most of us, at one time or another.  Think about that time you wanted to pop back home to check if you’d left your hair straighteners on or that time you walked around a ladder, rather than walk under.  

OCD is an anxiety-based condition where someone experiences frequent intrusive thoughts, often followed by repetitive urges to carry out behaviour to neutralise the anxiety caused by the thought. It can take different forms, depending on the nature of the thoughts. For example, a client I worked with had intrusive thoughts about leaving appliances switched on and front door unlocked.  To neutralise the anxiety this caused him, he spent hours checking before he could leave his house.  Another client was an engaged-to-be married heterosexual woman who had intrusive thoughts about being gay.  She avoided eye contact with other women and used counting rituals to neutralise her anxiety.

OCD is a chronic but treatable condition.  Most people, including the two I just mentioned, can learn to reduce or even stop their compulsive rituals and decrease the intensity of their obsessional thoughts with cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) with or without medication.  Hopefully OCD awareness week will mean less people suffering alone and, instead, finding the way to their GP who can refer them to local psychology or therapy services to begin their journey to the right treatment and better quality of life.

[mindfulluk]

My brother's got schizophrenia

One of the online volunteers at mindfull.org has written a short piece about what it's like to have a brother with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is not something that everyone has heard about and that is simply because not enough awareness has been spread.

For those of you who don't already know, schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is often characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real and what is not. Common symptoms of schizophrenia include false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, auditory hallucinations, reduced social engagement and inactivity. Diagnosis of schizophrenia is based on observed behavior and the person's reported experiences. One thing that people don't often realise is that children can get schizophrenia as well as adults because often people think that only adults get it and that is not true.

  Well, schizophrenia has had an impact on my life but only since 2010 when my brother got diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was only eight years old. People used to call him mad and crazy. When I was younger I didn't quite get what schizophrenia was and that’s because I never had to know but I think everyone should know what it is because it effects so many people.

My brother will sometimes say he can see and hear things in front of him and he will talk to them as if they are really there. It can sometimes be scary but not if you know how to deal and react to it. 

People often think that schizophrenia is untreatable and that is not true at all because there are more and more treatments becoming available for schizophrenia. Also, not everyone with schizophrenia has the same symptoms because every case is different. 

Another thing I would like to point out is, people often say that people with schizophrenia cannot live normal lives and I can tell you that people with schizophrenia can live the same life as everyone else but just with a few more obstacles in their way. My brother goes to school, has friends and when he grows up he really wants to become a teacher. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you learnt something new from reading this!

[mindfulluk]

What schizophrenia isn't

Today is World Mental Health Day, and this year its focus is on schizophrenia. Head of Counselling at MindFull, Sona, has written an introduction to the illness, listed what it does, what it is, and what it isn't.

Schizophrenia is one of those mental disorders that many people seem to confuse with something else, such as multiple personality disorder. It’s a very simple yet very terrifying condition, characterized by usually having a combination of hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations can involve any of your five senses, but in schizophrenia, usually involves seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there (like hearing other people’s voices inside your head telling you to do something you don’t want to). Delusions are a false belief in something, such as the CIA is out to get you.

Many of us hear voices in our heads, but usually it’s our own voice acting as our conscious (“You really shouldn’t eat that second piece of cake!”). That’s not schizophrenia. And many of us believe in something that isn’t true (“Life is fair.”). That’s not schizophrenia either. The symptoms of schizophrenia need to be serious and significantly impact your daily life.

Here’s a list of 12 myths about schizophrenia:

Individuals with schizophrenia all have the same symptoms. Not true, there are different types of schizophrenia. Even individuals diagnosed with the same subtype of schizophrenia often look very different. Schizophrenia is “a huge, huge range of people and problems

People with schizophrenia are dangerous, unpredictable and out of control. When their illness is treated with medication and psychosocial interventions, individuals with schizophrenia are no more violent than the general population

Schizophrenia is a character flaw. The idea that schizophrenia is a character defect is no more realistic than suggesting that someone could ‘decide’ not to have cancer if he ate the right foods.

Cognitive decline is a major symptom of schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia most likely experience cognitive difficulties with problem solving, attention, memory and processing. They may forget to take their medication. They may ramble and not make sense. They may have a tough time organizing their thoughts. Again, these are symptoms of schizophrenia, which have nothing to do with character or personality.

There are psychotic and non-psychotic people. It is no black and with. There is a progression of symptoms.

Schizophrenia develops quickly. Schizophrenia tends to develop slowly. Initial signs often show during adolescence.

Schizophrenia is purely genetic. Along with genetics, research has shown that stress and family environment can play a big role in increasing a person’s susceptibility to psychosis

Schizophrenia is untreatable. While schizophrenia is not curable, it is an eminently treatable and manageable chronic illness, just like diabetes or heart disease. The key is to get the right treatment for your needs

Sufferers need to be hospitalized. Most individuals with schizophrenia do well living in the community with outpatient treatment. Again, the key is the right treatment and adhering to that treatment, especially taking medication as prescribed

People with schizophrenia can’t lead productive lives. Many individuals can lead happy and productive lives

Medications make sufferers zombies and are worse than the illness itself. Most often these “zombies” symptoms are either from schizophrenia itself or because of overmedication. Antipsychotic drugs, as a group, are one of the safest groups of drugs in common use and are the greatest advance in the treatment of schizophrenia that has occurred to date

Individuals with schizophrenia can never regain normal functioning. Schizophrenia seems to be a problem that’s reversible. There’s no line that once it’s crossed signifies that there’s no hope for a person with schizophrenia

If you have any more questions about schizophrenia, or about other mental health problems - i'd be happy to speak to you. Find me online, at mindfull.org

[mindfulluk]

The Liberal Democrats want to make personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons mandatory, including lessons about conditions such as anxiety and depression. Read our CEO's comment.

[mindfulluk]

If you watched Emma Watson's #HeforShe speech on feminism last week, you'll have also heard the harrowing statistic above.  Make sure you know what's what when it comes to mental health care. Find out how you can do your bit to those having a hard time.

[mindfulluk]

Canine companions: good for mental health

For National Work/Life Balance week, one of our brilliant Mental Health Professionals, Jen, has written a blog about the benefit dogs can have on our happiness and health. 

You probably don’t need me to tell you just how brilliant dogs are, you already know: they’re awesome. So, on this, National Work/Life Balance week, I thought I would highlight just how good dogs can be for our mental wellbeing.

Firstly, a little bit about me and my canine companion. I have a fox red Labrador called Hector and he’s 4 years old. He’s a handsome chap, a bit like Marley from “Marley and Me” (and just as silly). He helps me achieve a good work/life balance because he’s a great companion, he loves being cuddled and patted, and he makes me take him for lots of really long walks in the fresh air. I find that I end up talking to lots of people on walks, and even chat to people in the street who want to say hello to Hector. It’s very sociable having a dog!

There is a lot of evidence showing that dogs benefit the health and happiness of humans in many different ways. From helping improve people’s mental health, to supporting people with autism and dementia, to lowering people’s blood pressure and helping heart attack recovery – there are loads of ways dogs help our mental and physical health. The Samaritans have just released a book called “My Dog, My Friend” which highlights how essential dogs can be in helping people to feel loved and connected. Dogs have evolved to live and communicate with humans. That’s why they can follow a person’s gaze or a pointing finger, and be trained to do all sorts of amazing things – they are so in tune with us.

So, if you have a dog at home, make sure you spend lots of time patting and cuddling him. Get out for lots of walks if possible – exercise, fresh air and a happy dog – it’s a winning combo!

And even if you don’t have a dog at home - here are some ideas to help you get connected with a canine companion:

-       Become a volunteer dog walker at the Cinnamon Trust: http://www.cinnamon.org.uk/ The Trust provide volunteer dog walkers to elderly or ill people who can’t get out to walk their dogs anymore. You will need to complete a volunteer registration form, which is available to download from their website. Here’s a nice story of a 15 year old guy who did just that: http://www.ykc.org.uk/cinnamon-trust-young-volunteer-award.

-       Try your local dog shelter – they are often looking for volunteers to walk dogs or help out around the shelter. Some shelters might not take under 18s as volunteers, due to insurance, but it’s worth a shot!

-       Befriend a neighbour with a dog and ask if they’d like help walking or taking care of the dog at any point.

Dogs are excellent influences on us – they live in the moment (hello, mindfulness!), they drag us away from technology to go on a walk whatever the weather, they make us interact with other people (whether it’s a random person on the street or someone else out dog walking), and they take us places we’d never go otherwise and appreciate the natural world around us. In short, they help us to balance our lives. 

[mindfulluk]

It's time to start thinking about work-life balance

Clinical Psychologist Louise, who volunteers for MindFull has written about the importance of having a work-life balance. 

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy".

“You will never feel truly satisfied by work until you are satisfied by life”.

These quotes sounds like no-brainers: who would disagree?  Yet, research tells us that the British work the longest hours in Europe, take the shortest lunch-breaks and have fewest public holidays.  The pressure of an increasingly demanding work culture in UK is possibly one of the most pressing challenge facing today’s population’s mental health.  Technology means that work is only ever one click away. 

Problems: The problem of an off-balance between your life (friends, family, health, interests, sleep) and your work is it can lead to stress, emotional and physical burnout.  Some of our best attempts to self-medicate (skipping lunch, working late to catch-up and relying on caffeine boosts) end up causing us more harm.

How to maintain balance:  Of course, there is no perfect balance.  Feeling stressed out is often a clue though to a need for change.  The best tips I’ve come across and try to follow are:

Firm boundaries: I’m clocking off at 5:30 today and work can wait till tomorrow/Monday

Resist checking work emails at home.  It can wait.

Try and work productively/efficiently while you’re in work mode.  Set yourself a target for the morning and have lunch away from desk once finished.

Stretch your legs.  Exercise has been shown to increase brainpower and decrease stress.

So, it’s over to you to look at your work-life balance.   Get it wrong and relationships will suffer.  No-one gets the best version of you; everyone just gets whatever’s left-over.

it’s over to you to look at your work-life balance.   Get it wrong and relationships will suffer.  No-one gets the best version of you; everyone just gets whatever’s left-over.

[mindfulluk]

7 tips to help you find your work-life balance

1. Get your sleeping pattern in order.

It can do you the world of good if you catch up on your Z's. Try to get to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day - and avoid sleeping in too late at the weekend. Give yourself time to wake up properly in the morning, ready to seize the following day.

2. Food's important.

Give yourself enough time in the morning to have a good breakfast. This'll give you the energy kick you need to shake off the sleep from your eyes and will help get you focused. Also very important here is ensuring you take a lunch break,it's a real-productivity booster. 

3. Regular exercise can lift your spirits.

Not only can regular exercise hugely benefit your physical health - but it can also work wonders for your mental health. Last week a report from China found those who live sedantry lifestyles are 25% more likely to have depression than those who live active, healthy lifestyles. One of our LifeMentors has blogged on how cycling influenced his mental health.

4. Adults aren't the only ones who need to worry about the work life balance.

Academic worries were the biggest cause of stress for nearly 50% of children - this means it's imperative that young people take the same care for their mental wellbeing as adults. Education can be just as stressful as employment, so make sure you're taking care of yourself, and if you can your mates as well. Ask how they're doing every once in a while.

5. Watch out for burnout.

You might think that there's nothing wrong with being a hard worker. And to some extent that's true, but being a SMART worker is more effective. Here's MindFull volunteer Annie talking about avoiding stress at university.

6. Keep your eye on your caffeine intake

We've all been there. In need of a pick-me-up in the middle of a 4,000 word piece of coursework. A quick, strong coffee is just what you need. But beware of over-doing it - caffeine will make you produce high levels of the "stress hormone" Cortisol. So try to avoid high levels of caffeine. 

7. Give social media a rest

Tweeting and Tumbling, Reddit and Imgur. These are all great ways of information sharing, but they can also become very addictive. Try giving it a break for a week, and see how you get on. 

[mindfulluk]

Annie's #worklifebalance tips/

Annie's a LifeMentor, and she's also just finished university. In this video she shares her advice on how to avoid burnout, stress and anxiety when enduring a testing time with your studies.

[mindfulluk]

A new analysis of previous studies ties too much sitting at the computer or lying around watching TV to a greater risk of depression.

Based on dozens of studies covering hundreds of thousands of participants, Chinese researchers found that sedentary behavior was linked to a 25 percent higher likelihood of being depressed compared to people who were not sedentary.

Read the full report here.

Get real-time online support from expert counsellors

[mindfulluk]

My Bicycle, Mental Health and Me.

Online volunteer for MindFull John, 24, blogs about how riding a bike every day has helped him through the depression he's had for nearly a decade.

6 months ago I was diagnosed with depression, and since then I've been taking Citalopram every day. A few months ago, I had a moment of clarity involving a bicycle - and I had to share it.

I’m 24 and have always felt like my world was a little different to everyone else’s. It’s always been a struggle to do straightforward things; the type of things that most people perform with such gliding, straightforward ease. Small things took gargantuan effort and I became overly familiar with deplorable habits. Things like recklessness, irritation, anger and binge-eating - and I hated myself for it.

This struggle went on for nearly a decade. Then 2 months ago I remembered a period of time at University when I signed up to join Cycling Club, and I remembered how the exercise had been so helpful with focusing my mind, lifting my spirits, and how in hindsight - it took me above water for the first time in a very long while. 

Giving your mental health a brake

At that moment, I didn’t make the connection between mental health and exercise, and eventually gave up the cycling (and most other exercise) after graduating. Predictably, I quickly slipped into the old routine.

Now here’s the thing, around two months ago I decided to take part in a local government initiative to “Get Britain cycling again!”, where you’re loaned a bike for 4 weeks. It’s all aimed at trying to cut obesity levels and to get the country fitter again, but I also found myself quickly reaping the mental rewards.  After cycling to and from work every day, and almost immediately feeling better as a result – I did some research on the subject. Here’s what I dug up on the internet.

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.

Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." That feeling, known as a "runner's high," can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life.

Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The neuron receptors endorphins bind to are the same ones that bind some pain medicines. However, unlike with morphine, the activation of these receptors by the body's endorphins does not lead to addiction or dependence.

Awesome. It's science: exercise makes you feel better.

I know it won’t work for everyone – but it’s working for me, and if you felt better after making a small change in your everyday lifestyle – i’d want to know. I implore you to give it a go.

[mindfulluk]

Find out more about suicide prevention

One of our staff members has written a short blog about how you can learn more about suicide prevention. It's a great idea to learn more about such a serious worldwide problem, so have a read - and if you like, register for one of the training workshops.

Suicide is a topic which many people struggle to talk about and it is often thought of as something which only mental health professionals should deal with. Finding the right professional support is of course important, but often people with suicidal thoughts will first speak with someone close to them such as a friend, family member or colleague.

Being able to support someone in that moment can be difficult and daunting, but there are courses which can give you the skills to be able to do this.

In a previous youth work role, I was given the opportunity to attend an ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) course to give me the skills to support young people should I need to. The course was in depth and left participants with a plan to follow in supporting people who are suicidal. Thankfully I have not had to use these skills since the training, however I am glad that I have had the opportunity to learn about what to do and feel confident that I would be able to support someone. I am not a mental health professional and neither were any of the other participants when I trained, but we were given skills which could prove to be life-saving. Participants came from many different backgrounds, some in youth work or support roles, others working in schools and some people who were just interested in learning these skills because of personal experiences. There was also the opportunity to share personal experiences, and I was surprised to find out that nearly all participants had something to share. It was hard to realise just how common it is, but also positive to see that so many people were wanting to do something about it. The opportunity to talk about suicide in a safe and supportive environment was an equally beneficial part of the training. 

I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn these skills, as they could be important in both your professional and personal lives. If we can begin to talk more about suicide and feel confident to support someone who is having suicidal thoughts, I think that we can begin to change these statistics for the better.

Follow the links to find out more about just some of the course that are available:

ASIST - http://asist.org.uk/en/

safeTALK - http://www.suicidesaferlondon.org.uk/training/safetalk

Samaritans - http://www.samaritans.org/your-community/boosting-businesses/samaritans-workplace-training-open-courses

[mindfulluk]

Shocking statistic from the World Health Organisation.

Make sure you know that there is always people to talk to. Our trained volunteers and expert counsellors are available to talk to every day.

[mindfulluk]

How to help someone who may be suicidal

Firstly - Make sure that you take care of yourself :) this can be forgotten, but if you are not safe, you will not be able to help anyone else.  So, If someone is distressed and being threatening because of that - call for assistance.  If someone is threatening to jump from somewhere, seek assistance from a safe distance and keep an eye on them.  

Encourage them to talk - being listened to without judgement, being polite and respectful, and really wanting to hear how the person feels will be helpful. Make sure you don't try to give advice, or tell them they don't really feel what they say they are feeling...and reassure them that there is help available.There really are other options - they are just in a place where they cannot see them at the moment. 

Just being there can be helpful. If someone seems likely to try and take their life, stay with them while you call for assistance, or arrange for someone else to be with them until the crisis comes to an end.

Available assistance

If possible, phone their GP and ask for an emergency home visit. Or if more urgent,  call 999 or take the person to an accident and emergency department. You can also call NHS choices on 111 and the Samaritans on 08457 909090

If the person has taken drugs and/or alcohol try to encourage them to not take more.  If someone has taken an overdose (even if they seem fine) or is unconscious seek immediate emergency medical help - call 999 - try to find out what the person has taken, keep them warm, reassure them that you are getting help.  

Try to make sure that someone does not have with them, or have near them what they would need to take their own life. 

[mindfulluk]

It’s National Suicide Prevention Day

One of our Clinical psychologists has blogged for us on what we can do today, on World Suicide Prevention Day, to ensure we're looking out for each other as best as possible.

Recent high profile suicides have brought to light one undeniable fact:  no-one is immune to suicide. A report last week found one person takes their own life every 40 seconds.  

The first question we should ask ourselves is – why? The answer is, of course, complex; though some risk factors have been identified.  For young people risk factors can be mental health problems (most frequently depression and self harm) but also things like bullying, family turmoil, family history of suicide and misuse of drugs/alcohol.  Among young people, 80% of suicides are male and 75% are intoxicated at the time of suicide.

Another big question is – are there any warning signs before suicide is attempted? Sometimes not, but often there will have been some marked changes in the person’s personality and behaviour.  For example, lowering in mood, changes in eating/sleeping habits, use of alcohol/drugs, giving away of possessions, preoccupation with death in writing/songs and an increase the use of careless language in comments like “nobody cares” and “I can’t take it anymore” 

Which brings us to the final and crucial question – how can we prevent suicide?  Feeling suicidal is often a temporary state of mind.  If someone is offered support at this point it can reduce the chances of them choosing suicide.  But, people often feel unable to ask for help (one of the reasons why suicide is more common with men than women) and prevention is not the sole responsibility of any one sector of society. 

Schools, for example, can develop cultures where it’s healthy and normal to discuss emotional and other difficulties; hospitals can ensure young people who present to A & E with self-harm are offered appropriate care.  As individuals we can stop and listen to our despairing friends and encourage them to see their GP or call the Samaritans.   In an immediate crisis, ring 999 and get professionals involved.   

It’s time to start talking about suicide.

[mindfulluk]

What songs have given you the get up and go you've needed after a spell of feeling down and out? What tunes make a positive difference to your day? Check out our positive playlist, and let us know what songs we should look into adding to the playlist. Tell us here, in the MindFull chatroom. 

Have a listen to the MindFull positive playlist and let us know what you think.

Need help with your mental health? Speak to one of our friendly, on-site mentors or counsellors and let us help you deal with the tough stuff.

[mindfulluk]

If you're having a tough time with mental health,you can speak to one of MindFull's online 'mentors', volunteers who are dedicated to offering advice to 11-25 year-olds going through a hard time.