World Mental Health Day - Resources
In Britain Anxiety and Depression are the most common mental health disorders and account for one fifth days lost from the workplace (source). While these are the most common, there are lots of mental health conditions and Mind have a great page on types of mental health problems which you can click into and find more about each of them. Even if you don't struggle that much yourself, I think that these pages are really helpful for developing and understanding of what people you know might be going through. Based on mental health statistics, it's pretty likely that a friend or colleague you know is dealing with a mental health problem at the moment.
One thing I've found for people struggling is that often times they feel alone. I know that feeling and it's so important to understand that so many people are going through something similar and that there are ways to get support. The 'Time to change' website has a whole section on personal stories where you might find something that resonates with you!
Did you know that you can refer yourself for a therapy? Often when you go to the doctors you are offered a medication to help and you can be given recommendations for a talking therapy. The combination of both medication and therapy is the best treatment. But if you are wanting to get the ball rolling you can do a self referral through the NHS website. Find psychological therapies in your area.
You can also do some tests online which can help you get an idea of what your diagnosis might be. Now I really to stress here that these alone will not give you a diagnosis and even if you find that you get a 'low' score on something you feel you are struggling with it does not mean that what you're going through is not valid or in need of professional help. I'm simply linking these because I know the depression and anxiety questions are very similar to what both my doctor and therapist gave me. Find a variety of questionnaires here.
Mental health affects people in different ways and different things affect people's mental health. The pandemic and the situation a lot of us find ourselves in right now is also having an impact. Some of us are more lonely, some of us have lost loved ones and some of us are struggling with the adjustment of being home an awful lot. So it is really important that we take some time to look at our own mental health and take care of ourselves. A lot of the links I've left above have so many pages for you to explore and find ways to look after yourselves. But for my black followers and for your black friends, I wanted to link to this post 'Supporting your mental health as a young black person' (Since been deleted - please see this list of resources instead and American readers can visit this page and see links for resources are the end of the page) because racism and having to deal with the traumatic news must be exhausting and really draining on your mental health. If you are on Instagram you can also find information and empowering posts over at the @BlackMindsMatter.uk page.
Please look after yourselves, be kind and remember:
Sometimes things can feel like they are never going to change and that people would be better off without you. I promise you that is not the case and I really ask for you to take a moment to speak to someone! Someone you know if you're comfortable, maybe you don't want to speak to someone you know for fear and anxiety about what they will think or say, there are so many helplines that you can try. You can hold on just a little longer 💛
Social media can have a negative impact on your mental health, as it can often fuel feelings of anxiety and depression - read more on social media and mental health. Social media is more addictive than smoking and alcohol, plus usage can increased levels of psychological distress and suicide ideation (Digital Detox). Social media can be such a toxic place but also a place of joy, support and friendship, I really think it is about a balance. I have found so many useful resources on Instagram that I save to come back to, particularly for my anxiety. Take a look at the Young Minds website as they have some advice and links to more resources about the usage of social media. One of my saved posts from Instagram is this little slideshow from I am Whole:
I hope you have found some helpful bits of information within this post. Please save or pin for later as you might need to come back to some of this information at some point, whether it be for you, a family member or friend. Please remember, it gets better!
Chelsea Jade
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