Tag: mental health

More mental health support after forty days of lockdown

Key mental health services to support families, young people and autistic people are to receive more than £1 million additional funding.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman made the announcement yesterday after 40 days of lockdown when many people have felt an effect on their mental health.

The allocation of funding comprises:

• £768,000 for a relationships helpline to be delivered by The Spark counselling service
• £105,000 to support Young Scot to develop enhanced digital content and resources on mental health
• £205,000 to support 47,000 autistic people across Scotland, including funding to increase capacity at the Scottish Autism Helpline and help for the National Autistic Society to keep people in touch online during lockdown

Ms Freeman said: “While everyone is experiencing different challenges at this time, the mental health of children, young people and families can be put under great strain.

“We appreciate that spending a lot of time together in isolation and home-working, home-schooling and juggling childcare can be really tough.

“This crisis means many people are dealing with anxiety, fear, uncertainty, anger or sadness. They may feel overwhelmed and relationships can be placed under a lot of pressure.

“We want to ensure that the right help and support is in place for the mental wellbeing of our children, young people and families. This package of measures focuses on prevention and recovery, and on maintaining healthy relationships throughout the current restrictions. It follows the launch of our national campaign, Clear Your Head, last week.”

The Clear Your Head campaign highlights practical ways to look after mental health and wellbeing while continuing to stay at home – and signposts sources of help and advice.

The Spark is a third sector organisation which delivers counselling services to families across Scotland, including relationship and couples counselling and counselling for children and young people.

They currently operate a Relationship Helpline on a small scale for nine hours a week. The number of the Relationship Helpline is 0808 802 2088 and this additional funding will enable the helpline to operate Monday-Thursday 9am to 9pm and Friday 9am to 4pm.

Scotland has launched a digital resource called Mind Yer Time specifically to help children and young people learn about the healthy use of screens and social media.

It supports mental and physical health online and was developed by the Scottish Youth Parliament and Children’s Parliament. In the first ten days since its launch the guide had almost 13,000 views.

The additional funding will allow the Scottish Autism Helpline to open 8am-8pm, seven days a week on 01259 222022.

Greens raise concerns around home-care support

Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone has called on the region’s Health and Social Care Partnerships to urgently address concerns around the reduction in provision of home-care support, which has left many disabled people in an extremely difficult position.

Reports suggest that the Lothian region’s Health and Social Care Partnerships have reduced their visits by 356 in total, leaving many vulnerable people struggling to cope – a matter the Scottish Greens raised in parliament this week.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “The figures published this week raise major concerns, There is huge disparity around the country, with the City of Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership reducing their clients by 240, East Lothian by 44, Midlothian by 24, and West Lothian by 48, while at the same time Angus increased its by 80.

“The Scottish Government confirmed that extra support is available and that if more is needed it will be provided, so our Health and Social Care Partnerships must confirm that they will immediately access this support and restore home care visits.

“I’m extremely concerned about the impact of these changes, which result in some people having their support packages dramatically reduced, and others losing support entirely, with many then forced to rely on family members for personal care, meals and medication.

“The impact on the mental wellbeing of disabled people, particularly in terms of social isolation which can disproportionately affect disabled people, is a huge concern. While its vital that care is restored as quickly as possible, the immediate roll-out of online or remote mental health resources would be really valuable right now.”

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52415302

New fund for perinatal mental health

poverty family JRF

Mums, dads and families at risk of poor mental health during pregnancy and the early years will be able to access enhanced peer support, parenting support and perinatal counselling services, with new annual funding of up to £1 million.

The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health fund will provide crucial help by supporting third sector organisations to deliver key services and address gaps in provision.

Inspiring Scotland will run the fund – which will open to charities from August – and will work with the Scottish Government to achieve the goals of the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board.

Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said: “The third sector provides an invaluable source of support for the mental health of women, babies and their families during pregnancy and early parenthood.

“Last year, the Scottish Government provided funding to support the work of third sector organisations in this area and I am delighted that we are able to build on this with the new Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund.

“The fund will allow one-to-one support for organisations to help provide the services that women and their families need across Scotland.”

Inspiring Scotland Chief Executive Celia Tennant said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Scottish Government with this important new third sector fund for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health charities.

“We know how vital the perinatal period is for families and how crucial the early years are for infant development. Charities across Scotland are doing essential work, and with the uncertainty caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), their work is more important now than ever.

“We look forward to continuing our support of the third sector and their support for infants and families at this crucial stage of life.”

The application process for the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund will open on 5 May 2020.

The fund will run for three years, from August 2020 – March 2023.

Third sector organisations interested in applying to this fund, should register online. 

Additional mental health support announced

Additional support to help people look after their mental health and wellbeing during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The support includes an investment of more than £1 million towards the expansion of the Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) programme to help people in distress, and the launch of a new mental health marketing campaign across television, radio, print and online.

The DBI programme, which was previously operating in four pilot areas, will roll-out across Scotland, giving people over the age of 16 who are in emotional distress due to COVID-19 the opportunity to speak to specially trained staff. People who are in distress but do not need clinical intervention will be referred to the DBI programme by frontline staff, including NHS 24.

The first phase of the new mental health campaign will launch this month and provide people with practical advice on coping with the current restrictions. Signposting to existing advice will be included and those who need extra support will be directed to NHS Inform as a key information resource and helplines operated by NHS 24, Breathing Space, SAMH and Samaritans.

The First Minister said: “COVID-19 restrictions have affected all of our lives. People who may never have been affected by mental health issues in the past, are now facing emotional distress due to financial loss, bereavement and social distancing. 

“NHS 24 has experienced an increase in calls, including to Breathing Space, in recent weeks and we anticipate this will continue to grow. It is vital that during this period of uncertainty anyone who requires support for their mental health can receive it.

“Since 2017 more than 6,600 people have accessed the DBI programme and I am pleased that people across the country will now be able to access this support. Early intervention like this is such an important part of how we treat mental and emotional health and the DBI is all about equipping people with the skills and support to manage their own health and to prevent future crisis.

“This £1 million investment is in addition to the £3.8 million we invested last month to increase capacity of our telephone and digital mental health services. This national marketing campaign will equip us all with some practical things we can do to feel better and help us cope until things return to normal.”

The DBI programme, which launched in 2017, currently operates in Lanarkshire, the Borders, Inverness and Aberdeen.

Around £1,038,000 will now be invested in recruiting staff to expand and develop the Distress Brief Intervention programme nationwide.

Funding will be distributed to NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Borders, third sector partners Penumbra, Support in Mind and SAMH, and to Stirling University for evaluation and Glasgow University for training.

The nationwide DBI programme will mean that people in distress related to COVID-19 who have no need for clinical intervention will be either linked directly by phone to NHS 24 by the first responder, or directed to phone NHS 24 if they are able to. Once through to NHS 24 an initial assessment will be made as to next steps, and whether they should then be referred to the DBI programme. If they are referred the distress responder will follow up with a phone call within 24 hours of referral.

Voiceover artists say: Keep Talking

Over 70 male, female and child voiceover artists have donated their voices to a specially-made radio commercial to encourage listeners to ‘keep talking’ whilst the UK is in lockdown.

“Voiceovers United” is a project created, written and produced by Voiceover Artist and award-winning Radio Commercial Producer, John Calvert. The message encourages listeners to ‘stay at home, protect the NHS, stay safe… And Keep Talking.”

John Calvert said: “Voiceovers often spend hours and hours cooped up in a small booth or room.  Most of us in the trade are perfectly used to that. But for those who aren’t so used to isolation, the long lonely lockdown could have adverse effects on mental health. We all know talking is a great way to get things off your chest and who better to promote this than voiceovers?”

Some of the UK’s leading voiceover artists have joined the project. These include X Factor voice Peter Dickson; ‘Voice of the Balls’ Alan Dedicoat; film trailer voice Redd Pepper; Big Brother Voiceover Marcus Bentley; Flash Gordon, Blackadder and Star Wars character actor Brian Blessed and many more familiar voices from the world of TV, radio, film, advertising, gaming, animation and automation. Everyone who participated, including voiceover agents, animation companies and music publishers gave their services for free.

The voiceovers were sent a script and recorded the lines in their own studios. The audio was then sent back to the studio at Airforce Radio Commercial Production in Wiltshire and seamlessly mixed together.

John Calvert added: “So many leading voices uniting for something like this has never been done before, and the response to the initiative was far beyond anything I expected.

“What we have ended up with is a very powerful, yet entertaining message. I hope everyone will feel reassurance from hearing the message, share it with others and … Keep Talking.”

Voiceover Artist Emma Clarke (voice of ‘mind the gap’ and ‘Avalon’ in the Hollywood blockbuster feature film ‘Passengers’) said: “During this unprecedented period, we’re all alone together.

“I love the idea of lone voices coming together to create a whole in this gorgeous piece of audio. It reflects what’s happening in the world – that we all have to play our part as individuals to help the whole world.

“Everyone I speak to is feeling the same – tired, scared, overwhelmed, angry, powerless… and also joyful, connected, needed, loved, hopeful. We’re all feeling the same vulnerabilities. There’s something very powerful in that shared experience and for me, that’s what this piece of audio is about.”

The Voiceovers United project is inviting radio stations across the UK to broadcast the commercial at any time they see fit. It is available to download for free on Soundcloud.

80 second version: https://soundcloud.com/airforce-co-uk/voiceovers-united-keep-talking-final-80

60 second version: https://soundcloud.com/airforce-co-uk/voiceovers-united-keep-talking-final-60

30 second version:  https://soundcloud.com/airforce-co-uk/voiceovers-united-keep-talking-30

One Year No Beer steps up to support frontline workers

Local Edinburgh start up, One Year No Beer, has sacrificed salaries to ensure a free service to support NHS staff, frontline support workers, all key workers, the unemployed and anyone who needs additional help in taking a break from alcohol during this challenging time.

The bold decision follows reports that confirm alcohol sales in the UK are up 22% in March.

 Ruari Fairbairns, founder and CEO of One Year No Beer, said: “We are currently experiencing the worst global pandemic of our lifetime, which has caused two-thirds, if not more, of adults across the UK to experience anxiety.

“The major problem here is that people are using alcohol as a coping mechanism and this is probably the worst thing that they could do because it is a depressant. We want to help people to look after their mental health and live a better life.”

The brand’s plea follows a recent statement from a World Health Organisation (WHO) expert who warned that alcohol is an “unhelpful coping strategy” for the possible stress and isolation of coronavirus lockdown.

 Fairbairns continued: “The NHS is under increased pressure and this is only set to worsen in the next few weeks as we hit the peak, so in addition to this, the last thing we want people to do is incur any other alcohol-related health issues resulting in an urgent trip to hospital.

“Reducing your alcohol intake and making positive decisions about your health are both great ways to help keep the NHS safe and protect others, all from the safety of your home.”

 Recent research has also revealed that there has been a huge rise in mental health calls, as well asGP’s highlighting an increase in domestic violence and according to step counters, steps are down 50-100% inEurope, suggesting that as a result of COVID-19, people are exercising less and drinking more.

Professor Kevin Moore, one of London’s leading liver specialists with more than 35 years of experience comments: “There is so much positive research and work going on right now in the fight against COVID-19, but it’s vital that people don’t overlook the hugely negative impact that alcohol could have during these challenging times.

“It is well known that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver disease and various cancers. What is less well known is that people who drink excess alcohol are more likely to develop pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

“That makes it almost certain that if you drink too much alcohol, you are more likely to develop COVID-19 and complications. Further since, alcohol impairs your immune system, if you develop COVID-19 infection, the chronic use of alcohol will impair your ability to recover from infection.”

 Passionate about transforming the world’s relationship with alcohol, One Year No Beer will offer its 28-day intervention programme free for all support staff, all key workers, all unemployed and anyone else who needs additional help during these challenging times.

The digital network, which has been designed to transform behaviour and support mental health, will also include full access to the Challenge Group community, offering daily support as well as online meetings.

Fairbairns concludes: “We are giving away our 28-day challenge for free over the coming weeks because we genuinely believe that this is the right thing to do.

“We strongly believe that NOW, during this pandemic, is more important than ever to look after ourselves and one of the ways we can do this is by reducing our alcohol intake.

“Like most businesses right now, we are having to adjust to the current situation. Our team is working tirelessly to deliver this offering and I feel so grateful that all of our staff have agreed to take a salary sacrifice so that together, we can continue to support everyone in this time of need.”

For more information visit and to get your 28-day challenge for free, visit https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/

New guidance to support mental wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak

Advice on looking after your mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is now available on NHS inform, Scotland’s trusted health information site.

As people across Scotland adjust to these unusual circumstances, NHS 24’s mental health practitioners anticipate many will experience anxiety and stress about what’s going on in the world. In particular, those living alone or who are self-isolating, may be struggling with limited social contact as a result of social distancing measures.

NHS 24 Medical Director, Dr Laura Ryan, said: “Everyone deals with this type of situation differently, and it may feel like there is a lot going on which is outside of your control.

“Remember it’s ok, not to feel ok. Understandably, you may need some additional mental health support at this challenging time. Don’t forget that we’re all in this together and that support is available from a wide range of organisations to help you get through this.”

The NHS inform website hosts the national information service for COVID-19 and now provides online information and practical advice on mental wellbeing – www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus-mental-wellbeing

Guidance is centred on four main areas:

  • Staying informed – having the right information, as news from unreliable sources can make you feel more upset and anxious.
  • Creating a healthy home routine – helping everyone in your home to keep a sense of calm and order.
  • Staying connected – keeping in touch with friends and family online or by phone, to help you feel less alone while staying home.
  • Finding support – just talking to someone can help, phonelines such as Breathing Space and Samaritans are there to offer support.

Breathing Space National Coordinator, Tony McLaren, said: “We are receiving lots of calls to the Breathing Space helpline from people feeling anxious about their health, or concerned about the health of others.

“It’s perfectly understandable to feel this way, and our advisors are here to listen and offer support. Having mental health information available on NHS inform is an additional resource which can be accessed to potentially help ease anxieties.”

You can hear more from Tony on how to manage your mental health- search for ‘Tony McLaren NHS 24’ on www.soundcloud.com.

Extra funding from the Scottish Government has been made available for NHS 24 to develop additional self-help guides, online resources and mental health services to cope with further demand.

Coronavirus: coping at this difficult time

For those already living with stress or anxiety, the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 (or coronavirus) may be particularly difficult (writes BETHANY SMITH).

In normal life, many of us have a bank of coping strategies, such as going to the gym, meeting up with friends or keeping busy with hobbies and work. In such uncertain and worrying times, many of these coping strategies have been taken away and the thought of spending so much time at home can be frightening.

Firstly, remember you are not alone. It’s okay to feel anxious and many others will be feeling the same way too. It’s still important to talk about how you’re feeling and to reach out if you need support.

Practise your usual coping strategies where possible – breathing techniques, grounding, focusing on the present. If you usually go to the gym – go for a walk or run (if you can) or try following a home workout video.

Limiting your exposure to the news is important too. While it is necessary to be aware of what is happening, there is no need to overexpose.

This will only feed your fears. Allocate a set time of day where you will check the news, for example, after breakfast or during the government’s daily update. Then avoid or limit your exposure throughout the rest of the day.

Keep yourself busy and try not to allow your mind time to overthink and catastrophise. Creating a new routine is a great way to look after your mental health. Stay active and eat as well as you can.

Most importantly, be sure to make time for yourself every day. Self-care is crucial, whether that means taking a long bath, getting an early night, reading a book or baking a cake. Do something for you. Mental downtime is important too. Try practicing mindfulness with apps such as Headspace.

Remember that like everything else, this situation is temporary. There is lots of support available if you’re feeling particularly anxious or struggling to cope.

Keep in touch with others and try to take one day at a time, focusing on the right now, rather than worrying about the ‘what ifs.’

This article first appeared as a guest blog on Anxiety UK website

Mental health advice from Anxiety UK

The constant barrage of new developments regarding the current outbreak of COVID-19 (also known as coronavirus) can cause particular challenges for people living with anxiety, stress and/or anxiety-based depression especially those that have health anxiety and/or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – OCD.

Whilst there’s plenty of advice on how to protect yourself and limit the risk of exposing yourself to the virus, little has been said about the effect a problem of this nature- can have on our mental health and specifically those who have pre-existing mental health issues such as anxiety disorders.

It is well established that for many that live with anxiety, a common characteristic is that of having an ability to tolerate uncertainty.  The current situation with coronavirus has clearly created a lot of uncertainty which might be difficult for those with pre-existing anxiety conditions such as health anxiety to manage.

For such individuals the whole situation may feel extra daunting and worrying and with the extensive media coverage that the subject has attracted, it’s understandable that some people may feel overwhelmed and begin to catastrophise – imagining the worst case scenario.

One thing that might be helpful for those experiencing anxiety to remember is that whilst no-one knows exactly what might happen, the good news is that most services and businesses will already have a contingency plan in place to ensure that they are able to continue operating as close to normal as possible.

Anxiety UK also has a robust business continuity plan in place which will allow us to keep supporting those that need our help.

Our services will not be disrupted and anyone who needs further assistance around any aspect of anxiety can contact us via our support email support@anxietyuk.org.uk or by calling the helpline on 03444 775 774 between the usual opening hours of 9.30am – 5.30pm.

Health anxiety can make any kind of symptom feel like the worst case scenario, however taking on board the below tips should help those experiencing health anxiety to feel in control and manage their anxiety:

Firstly, try to limit your exposure to news sources which are covering the coronavirus issue as this only serves to feed fear.

Ensure that you have some mental ‘downtime’ woven into your daily schedule.   Mindfulness practice can be incredibly helpful with apps such as the Headspace app (available to all Anxiety UK members at no additional cost) assist with keeping us in the here and now as opposed to allowing our minds to think about future scenarios which might never happen.

If you are feeling concerned or overly worried about it there are some techniques you can use to help manage your anxiety such as simple breathing or (short-term) distraction exercises and mindfulness.

A free guide is available to download here https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/products/booklet/breathing-and-relaxation-guide/

Try practising the APPLE technique which encourages you to Acknowledge, Pause, Pull back, Let go and Explore: 

Acknowledge – Notice and acknowledge the uncertainty as it comes to mind.

Pause – Don’t react as you normally do. Don’t react at all. Just pause and breath.

Pull back – Tell yourself this is just the worry talking, and this apparent need for certainty is not helpful and not necessary. It is only a thought or feeling. Don’t believe everything you think. Thoughts are not statements or facts.

Let go – Let go of the thought or feeling. It will pass. You don’t have to respond to them. You might imagine them floating away in a bubble or cloud.

Explore – Explore the present moment, because right now, in this moment, all is well. Notice your breathing and the sensations of your breathing. Notice the ground beneath you. Look around and notice what you see, what you hear, what you can touch, what you can smell. Right now. Then shift your focus of attention to something else – on what you need to do, on what you were doing before you noticed the worry, or do something else – mindfully with your full attention.

If you feel that you need more targeted and 1:1 support for your anxiety, here at Anxiety UK we have a range of services which you might find helpful including talking therapy support services: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), counselling and clinical hypnotherapy – all accessible at reduced rates.

For more information on health anxiety in general, you can download our fact sheet here – https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/products/anxiety-condition/health-anxiety/health-anxiety-fact-sheet-instant-download/

Being active on social media will help you cope with isolation

Active use of social media will be a lifeline for people coping with social isolation during the Covid-19 crisis, says the British Psychological Society’s Cyberpsychology section.

Cyberpsychology expert Dr Lisa Orchard has shared tips on how to get the most out of social media during the Covid-19 outbreak. She says that interacting with other people is hugely important for our wellbeing, so social distancing and isolation will be tremendously difficult for many.

“While there can be dangers in social media, it’s going to play a vital role in helping people stay connected”, she said.

“Research suggests active social media use is better for you than passive use, so consider writing a blog or posting status updates as a way of expressing yourself. And it may help to organise virtual meet-ups with friends and family. These needn’t be limited to chatting: they can take part in group activities like watching films or cooking together.”

Useful tips for using social media during Covid-19 include:

Take the time to look at how you are using social media – Are you overwhelmed by the news or does discussing it give you a sense that you are part of a community and not alone in feeling the way you do? If you are overwhelmed, it may be a good idea to limit how long you spend online.

Be critical of what you see and post – The volume of discussion of Covid-19 makes it hard to find accurate information. Fake news can be difficult to spot – don’t rely on the number of likes or comments a post has as an index of its value. It’s best to follow verified official accounts to ensure information is accurate. Be wary of sharing information if you are not sure of its validity.

Be on alert for cybercrime – Crime rates often rise in times of crisis and recent news reports suggest the Covid-19 crisis is seeing an increase in cybercrime. The uncertainty and the way we have become isolated may make us more vulnerable. The National Cyber Security Centre has a wealth of resources to help you be on your guard. Follow it on social media for updates and tips.

Use hashtags and follow wisely –We cannot control what others post, but we can control who we follow and who we block. If you find your newsfeed is dominated by discussions of Covid-19, follow hashtags related to your hobbies or interests as a distraction. Hashtags and groups can be used to find people with similar interests, which provides a sense of belonging if you are feeling isolated.

Look for the positives – Social media often gets a bad name, but it can promote acts of altruism. Recent days have seen stories of people sharing scarce supplies and creating online support groups to look out for vulnerable neighbours. You may find it helpful to seek out this type of content to balance more negative stories.