Today’s world is dominated by social media and it plays a significant role in our lives – both at work and at home. There are an estimated 2.3 billion social media users globally. But has our need to keep people updated on our every move or thought gone too far? Continue reading Can taking a social media holiday benefit your mental health?
A new digital resource to support young adults experiencing mental health issues in the Edinburgh area is being launched with funding from the Aberdeen Standard Investments Charitable Foundation. Continue reading Bright idea casts new light on young people’s mental wellbeing in Edinburgh
The absence of basic data on mental health care provision means it’s not possible to say what difference public services make to young people’s mental health, according to Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee. Continue reading Holyrood commitee calls for clarity on young people’s mental health data
The way that forensic mental health services are delivered for people is to be reviewed, Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey announced yesterday. Continue reading Delivery of forensic mental health services to be reviewed
More than £50 million is to be spent on improving access to mental health services for expectant and new mothers, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
The new money will provide access to treatment for an additional 11,000 women who experience mental health problems during and after their pregnancy. Perinatal mental illness affects up to 20% of women, and covers a wide range of conditions. If left untreated, it can have long lasting effects on women and their families.
New models of service delivery will be introduced, including specialist care for acute perinatal mental health problems and improved infant mental health services.
A new needs assessment report, funded by the Scottish Government, has been published by the national Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for perinatal mental health. The report outlines recommendations to improve the provision of mental health care for expectant and new mothers and their families.
Speaking on a visit to the mother and baby unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, the First Minister said: “Our priority is to drive up standards of perinatal metal health care for new mothers and their children right across Scotland.
“Mental illness during pregnancy and during the first year after birth is really common, affecting up to one in five women, which is 11,000 a year.
“This new funding will identify mental health problems quickly so they can be treated promptly. Women and their families should also expect services to treat them with dignity and respect.
“The impact is not just felt by women. The mental and physical health of fathers and other partners can also be affected following the birth of a new baby. We also know that between 5% and 10% of fathers may develop mental health problems in the perinatal period.”
Dr Roch Cantwell, Lead clinician for the Perinatal Mental Health National Managed Clinical Network, said: “This report results from the enthusiasm, dedication and drive of women and their families who experience perinatal mental ill health, and the professionals who care for them across Scotland. Perinatal mental illness can be devastating, but we know that there are effective treatments which can manage and, in some circumstances, prevent its onset.
“The needs assessment and service recommendations report gives us a template to establish services which will ensure that women, their infants and families, receive expert care wherever they live in Scotland and that children can have the best start in life.”
The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board – chaired by Hugh Masters – will oversee and manage the £50 million investment.
The Perinatal Mental Health Managed Clinical Network is a Scotland-wide network of specialist clinicians focused on improving perinatal mental health.
The needs assessment report can be found here
A total of 233 children and young people have had to wait over a year for mental health services in Lothian in 2018. NHS Lothian Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting times are the longest in Scotland. Continue reading 233 young people waiting over a year for CAMHS in 2018
Redhall Walled Garden is holding a community Easter Open Day on Saturday 20th April (12-4pm). See attached poster for further details. Continue reading Easter Eggstravaganza at Redhall Walled Garden
Today is Time to Talk Day
Time to Talk day aims to get people all around the country talking about mental health.
It’s the only time of year where all four of the UKs anti-stigma programmes get together to challenge discrimination by getting people everywhere to have conversations.
Time to Talk day happens on the first Thursday every February. It’s a great day for communities, workplaces, schools, or anyone to get together and have a chat.
The more we talk about it, the better life is for all of us.
Try NHS Lothian’s six tips to help you be happier, more in control, and able to cope better with life’s ups and downs:
Manage your stress levels
If you have a lot of stress in your life, find ways to reduce it, such as learning a few time-management techniques or talking to your boss about changing your working hours.
Introduce regular exercise and time to yourself. These are positive changes. Taking control of your time in this way can effectively reduce stress.
If you have feelings of anxiety along with your stress, breathing techniques can help. Try this breathing exercise for stress.
Use humour and enjoy yourself
Try to see the funny side of situations and you’ll often be able to cope better. Jokes have a way of making worries seem less important.
Doing things that you enjoy is also good for your emotional wellbeing. Simple activities like watching sports with a friend, having a soak in the bath, or meeting up with friends for coffee can all improve your day.
Doing something you’re good at, such as cooking or dancing, is a good way to enjoy yourself and have a sense of achievement.
Try to avoid things that seem enjoyable at the time but make you feel worse afterwards, such as drinking too much alcohol or eating junk food.
Boost your self-esteem
Self-esteem is the way you feel about yourself. The best way to improve your self-esteem is to treat yourself as you would treat a valued friend, in a positive but honest way.
Notice when you’re putting yourself down, such as thinking, “You’re so stupid for not getting that job”, and instead think, “Would I say that to my best friend?”. You probably wouldn’t.
Tell yourself something positive instead, such as: “You’re a bright person, you’ll get the next job”.
Have a healthy lifestyle:
Limit your alcohol intake
When times are hard, it’s tempting to drink alcohol because it “numbs” painful feelings. But it can exaggerate some feelings and make you feel angry or aggressive. It can also make you feel more depressed.
Read more about the effects of alcohol on your health and get simple tips to help you cut down.
Choose a well-balanced diet
Making healthy choices about your diet can make you feel emotionally stronger. You’re doing something positive for yourself, which lifts your self-esteem.
A good diet helps your brain and body work efficiently, too. Aim to have a balanced diet that includes all the main food groups.
Do some exercise
Even moderate exercise releases chemicals in your brain that lift your mood. It can help you sleep better, have more energy and keep your heart healthy.
Choose an exercise that you enjoy. If it helps, do it with a friend or listen to music. Adults should aim for 150 minutes a week.
Get enough sleep
Around seven to eight hours is the average amount of sleep an adult needs for their body and mind to fully rest.
Writing a “to do” list for the next day before bed can organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions.
Talk and share
Communication is important, whether it’s with a friend, family member or counsellor.
Talking things through helps you to release tension, rather than keeping it inside. It helps strengthen your relationships and connect with people.
Lots of people find talking to a counsellor about things that are troubling them very helpful.
See benefits of talking therapy for more information.
If you want to talk anonymously or urgently, you can call the Samaritans 24 hours a day on 116 123.
Build your resilience
Resilience is what allows you to cope with life’s ups and downs. Making something worthwhile out of painful times helps your resilience grow.
Starting a support group to help others, or making something creative out of bad experiences by, for example, writing, painting or singing, can help you express pain and get through hard times.
See Five ways to build your mental resilience.
As part of Children’s Mental Health Week (4 – 10 February) children and young people from Edinburgh have been sharing their experiences of mental health services and giving their advice to The Youth Commission on Mental Health on what changes are needed to improve them. Continue reading Edinburgh’s young people give advice on improvements needed to Mental Health and Wellbeing services
New research released by Place2Be for Children’s Mental Health Week 2019 (4-10 February) suggests that children with less sleep are more likely to struggle with worries. Continue reading Supporting our young people: Children’s Mental Health Week
