Mind

Trigger warning: self-harm “In 2020, if someone had told me that by 2024, I would be sober from self-harm, I would have laughed. Back then, my life was a chaotic dance of crisis: relying on services, on medication and attending crisis cafes, the crisis team, and A&E. Yet, here I am now, free from all of those, living a life that 2020 Catherine could only have dreamed about! ”If I could offer one piece of advice to others struggling with their mental health, it would be this: Learn as much as possible from everything – the relapses, the ups, and the downs. See each experience as an opportunity for growth. Identify your triggers and build yourself a recovery toolbox filled with techniques that work for you. ”Recovery is not a linear journey. It's messy, it's challenging, but it's also incredibly rewarding. Today, I am proof that with determination, support, and the right tools, it is possible to reclaim your life from the grip of mental illness.” Catherine blogs about the technique that stopped her self-harming and turned her life around. https://bit.ly/4cFEkl1

Ever heard of ecotherapy and wondered what it is? Let’s take a look… 🌱 You can find out more about ecotherapy here 👇 https://bit.ly/46WCMSz

Thinking of everyone getting their GSCE results today. Just remember these beautiful words from the ever comforting allontheboard ❤️ If you need any support, you know where we are ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eqPQ8_65

1 in 4 of us in England live with 2 or more long-term health conditions. But the health and care system often doesn't work well for those of us with multiple conditions.   That's why we've joined The Richmond Group of Charities. The group is a coalition of health and social care organisations. We'll be working alongside friends like Macmillan, Age UK, and Rethink Mental Illness. And together we want to help people living with long-term, multiple or complex health needs to live well and thrive.   Building on our existing work together on campaigns like We Are Undefeatable, we’re incredibly excited to see what we can achieve as part of this group. We'll be influencing the government, the NHS, policy development and service design. And, of course, bringing mental health to the front of these conversations. Find out more 👉 https://lnkd.in/gv8yKVyd

As if we're having to say this in 2024, but we’ll say it again because stigma has real world consequences: 📢 mental health problems are real 📢 the national mental health crisis is real There have been some recent stigmatising articles about mental health that lack facts and evidence. So let’s talk about the facts. The number of people detained under the Mental Health Act has been growing for years (exhibit A, the graph). Let's be clear, this only happens if you're very unwell. This is a growing crisis, not a problem of over diagnosis. The prevalence of mental health problems among young people keeps going up and up 2017: 1 in 9 young people had a mental health problem 2021: 1 in 6 young people 2023: 1 in 5 young people… And this is a fact, it’s from NHS research. Personal Independence Payment is not about whether you can work, it's about the additional cost of living with a long term health condition or disability. But while we're on the topic of work - being too unwell to work is not a choice. Those of us who have struggled with our mental health or supported our loved ones with their mental health know the true reality. Stigmatising articles without facts or evidence do nobody any good. Stigma has devastating real world consequences like shame, isolation, exclusion and ultimately puts barriers in the way of getting the support we need. This is already a huge obstacle, particularly for those of us severely affected by mental health problems. We've come a long way as a society to tackle mental health stigma, and there's still a long way to go, let's not start going backwards.

This is how to donate £30 without spending any money! ❌💸 Grab a bin bag (or any bag) and fill it with clothes you don’t want or love anymore and head to your nearest Mind charity shop. Because one bag of donated clothes = £30 That means every time you donate a bag of clothes to us, you’ve just donated £30 💰 The average bag contains items that are roughly worth £30, of course this may vary.

In the UK, those of us who are of South Asian heritage are less likely to access help for our mental health. Let’s help change that. This #SouthAsianHeritageMonth we’re highlighting services run by local Minds up and down the country that provide mental health and wellbeing support for South Asian communities. Local Minds offer different services, so find your local Mind and see what's available in your area. https://lnkd.in/dm4gAGU

Results day thoughts: "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." -anon

THIS is what an open and supportive workplace looks like for those of us with mental health problems 💙

Today, the CQC released its report on failings in Valdo Calocane's care. Here are our thoughts. [Alt text: Today, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) released its report on Valdo Calocane’s mental health care. It finds that he didn't get the support and follow-up care he needed. And that this is down to system-wide failings. This is an incredibly difficult time for the loved ones of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates. They're very much in our thoughts. What happens now? NHS England, Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and Integrated Care Systems have accepted the report's recommendations. They're taking urgent next steps. And NHS England’s independent homicide review will provide more scrutiny into Calocane’s care and may highlight other areas for improvement. What needs to change? People with mental health problems need a joined-up, holistic approach to their care and support. To make this happen, the government will need to invest more in community mental health services. Services that intervene early and provide ongoing support. And we’ll need to see strong local partnerships between services, including carers and communities. Some important thoughts from us to end on ⬇ Mental health problems affect millions of people. The majority of those people are more likely to experience harm than cause it. Violence connected to a lack of mental health support is often preventable. As a society we need to better understand the causes of violence, and the ways we can prevent it. The media has a big role to play in how the public sees mental health problems. We urge them to report on this case sensitively and accurately, avoiding mental health stereotypes. Stereotypes lead to increased stigma and discrimination - and this makes it harder for the people who need support to get it.]