Let's talk about invisible illnesses. These come in many different forms, and guess what, no one knows who has one and who doesnt. You don't know who is suffering, how they are suffering or why they are suffering, because you can't see it. Sufferers tend to be good at hiding things, putting on a happy smile, saying they are ok There are not many people who know this about me but I have a condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). It started around the 2000/2001, I started to suffer with a back pain, something I had suffered with off an on since my early teens.This became worse where I was suffering with pains in my feet, neck and hips. This got a lot worse on my return to university. I went to see the doctor who prescribed me with pain killers, these made no difference, so more trips to the doctors. I got referred to hospital to see numerous specialists, who proceeded to prod and probe me, perform brain scans, nerve deterioration and muscle wastage tests, they didnt find anything. I was in limbo. I was struggling to perform basic tasks, showering, putting socks on and even rolling over in bed was extremely painful. I finished university and came back home and had to go to the doctors, again. I saw a great doctor, a locum who out of the blue suggested I go to see a rheumatologist. Two years after first symptoms I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Never heard of it, struggled to pronounce it and certainly couldn't spell it. So, what is AS? Well my simple take on it is this, it is an auto-immune disease that attacks the skeletal system, specifically the spine and neck, but can impact all joints, there other effects such as turedness and fatigue. If you can picture your spine, each vertebrae with squishy bits in between allowing you to bend and twist. Now imagine if this was fused together with bone growing between each vertebrae, that is what is happening. This led to years of being on anti inflammatory tablets and eventually biological injections that I take every 2 weeks. These have changed my life, allowed me to play football with my kids, pursue martial arts and generally lead a normal life. I count myself as being lucky, as some people who suffer with AS can't work or they have full fusion of the spine. Ankylosing Spondylitis affects around 200,000 people in the UK, symptoms usually start around the late teens, with back pain. See the link below for more information and a better explanation. This is useful for family members and employers alike. www.nass.co.uk The real message in all of this is that invisible illnesses come in many different shapes and sizes, mental health, anxiety or any auto immune disease and many others. So the message: It's OK not ot be OK, it's OK to say you are suffering, it's OK to ask for help. Be kind, be understanding and don't judge. #MentalHealth #AnkylosingSpondylitis #BeNice #InvisibleIllness #DontJudge #Nass
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BHF is funding urgently needed research
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To my LinkedIn network, not a usual post for me on here, however a very worthy cause. If you can contribute please do. Please also share to your networks. TIA #payitforward #worthycause #savingsasha #helpinghand #SLC6A1 #research #academia #medical #dementiaawareness
It can be hard to ask for help: but when you're asking for someone who can't ask for themselves, it's necessary. Without help, my daughter, Sasha, has no future - she will be an infant trapped in a woman's body, requiring 24/7 supervision her entire life. Please watch and share her story - every donation contributes to saving her from a bleak future: https://lnkd.in/gvWuV6bc
Donate to Saving Sasha from SLC6A1 - We Must Hurry!, organized by Nadine Lipworth
gofundme.com
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Hello The Bognor Regis support group is on Thursday 9th November from 1-3pm at The Laburnham Centre (Age UK) Lyon Street, Bognor Regis. Like all our groups, the meeting is user-led, so we’ll be guided by your needs and interests. There will be lots of opportunities to meet and socialise, as well as to learn from other people living with brain injury and to share advice. You’re probably aware by now that we have a monthly nominated theme. November’s theme is stress and how to manage it. Stress can have bad connotations, which isn’t always fair as it can help people cope with difficult situations and be a great motivator. It’s not an everyday example, but a good dose of stress can be useful when you’re trying to run away from a lion (good luck!). This article outlines some of these elements: https://lnkd.in/ei748Rd5 This a very good video talking about stress and how we think about it: https://lnkd.in/de_fPVw However, stress can also be a difficult thing to manage after a brain injury due to the issues many of us have with memory, fatigue and problem-solving. This is particularly an issue at the moment, when people are struggling with bills and everyday health. Headway UK have put together some top tips on this, which you can find here: Coping with stress after brain injury: https://lnkd.in/gvwZgzs The NHS’s Every Mind Matters also have a useful link in this subject, should you wish to know more: https://lnkd.in/dth6NCz If you can afford to donate to us, any free cash you have on the day is most welcome. Or you can do it here: · our JustGiving page; https://lnkd.in/e_n6AFhg or · donate straight into our account: Headway Sussex, sort code 40-28-15, account number 11314815, HSBC Lewes. Best Wishes Helen
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What are you doing tonight? Got any questions about health, body and fitness that you'd like answered? Here's a free call you can join as I host a genuinely world class expert. https://lnkd.in/eFGfgW6z
Hi Everyone, Tonight is an opportunity to hear from - and ask questions of - a genuine world class expert in the field of health and body. Kissing Consciousness' guest for our free Zoom call this evening is David Heard, a trainer of international athletes and founder of the National Rehabilitation Centre for the Paralysed. Now 84, and still Chief Executive of the charity, Sportability, David walks the talk of 'Strength for Life'. I'll be talking to David on the topic of 'Walking, Wellness and Weight Loss', 7:30pm to 9:00pm UK time. We'll get answers to things like; Is there anything us walkers can do to mitigate such things as knee/back pain or injuries? Is it more difficult to build muscle mass in later life (and so, important to do it earlier), and is having muscle mass important anyway? Is it true that you shouldn’t lose more than 2 lbs a week during weight loss? If you'd like to attend let me know ideally before 6pm and I'll send you the link for the call. James
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CEO MindMatters Clinic | Neuropsychologist | Workplace Wellbeing Clinician 🌈
Today marks the last day of Men's Health Awareness Month. When we lost our mum to cancer, my younger brother was repeatedly told: "Be strong". He was just 20 years old. Me and my sister didn't get this ... this is NOT ok. Men (tāne) should be allowed to grieve, allowed to show pain. Whatever you are going through: To express your pain is not weak, it is brave and powerful. Despite what some said to him, I also saw my brother's mates surround him with love and support at that time. Men DO want to support one another. We are doing a gross disservice to men. Twice as many men die by suicide. Men also face barriers accessing therapy, including less than a quarter of therapists being men. Ideas about asking for help or talking about feelings being unmasculine are unhelpful. Asking for help is taking charge of your situation and a tough thing to do. We need to: ☑️ Celebrate men! ☑️ Talk openly about our own mental health and wellbeing ☑️ Have more male therapists ☑️ Acknowledge that talking about how we're feeling and taking steps takes guts A huge shout out to all the amazing peeps I know out there who are contributing to men's mental health. Thanks to Dr Tim Williams and Alister Gates for recent interesting kōrero on this topic. Prof Jarrod Haar, for valuable data insights into men at work in NZ, and of course Movember and MATES in Construction NZ for their great work. MindMatters Clinic have donated to Movember. And we always knew the importance of having excellent male psychologist providers, including the fabulous Dr Tim Williams, Edward Mtakwa and Dr Matt Shepherd. #mentalhealthawareness #workplacementalhealth #mensmentalhealth #mensmentalhealthmatters https://lnkd.in/gxQH3Nkp
Movember
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Hello The Crawley support group is on Wednesday 8th November 2023. ⏰ 11am-1pm 📍 The Longley Room, The Orchard, 1-2 Gleneagles Court, Brighton Road, Crawley, RH10 6AD As with each of our groups, the meeting is user-led, so we’ll be guided by your needs and interests. There will be lots of opportunities to meet and socialise, as well as to learn from other people living with brain injury and to share advice. You’re probably aware by now that we have a monthly nominated theme. November’s theme is stress and how to manage it. Stress can have bad connotations, which isn’t always fair and true as it can help people cope with difficult situations and be a great motivator. It’s not an everyday example, but a good dose of stress can be useful when you’re trying to run away from a lion (good luck!). This article outlines some of these elements: Good Stress: When Stress Can Help (and When It Can Hurt) (verywellmind.com) However, stress can also be a difficult thing to manage after a brain injury due to the issues many of us have with memory, fatigue and problem-solving. This is particularly an issue at the moment when people are struggling with bills and everyday health. Headway UK have put together some top tips on this, which you can find here: https://lnkd.in/gvwZgzs The NHS’s Every Mind Matters also have a useful link in this subject, should you wish to know more: https://lnkd.in/dth6NCz The group is a safe space, and we will make sure it is respectful and confidential and ask that you help maintain these principles. If you can afford to donate to us, any free cash you have on the night is most welcome. Or you can do it here: · our JustGiving page; https://lnkd.in/e_n6AFhg or · donate straight into our account: Headway Sussex, sort code 40-28-15, account number 11314815, HSBC Lewes. Thanks
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Untwist the “DNA” of Stereotype and Unfold the Improbable Possibilities | 製薬ヘルスケア領域エグゼクティブレベル専門コンサルタント
#GlobalMNDAwarenessDay 21st Jun #MND is the short term for #motorneuronedisease, which affects the nerves known as motor neurones. These nerves are found in the brain and spinal cord that signal the movement of muscle. Types MND causes a range of symptoms, which progress at varying speeds. Each type can be difficult to diagnose, as they have overlapping symptoms. Over time, symptoms and the rate at which they progress become clearer. This means your diagnosis may be reviewed and changed to another type. 1. #ALS (#AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis) is also known as #LouGehrigDisease, named after the baseball player. This is the most common form of MND, with weakness and wasting in the limbs, muscle stiffness and cramps. Someone may notice they are tripping when walking or dropping things. Life expectancy is usually two to five years from the onset of symptoms. 2. #PBP (#ProgressiveBulbarPalsy) affects a smaller number of people than typical ALS, and mainly affects the muscles of the face, throat and tongue. Early symptoms may include slurring of speech or difficulty swallowing. Life expectancy is between six months and three years from onset of symptoms. 3. #PMA (#ProgressiveMusculaAtrophy) affects a small proportion of people. Early symptoms may show as weakness or clumsiness of the hands. Life expectancy is usually more than five years. 4. #PLS (#PrimaryLateralSclerosis) is a rare form of MND, causing mainly weakness and stiffness that usually begins in the lower limbs, although many people experience additional problems with their speech and various other symptoms. 5. #KennedyDisease (a.k.a #SpinalBulbarMuscularAtrophy or #SBMA) isn't a type of MND, Kennedy's disease has similar symptoms. It is a rare condition affecting the motor neurones, with increasing weakness and wasting of the muscles. Unlike MND, Kennedy’s disease also causes hormonal changes. Due to their similarities, MND and Kennedy’s disease are sometimes confused at diagnosis. Most people with Kennedy’s disease live an average life span. Early Signs - Muscle twitching (known as fasciculation) - Tingling or pins and needles - Numbness in hands, feet or limbs - Fatigue or extreme tiredness - Tripping and one or both legs getting thinner - Dropping things - Slurred or faint speech - Swallowing difficulties - Breathing problems - Emotional outburst - Changes to thinking and behaviour Causes Still unclear and current thoughts of the causes indicate a number of genetic, environmental and lifestyle risk factors need to combine before most forms of MND develop. Find more information about MND below. https://lnkd.in/gCKzJ4mb
Home | MND Association
mndassociation.org
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To mark #EDAW 2024, we’re sharing insight in relation to eating disorders, from our support service Shout UK. In 2023, Shout Volunteers took more than 20,000 conversations with around 12,000 texters about eating disorders or body image issues - around 80 conversations every day. The majority of texters were female (80%), with 7% male, 4% transgender and around 9% identifying as non-binary. Texters who discuss these issues were mostly likely to be aged 13 and under, followed by 14-17 year olds. They were more likely to also talk about anxiety, depression and self-harm than people texting about other issues. In June 2023, Shout was added to the Google OneBox for eating disorder searches. When people use related terms, the OneBox appears above results with signposting to support services. We’re proud to appear here alongside eating disorder charity, Beat, and as a result, have seen the number of texters Shout supports with eating disorders and body image almost double. Of the texters who contacted Shout for support about eating disorders and body image in 2023, 81% rated the service as helpful and feedback we’ve received reflects the kindness and the non-judgemental attitude Shout Volunteers offer texters. Find out how you can support Shout texters in 2024: https://lnkd.in/eKckP_Tu
Get involved with Shout | Help support mental health in the UK
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Join the *Swaasthya Charitable Hospitals' Walkathon*, an event dedicated to promoting health and wellness within our community. Event Details: Date: 20th July, 2024 Start Time: 7 AM (Please assemble by 6 AM) Assembling Point: BT College Ground, Madanaplle Approximate Distance: 3 km Walking is one of the simplest and most effective forms of exercise. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from incorporating walking as regular part of our practice: - *Improved Cardiovascular Health*: Regular walking can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. - *Enhanced Mental Well-being*: Walking releases endorphins, which can help alleviate stress and boost your mood. - *Weight Management*: It’s a great way to burn calories and maintain a healthy weight. - *Increased Energy Levels*: Walking can help increase your energy levels and reduce fatigue. Social Interaction: Enjoy the company of fellow participants, fostering a sense of community and support. Registration link: https://lnkd.in/dwZuDZyW Please ensure you arrive at the mentioned time to allow for a smooth check-in process and pre-walk instructions.
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