Our trainer, Charlotte, set the tone for the training with a deeply personal account of her journey from denial through to finding ways to help herself(and others),then invited us to share our own experiences of challenges to our mental well-being.
HELPING OURSELVES
What are the barriers preventing us getting help?
1) STIGMA
i) Internal stigma
This stops us recognising or admitting we have a problem.
ii) Perceived stigma
This stops us seeking help for fear of being judged or criticised by others.
2) OUR INDIVIDUAL STRESS SIGNATURE
We all have one, and we have to recognise and understand it before we can deal with our mental ill health.
It’s formed when our personal ‘stress container’ fills up with unhelpful strategies for relieving anxiety.
We need to find ways of ‘opening the tap ‘to relieve the pressure.
BLACK DOG
This was an entertaining video with a serious message, portraying mental ill health as a large and ever-present dog affecting all aspects of its owner’s life.
Asking for and accepting help can reduce the dog’s size and weight.
So although it may not go away completely, it will become smaller and easier to live with.
SUPPORTING OTHERS
We can help others by:
i) supporting them ourselves, or
ii) sharing information on sources of help and support
Some do’s and a don’t:
DO
Ask if they want to talk
Give them space and time to express their feelings
Pick up on early warning signs of mental ill health
Give details of how to access support agencies or professional help, if appropriate
DON’T
Offer solutions
And most important of all:
JUST LISTEN!
WINDOW TO THE WORLD
This is a person’s individual frame of reference, formed over their lifetime by a unique set of influences and experiences.
We must view people we’re trying to help through THEIR window.
ROLE PLAY
Ben, an actor, joined us to depict three very different people, all in distress in different ways. Giving us an opportunity to put into practice the listening skills we’d discussed earlier.
AND FINALLY,
Charlotte rounded off the session with descriptions of various mental health disorders, and of organisations offering help, support, and advice.
It had been a fast-paced and very thought-provoking day!
Leave a Reply