5/14/2024 9:25:16 AM

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

Did you know that one in four people experience mental health problems each year? Despite this prevalence, mental health is often overlooked or misunderstood, yet it's central to our overall well-being. That’s why during Mental Health Awareness Week, we at Blue Stream Academy want to discuss the various mental health problems, their symptoms, who is affected, support available and how everyone can help.

Types of Mental Health Problems

Mental health problems cover a wide range of conditions that affect how we think, feel, and behave. From common disorders like anxiety and depression to less understood conditions like dissociative disorders and schizophrenia. Mental health problems can significantly impact a person's quality of life and their ability to function in everyday situations. Therefore, recognising the signs and symptoms, as well as knowing the available treatments and support options, can make a significant difference in managing these conditions.

Additionally, by understanding these conditions, we can reduce stigma, increase awareness, and better support those who are affected. In this section, we'll explore various mental health problems and their symptoms.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety can bring on feelings of unease, such as being worried or afraid, that can be mild or severe. We all experience feelings of anxiety at some point in our lives. For example, people may feel worried about a medical procedure or anxious about an exam.

However, some people may find it difficult to control these worries, they may become persistent and start to impact daily life. Anxiety disorders can form over years of experiences, these can be different things happening or may be years of build up from the same experience, like abuse, stress or other mental health problems.

People suffering from anxiety may experience a range of symptoms, including but not limited to inexplicable fear, restlessness, becoming tearful and 'clingy', a constant feeling of being 'on edge' or jumpy, feelings of dread, trouble sleeping, nervous irritability, and an inability to relax or concentrate.

There are some specific anxiety disorders, each with different symptoms and treatments, including:

Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Phobias
Health Anxiety
Social Anxiety Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Panic Disorder
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Perinatal Anxiety or Perinatal OCD

Stress

Stress is feeling under too much pressure from certain situations or events. Pressure can be positive and motivational in certain situations in order to accomplish more, however, when pressure becomes too much to handle it can become overwhelming, leading to feelings of stress.

Stress is often associated with feeling a lack of control over certain areas in life, like work, relationships or illnesses. Major life changes can also lead to stress, even typically happy changes like weddings or pregnancy.

Stress can affect sleep and appetite, it can cause physical aches and pains, muscle tension, panic attacks, headaches, diarrhoea or constipation. When experiencing stress, it’s possible to also feel anxious, angry, depressed, overwhelmed or frustrated, which can sometimes worsen physical symptoms.

Depression

Depression is a low mood that persists for a long period, with mild to severe effects on everyday life. Many people who experience depression will talk about not knowing why they feel that way or not knowing how to make themselves feel better.

Depression won’t always impede on daily life and can affect everyone differently. However, it can cause sleep problems, low energy or poor concentration. It can also involve losing interest or pleasure in things that would usually be enjoyed, like hobbies, spending time with friends, work or food.

The diagnosis of depression can come with the diagnosis of being mild, moderate or severe, these describe the impact the symptoms will have and treatments that may be offered.

Mild Depression: Has some impact on daily life. This may simply make a person feel low in spirits.

Moderate Depression: Has a significant impact on daily life. This will cause a lack of interest or motivation.

Severe Depression: Makes it almost impossible to get through daily life. This can sometimes bring on feelings of suicide.

There are some specific types of depression, each has different symptoms and treatments, including:

Seasonal Affective Disorder
Dysthymia
Prenatal Depression
Postnatal Depression
Psychotic Depression

Self-harm

Self-harm is any behaviour in which someone intentionally injures or hurts themselves. People may self-harm as a way to cope with distressing thoughts, feelings or situations. Self-harm is not defined by age, race, education, social class, sexual or gender identity.

It can include:

self-injury - cutting, burning or hitting
food related - over-eating or restrictive eating
poisoning or overdosing
alcohol or substance abuse
risky or dangerous behaviour.

People who self-harm often believe the physical pain is easier to deal with than the emotional, some might use it as a punishment, or it can give some people a sense of control even for a short time.

Using self-harm as a coping mechanism can easily become an addictive behaviour, the build-up and relief of overwhelming thoughts or feelings will only give temporary relief. It’s then followed by feelings of guilt or shame, and the cycle continues.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder affects a person’s mood, which can swing from one extreme to another. Unlike mood swings, each extreme episode of bipolar disorder can last for several weeks (or longer) and there are some people who may not experience a ‘normal’ mood very often. It used to be referred to as manic depression.

People with bipolar disorder may have episodes of:

depression (where they feel low and lethargic)
manic or hypomanic episodes (where they feel very high and overactive)
potentially some psychotic symptoms (occurring during manic or depressed episodes). Psychosis, such as delusions, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations and suicidal ideations; possibly leading to verbal and physical aggression.

People with bipolar disorder may also feel well between these episodes. However, the symptoms of bipolar disorder can be severe and can affect a person’s life, work, school and relationships.

Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is when a person develops an unhealthy attitude towards food. Food can be one of the main ways people deal with stress, sadness, anxiety or happiness. Using food as a way of dealing with emotions creates a complicated relationship which can impact mental health, causing at its most extreme an eating disorder.

Eating disorders manifest as a disturbance in the way someone perceives their body, this may not always be the correct perception of how they actually look.

This obsessive worry is then controlled by creating routines on what or when they eat. It may not always be obvious when someone is suffering with an eating disorder. It can be common for them to deny or not even realise they have a problem.

There are some specific eating disorders, each has different symptoms and treatments, including:

Anorexia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorder
Bulimia
Other

Suicidal Thoughts and Feelings

Suicide is the act of intentionally ending your life. Thoughts of suicide can often come out of nowhere or may begin as a fleeting thought of escape or wanting to disappear. The situations that make someone feel suicide is an option can be very different from person to person.

It’s rare there is a single cause which makes someone want to end their life. Most people who end their lives by suicide don’t actually want to die, they simply want to be removed from a situation or for their pain to stop.

It may not always be obvious when someone is feeling suicidal, they may not want anyone to know how they truly feel and will work hard to hide it. Often when someone is committed to ending their life, they can appear quite calm and relaxed.

Who is Affected?

Mental health problems can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or background. In this section, we'll explore how mental health impacts different groups, including women, men, older adults, and children. Understanding the unique challenges each group faces is crucial for providing effective support and intervention.

Women

Almost in 1 in 5 women between the ages of 16 and 65 have reported symptoms of mental health problems.

Symptoms that are more common in women can include depression, anxiety, self-harm, PTSD, or eating disorders.

It’s largely believed women have a greater emotional literacy, and are more willing to talk to friends, family or professionals about their thoughts and feelings.

There are many things that can have a negative impact on women’s mental health, including major life changes such as pregnancy, menopause, unemployment or a relationship breakdown. Negative experiences such as discrimination, abuse, violence, inequality in financial or social situations, infertility, perinatal loss and having a negative body image.

Being a mother and having a mental health problem, like postnatal depression, can put a strain on relationships with their child and partner. It can make daily activities and routines of parenting harder.

Men

In England, around 1 in 8 men have a common mental health problem.

Symptoms that are more common in men can include irritability, anger, risky behaviour, and aggression. Men also have the highest rates of completed suicide, this can be down to pressure put on men or that men are typically less likely to open up and seek help for mental health problems.

Within society there are masculine standards that are put on boys from a very young age, this generally tells boys that showing emotions, not being strong enough or not providing for their family, means that they appear "weak" or not "man enough".

Due to these societal expectations, men may feel as though they need to remain feeling strong and in control - and whilst these are not inherently negative things, research suggests that a reliance on these traditional ideas as to what it means to be a "man" may negatively impact on men’s mental health. Behaving in a way that conforms to these expectations, specifically to self-reliance and power over others can be associated with increased distress and poorer mental health. Research also suggests that men who feel as though they are unable to speak openly about their emotions, may be less likely to recognise symptoms of mental health problems in themselves - leaving them less likely to reach out for support.

Older Adults

2 in 5 people living in care homes experiences depression or poor mental health.

Mental health in older adults can be affected by things like menopause, widowhood, divorce, social isolation, financial worries, loss of independence, certain medications, disability or health problems such as strokes, heart disease, diabetes or cancer.

Certain symptoms can be more common in older people, including physical symptoms like dizziness, weakness or pains, and unusual anxieties or behaviours.

Dementia and depression can often share symptoms, like memory, speech or movement problems, this means it can sometimes be difficult to tell the two apart. Cognitive abilities will usually return following treatment for depression and can be improved with dementia treatments.

Children

Mental health problems affect about 1 in 10 children.

Mental health problems in children can present in different ways than adults. Some signs a child is suffering can include sleeping more than usual, losing interest in things, avoiding school or friends, problems in school or physical symptoms like headaches or stomach pains.

Family problems such as divorce, bereavement, bullying, problems or pressure in school, abuse, or family history of mental health problems, are all things that increase the risk of mental health problems in children.

Parents with mental health problems can also have a major impact on their child:

babies of mothers with perinatal depression are at risk of being born prematurely with a low birth weight. Babies born to mothers with perinatal depression who are under 1 year can experience sleep problems and delayed development
children and young adults can have increased risk of behavioural problems, they may take on caring responsibilities for their parents, worry about their parent’s health and wellbeing or financial troubles, they may be socially isolated or bullied and are at a higher risk of developing mental health problems.

What Affects Mental Health?

Several factors can impact mental health, ranging from socioeconomic conditions to lifestyle choices and emotional well-being. Recognising these factors is crucial for promoting mental health and well-being. Here are some key factors that can affect mental health:

Money
Housing
Sleep
Long-term Conditions
Bereavement and Grief
Loneliness
Smoking
Physical Health
Substance Misuse
Paranoia
Work
Religion and Spirituality

Advice and Support

If a person decides to confide in you that they are experiencing difficult thoughts and feelings, the most important thing you can do is show you care. It is important that you:

Listen: Give them space to talk, let them know you are listening.

Offer Reassurance: Let them know they are not alone, and that you will help.

Stay Calm: Even though you may find it upsetting.

Be Patient: Let them set the pace for seeking support.

Don’t Make Assumptions: Try not to assume that you already know what has caused their feelings.

Keep Contact: As part of emotional support for them.

Practical Support

There are many practical things you can do to support a person who is ready to seek help.

Including (but not limited to):

helping them to write down a list of questions that they may want to ask their doctor or a healthcare professional
looking for information that might be helpful to them
organising paperwork for them, for example, making sure they have somewhere safe to keep their notes, records of appointments and prescriptions
learning more about the problems they are experiencing, which may enable you to think about other ways you could support them
arranging for someone to go to appointments with them, where they request this (this can be yourself where appropriate)
finding out if there are any practical tasks they need help with, for example, childcare, household chores or arranging transport for them.
There will be times where a person who you believe is clearly struggling won’t reach out for help or won’t accept help. This can be frustrating and may leave you feeling powerless.

Do:

offer emotional support and reassurance
be patient
let them know how to seek help when they are ready.

Don’t:

force them to talk to you
try to make them get or accept help
see a doctor on behalf of someone else.

Available Resources

There are many websites and services available to help and support people with mental health problems.

The MIND website lists an A-Z of mental health.

The NHS website details how you can access mental health services.

The Mental Health Foundation offers advice on services and organisations.

How can you get involved in Mental Health Awareness Week?

There are several ways you can get involved in Mental Health Awareness Week:

Educate Yourself: Take some time to learn about mental health problems and the impact they have on individuals and communities.

Spread Awareness: Share information, articles, and resources about mental health on social media using the hashtag #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.

Start Conversations: Talk openly about mental health with friends, family, and colleagues. By sharing your own experiences or simply being a supportive listener, you can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health problems.

Take Care of Yourself: Remember to prioritise your own mental health and well-being. Practice self-care, reach out for support when you need it, and encourage others to do the same.

Advocate for Change: Advocate for policies and resources that support mental health awareness, education, and access to care in your community.

Final Remarks

Mental health problems affect millions globally, but with understanding, support, and resources, healing is possible. Let's work together to end the stigma, encourage open conversations, provide support, and improve access to mental health resources. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that no one faces these challenges alone.

Interested in Learning more about Mental Health Awareness?

At Blue Stream Academy we offer engaging eLearning modules for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) across various sectors, including GP, Health and Social Care, Private and Urgent Care, Aesthetics, Dental, and Hospice.

Mental Health Awareness eLearning Module

Good mental health means being able to; live and work productively, feel and express a range of emotions, form and maintain relationships, have confidence and positive self-esteem, engage with surroundings and adapt and cope with change or uncertainty.

Mental health problems can affect how a person thinks, feels, functions, behaves and interacts with others on a daily basis.

Having an understanding of mental health problems and providing information and access to help and support, are ways that can help to reduce mental health risks at an earlier stage.

Our ‘Mental Health Awareness’ module covers topics including:

the importance of good mental health
some of the contributing factors to mental health problems
what mental health problems are, the stigma and stereotypes that surround them and some common misconceptions
the different types of mental health problems and the effects that these can have
what affects mental health
the practical support that can be offered to people.

Anxiety Awareness eLearning Module

Anxiety is a normal, natural response that can affect all of us in different ways and at different times. Anxiety can be a response to situations, such as stress or danger, and it can bring on feelings of worry, fear or unease.

It is important for health and social care professionals to be made aware of what anxiety is, how it can affect people and how people who experience anxiety or panic attacks can be supported.

Our ‘Anxiety Awareness’ module covers topics including:

what anxiety is and how it affects people
some of the things that may cause anxiety
the different types of anxiety disorders
how anxiety disorders are diagnosed and the range of treatments that can be offered for anxiety
the support that can be offered to people who experience anxiety and panic attacks.

Depression Awareness eLearning Module

Depression affects 1 in 10 people during their lifetime. We can all feel sad and low at times and there is a common misconception that depression is the same as feeling sad or that it is not a real medical problem. It is important for health and social care professionals to understand what depression is, how it can affect people and the ways in which people who experience depression can be supported.

Our ‘Depression Awareness’ module covers topics including:

some of the causes and symptoms of depression
the specific types of depression
how depression can exist alongside other medical conditions or mental health problems
how support can be offered to people with depression as well as the different treatments available.

Eating Disorder Awareness eLearning Module

An eating disorder is when a person develops an unhealthy attitude towards food, which can take over their lives and make them unwell. It may not always be obvious when someone is suffering with an eating disorder and so it is important that health and social care professionals understand some of the common signs and symptoms of an eating disorder and are aware of the support available. Early identification and intervention are crucial, before any harmful behaviours become rooted in daily life and serious physical or mental harm can occur.

Our ‘Eating Disorders Awareness’ module covers topics including:

how common eating disorders are
the different types of eating disorders
some of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders
what should be looked at when identifying and assessing eating disorders
treatments that can be offered.

Stress Awareness eLearning Module

Stress is the body’s reaction to excessive pressures or other demands felt from situations or life events. Being put under pressure is a part of normal everyday life, and it can have its benefits. However, if you start to feel overwhelmed by stress, then it can become a problem. It is important for health and social care professionals to understand what stress is and the possible physical, behavioural and psychological symptoms it can cause.

Our ‘Stress Awareness’ module covers topics including:

what stress is
the possible physical, behavioural and psychological symptoms of stress
who may suffer from stress
stress in the workplace
stress management and the treatment available to help people with stress.

Suicide Awareness eLearning Module

In 2022 there were 6,588 deaths registered in the UK, where the cause was recorded as suicide. Thoughts of suicide can often come out of nowhere or may begin as a fleeting thought of escape and wanting to disappear. Suicidal thoughts and feelings can affect anyone and for many different reasons. It’s rare there is a single cause which makes someone want to end their life. It is important for health and social care professionals to understand some of the warning signs that someone might be suicidal to ensure they can offer the appropriate support.

Our ‘Suicide Awareness’ module covers topics including:

what suicide is and why some people feel suicidal
a few of the common misconceptions surrounding suicide
how openly discussing suicide may be difficult for some people
some of the warning signs that someone might be suicidal
how to offer the appropriate support
some of the treatments and support options.

Suitability: All the above eLearning modules are suitable for anyone who may want to learn more about mental health, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, stress or suicide awareness.

Learn more about Blue Stream Academy

Click here for more information about Blue Stream Academy and what we offer. Alternatively, contact us via email at info@bluestreamacademy.com or speak with a team member at 01773 822549.

Press here for a Free Trial