Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

What is it?

Good mental health is a sense of wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem. It enables us to fully enjoy and appreciate other people, day to day life and our environment.

What can affect my mental health?

It can be useful to understand mental health and well being as being a continuum naturally fluctuating in response to life events and situations e.g. job loss, family breakdown, bereavement. People will respond differently to these issues and it is important to recognise that these experiences can have an impact on our mental health.

What is mental ill health?

Anyone can experience mental ill health in the same way as we can experience physical ill health, this can be mild, moderate or severe. It is estimated that one in four people in Northern Ireland will have a mental health problem at some point in their lives. It is important to seek help if you are concerned about yourself or someone else.

Where can I find help?

Contact your Doctor (GP)

If you are concerned about your own mental health contact your GP, who can help you decide what level of support you need. They will be able to refer you into Mental Health services if necessary.

Lisburn Wellbeing Hub

At the Lisburn Wellbeing Hub we work in partnership with a range of local self-help and talking therapy services to improve emotional health.

Connect with the Hub if you would like support with low mood, stress or anxiety. Referrals come from GP surgeries in the Lisburn area.

Ask your GP for details if you are registered with a surgery in the Lisburn area. Our staff will contact you to discuss your emotional health and wellbeing needs and will support you in connecting with a range of local self-help and talking therapy services.

You can contact the Hub by Telephone: (028) 9598 8003 or by email: wellbeing.hub@setrust.hscni.net

Phone lines are monitored Monday – Thursday 9.00am – 1.30pm and our email address is monitored periodically.

For urgent enquiries please contact your GP or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.

Wellness Recovery Network

The Wellness Recovery Network is led by people with lived experience of various mental health issues who have been on a journey of hope, recovery and finding a sense of wellness after being in a place of total despair. What makes us different is that anyone can attend the Network as we believe Wellness is for everyone.

It aims to achieve:

– Support conversations about mental health away from stigma.
– Promote recovery and champion individuality.
– Embrace wellness and wellbeing.
– Make connections with like-minded people.
– Nurture hope, control and opportunity.

Click here to learn more.

Lifeline

Lifeline is a crisis response helpline service operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you are in distress or despair and talk to a trained counsellor in confidence.

Telephone: 0808 808 8000

Deaf and hard of hearing text phone users can call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 or www.lifelinehelpline.info

Helpline Network

This provides contact details for a range of NI bases helplines, offering free information and advice at www.helplinesnetworkni.com

Occupational Health

If you work, your employer may provide an occupational health service where you can get help and support.

Talk to a family member or friend

Sometimes it can be a relief just to tell someone that you are struggling. Your friends care about you and can often offer a different way of looking at the problem.

Get online

Samaritans: www.samaritans.org
Family support NI: www.familysupportni.gov.uk
Minding your head: www.mindingyourhead.info
NHS Choices: www.NHS.uk
Mental Health foundation: www.mentalhealth.org.uk
Helplines: www.helplinesnetworkni.com

Protecting your mental health and emotional wellbeing (Take 5)

	We all have a sense of when we are feeling mentally and physically well. But sometimes we need a gentle nudge to look after ourselves and to stay well. The ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ are about taking action and making conscious and deliberate choices to look after our wellbeing. The ideas that follow are simple evidence based actions that are applicable to people in all walks of life. With one in four people today experiencing mental health distress during their lifetime, there’s never been a better time for you to take responsibility for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing.
	With the people around you - with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours, at home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. If you are a carer or involved in a caring role, you may have lots of contact that relates to supporting others. This can lead to loss of contact opportunities, people and things to support you. As with all things in life a balance is needed. We should try and seek out ‘positive’ connections to balance time spent with distress. By making choices and consciously attending to the connections we make, we can become more control of our lives. Take up the driving seat and become committed to living well Being well connected is associated with increased mental health and wellbeing.
	Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun. It can be hard to feel motivated to learn all the time, especially if because of our work or other roles we are told we have to learn something specific, whether we are interested or not. If this has been your experience and your interest in learning has been ‘spoiled’, it can be rediscovered. Learning new skills and practising and refining old ones are keys to both personal and professional growth. It keeps us interested and focused, breaking the monotony of life and opening new possibilities A life style that includes valuing learning is positively associated with mental health and wellbeing.
	People who are active have improved mental health and wellbeing. Go for a walk or run. Step outside, cycle, play a game, garden, dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Different people engage in different forms and different levels of activity. Being active is important for both our physical and mental health. Small changes in levels of activity can make a big difference. Just 10 minutes of physical activity has been shown to be beneficial for mental wellbeing. Sometimes people feel guilty about taking a break from their work/role to do physical activity. It can be seen as wasting valuable time which could be spent doing what needs done. In actual fact when we take a 5 minute break to positively refresh ourselves, we can end up in a more resourceful state and then use our time more productively.
	Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the seasons as they change. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. Most of us are fairly busy. Our mind is active throughout the day. We constantly seem to be doing something. We focus on the next step and the next task in hand. Mostly we forget to take notice, to be aware and mindful of our surroundings. To take notice is to be in the present, in the here and now and to tune in not only to our bodily sensations, our breathing and our experiences but also to what is going on in our surroundings. Remember, the value of taking action, doing something. Notice when we are connecting, notice when we are active, notice when we are learning something new. Notice when we are giving. Choose to feel good about the action we are taking. Taking notice, being aware and mindful is associated with mental health and wellbeing.
	Do something nice for a friend, or stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself and your happiness as linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you. Every relationship is one of give and take. The more we give the more we receive. Giving is associated with mental wellbeing. There is a difference though in giving for the sake of politeness, obligation or duty and giving because your intention is to feel good and make the other person feel good. When you are in the frame of mind in which you feel good in the very act of giving, this is going to enhance your wellbeing and can contribute to the wellbeing of the person whose life you touch. When you give, give openly and from the heart. There are many opportunities to give in small ways every day. For example: • Giving a smile, a compliment, encouragement • Giving a hand, giving away to another car • Giving your time, a silent wish or prayer • Give yourself the gift of connecting, being active, of noticing • Give thanks, being grateful for whatever good is happening in your life Some people say that they find giving easy but don’t feel as comfortable to receive. This can be especially true when it comes to compliments. Giving is a two way process – you acceptance of what someone else gives is good for them as well as you. By becoming more comfortable with the give and take of everyday life we build ourselves up as well as give opportunities to others. People who enjoy giving and are open to receiving have improved mental health and wellbeing.

Training

What training is available?

A range of free Mental Health Training is available to anyone living or working in the South Eastern Trust Area.

The training includes:

Mental Health First Aid: 2 full days training
Safe TALK: 3-4 hours training
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training): 2 full days
Understanding Self -harm: 3-4 hours
Engage for Young Men: 1 full day
Low level CBT: 1 full day
Positive Steps T4T – 4 hours
Take 5 T4T – 3 hours

For further information or to book a place please contact Eileen Young on Eileen.Young@setrust.hscni.net

Click here to view the SEHSCT Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing training directory 23/24.

Please note this is a live document and will be updated as new information is sourced.

Recovery College

The college run a number of co-produced educational courses and workshops. These are available to people who use the South Eastern HSC Trust services, their supporters (family, friends or carers) and staff.

Positive Steps Programme

Positive Steps is a flexible and interactive mental health promotional programme that can be used with virtually any group. This 10 step programme encourages people to look at life, to discover what influences their health and provides practical opportunities to enhance mental health and emotional wellbeing.

For further information contact: Laura.McAllister2@setrust.hscni.net

Take 5 Ambassador Training

The Take 5 Ambassador Training raises awareness and understanding of the Take 5 concept and provides resources necessary to disseminate this message to their local community.

This resource was developed by the Belfast Strategic Partnership to promote Take 5 to individual, communities and organisations. It can be downloaded at www.makinglifebettertogether.com

A range of resources are available including the following leaflets:

Take 5
Everybody Hurts Sometime – Lifeline Flyer
Steps to deal with stress
Promoting positive mental health a work guide for employers
What happens in the Emergency Department- A patients guide
Improving the lives of people who self –harm
Caring for someone who has self-harmed or has suicidal thoughts – a family guide
Bereaved by Suicide Support Service
Directory of services to help improve mental health and emotional wellbeing- SE Trust area Z card

The resources for the South Eastern H&SC Trust are stored in CRIS in Knockbracken, Belfast. To order materials please contact Gerard Ranaghan Telephone (028)9504 4846 or email: Gerald.ranaghan@belfastrust.hscni.net

Useful Resources, Links and Self-Help Guides

Resources

Self-Help Guides

Self-help guides can be found at www.covidwellbeingni.info

Links
www.mindingyourhead.info
www.livingworks.net
www.lifelinehelpline.info
www.samaritans.org
www.mentalhealth.org.uk
www.NHS.uk
www.helplinesnetworkni.com

Campaigns

Workplace Mental Health, Regional Campaign 2024

The five local Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland alongside the Public Health Agency (PHA) and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) launch the NI regional mental health campaign for 2024, encouraging people across Northern Ireland to prioritise workplace mental health.

The campaign encourages everyone to take 10 minutes out of their day for self-care using the ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’.

The campaign will run from 11 September to 10 October 2024, to mark the period between World Suicide Prevention Day and World Mental Health Day.

It is easy to start adding the ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ to your daily routine – anyone can do it – and it is important because taking care of your mental health and managing stress helps to improve your personal resilience. It also can help you if you support or care for others.

The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ are:

Connect,
Keep Learning,
Be Active,
Take Notice and
Give.

You can find out all you need to know in the resource pack to accompany this campaign which includes background to the campaign, helpful tips and advice for employees and employers, and useful links to support services.

CLICK HERE to access the calendar for mental health training sessions.

You can find out more about the work happening in your area and the training available across Northern Ireland at Workplace mental health 2024 | Minding Your Head

Click here to view the Regional Mental Health Campaign Calendar 2024

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 13th May to Sunday 19th May.

This year’s theme is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”. One of the most important things you can do to help protect your mental health is regular movement. Moving more can increase your energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost your self-esteem

Movement is important for our mental health but many of us struggle to move enough. This Mental Health Awareness Week we want encourage you to find moments for movement in your day. Going for a walk, putting on your favourite music and dancing, chair exercises when you’re watching television, gardening and housework – it all counts!

As part of this year’s campaign we are calling on you to organise your own Walk & Talk event to promote mental and emotional wellbeing. Organising and going on a Walk & Talk with a friend, family member, colleague or as part of a group can show you and others how easy it is to start adding the five steps to wellbeing into daily routine – creating hope that it is possible to take steps to protect and improve wellbeing.

See the attached brochure to help with planning your Walk & Talk event.

Alternatively if organising a group walk seems like a ‘step too far’ why not join the South Eastern Trusts ‘Walk this May challenge’.

How many of our 31 calendar challenges can you cross of in the month ahead?

How Much Physical Activity Helps?

For most healthy adults, The Chief Medical Officer recommends moderate aerobic activity for at least 150 minutes a week or vigorous aerobic activity for at least 75 minutes a week. In addition, strength and balance exercises are encouraged at least twice a week. Spreading your physical activity throughout your week can make it more achievable.

Find out more about the SEHSCT Walking for Health programme here: Walking for Health – South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust (hscni.net)

Walking for Health aims to encourage inactive people to increase their level of physical activity by participating in local led health walks.

You can find out more about mental health and detailed information about specific conditions here: Mental health | Minding Your Head