There’s plenty of self-help advice around to help you restore and maintain balance in your life – at work and at home.

But you don’t need to pay for a trendy life coach, counsellor or shaman to learn how to survive and thrive for yourself.

Surviving and thriving has been the theme for mental health awareness week which is drawing to close.

“Everyone has the ability to think, feel and act in a way that allows us to enjoy life, dealing with the challenges it presents,” said Lizzette Harwood, a community mental health nurse based in Merton.

Lizzette is part of the team of healthcare professionals working for Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH), supporting local residents who need help to improve their mental wellbeing.

A recent survey by the Mental Health Foundation shows that only 13% of people say they live with high levels of mental health and nearly half have experienced depression.

The Foundation has a simple online survey available for people to do a quick check on their own mental health. Just Google “mental health survey” and click on the Mental Health Foundation website.

“Unidentified depression, on top of a physical health issue, can make it harder for an individual to cope with day-to-day activites,” added Lizzette.

“This may affect how they engage with their regular health professionals and the programme in place to improve their physical health.”
A local GP, or one of Lizzette’s colleagues, alert her to concerns they may have with a patient and a mental health assessment is arranged at home.

“It’s all about supporting the patient (and carer) in their home, avoiding the negative consequences of hospitalisation.”

Mental health awareness week may be over but the need to tackle depression, low mood and anxiety doesn’t go away on its own.

Article supplied by Peter Sas