EXPOSURE The mental health magazine
FRIDAY 27TH MAY
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW With ICU Nurse
£2 How staying active can help you become more positive
Famous makeup artsist sets up his own mental health campaign
TIPS TO IMPROVE MENTAL WELLBEING
OUR HEROS ON THE FRONT LINE
Contents 01.
Editors Note
02.
Quotes Page
03.
Tips to imporve mental wellbeing
05.
An Artists Perspective
08.
Mental Health
09.
Lowest Point
10.
Taking Risks
13.
Being Possitive
06. Nalaie’s Story 14.
Stay Active
Editors Note Hi, my name is Lilli Kracke. I am a student at HSDC studying Journalism and communications. This is my magazine all about making people more aware of mental health and how diffrent people can experience it in different ways. I would like to edcuate people about how the NHS coped in the pandemic. The men and women who worked on the front line and their stories of their personal experiences, how they struggled mentaly and physically. When I interviewed Natalie her words were so powerful and moving. So I’d like to thank Natalie for her time. I also had help from some lovely college students who let me show off her work, her name is Rebecca Merritt. Rebecca helped me to express other peoples feelings of depression through some beautiful art work. My models were Pepe Lacey, Daisy Martin, Alfie Alker and Callum Phillips.
A big thank you to all of my supporters who read my weekly magazine. Without you guys it wouldn’t be possible.
01.
5 St
1.
Conn
3.
02.
teps To Mental Wellbeing
nect with other people
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Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can: • Help you to build a sense of belonging and selfworth. • Give you an opportunity to share positive experiences. • Provide emotional support and allow you to support others.
Learn new skills Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by: • Boosting selfconfidence and raising self-esteem. • Helping you to build a sense of purpose. • Helping you to connect with others.
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2.
Be physically active
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by: • Raising your selfesteem helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood.
4.
Give to others
Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by: • Creating positive feelings and a sense of reward. • Giving you a feeling of purpose and selfworth. • Helping you connect with other people.
Mindfulness- Pay attention to the present moment
Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
03.
Rebecca Merritt A visual representaion of what depression feels like.
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An Artists Perspective Rebecca Merritt is a student at HSDC, curbelieves that makeup is something that can rently studying Level 4 UAL in Foundation help people. He set up his own campaign to Art and Design. She is passionate about support mental health awareness called Real makeup and feels as if it’s a great way to People Real Beauty. Paddy and his team’s express emotion. In her final project she ongoing mission is to create a more positive produced some work aimed at and realistic mindset around the visualising feelings and emo- “We work within subjective perception of what is tions, mainly focused around an industry fo- beautiful. the subejct of mental health. cused on making Paddy has stated in the past One of her best pieces of work that “Whilst many in the beauty people look and is based on depression. Reindustry prey on the insecurities becca asked some of her peers their social media followers feel better about of what they see when they feel for their own opportunism, I depressed, they said “I feel themselves.” feel a sense of responsibility to like there is something on my use make-up not only creatively, Paddy McGurgan face”. That’s where she drew but positively, and not adhere to her inspiration from. a culture of acceptance on the quest to create a real-life filter.” A dream of Rebeccas would be to work in film and tv, maybe even big events like LonIn relation to his work he explained what his don Fashion Week. One way she is getting a meaning is behind it “One side is your typistep closer to her dream is by going to unical, what you would expect to see a lot from versity, studying Hair and Make Up Media a glamorous picture online which is your Design, at Solent University. smokey eye and what is highly requested. The other is the dark black silhouette of a Paddy McGurgan is a famous and well known face and the message...is you’re worth more makeup artist who Rebecca looks up to. He than your darkness.”
Paddy McGurgan “It’s one girl’s face but it’s two...silhouettes.”
05.
Fighing The Pandemic
Our heros on the front line “I have been a nurse for 14 years, working in critical care for nearly 11 of those. It is my passion and I have worked my way up to Practice Educator/Senior Sister - with my focus being education and well being of my team. I am responsible for the training and development of staff and work very much clinically to ensure our practice is up to date and patients are at the forefront of all we do.” Natalie
Q &A Natalie’s When did you first find out about coronavirus and how? Firstly hearing on the news and not really truly appreciating the significance. I’ve worked through Swine Flu pregnant and wrongly assumed we would be under pressure with hospitals becoming busier than normal, but nothing to the extent of Covid19. I remember speaking to my family and colleagues once the initial news reports came out regarding outbreaks and changes to pandemic status in China. The severity of it hit once cases rapidly began spreading to the UK early in the new year of 2020.
Story
How did you react when you found out? Worry, once I realised how contagious COVID-19 was and the impact of the illness on patients, the reality of potentially contracting it and the fear of accidentally carrying it or making my loved ones ill scared me. If I’m honest I didn’t really have time to think as it all unravelled very fast.
06.
“I don’t belive
that anything could truly prepare you for working through a pandemic.
”
Did your working eviroment change, if so how? Yes, very much so. Right from the onset my employers ensured we had the correct PPE and we began rapid training regarding safe donning - or application of PPE & doffing - discarding of soiled PPE. We had many briefings regarding how we would respond and to attempt to prepare us for what might come our way. But ultimately even with vast experience within the Critical care setting. Our unit prepared to escalate beyond normal capacity - meaning we would be able to accept a greater number of patients than we normally would and provide critical care for them. Equipment was scurried together and staff from other areas within the hospital were given emergency surge training mean that they would then be able to work alongside us and support us during our busiest periods.
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Mental Health How did it affect your mental health? Post the 1st wave I was utterly exhausted, we had been running on full steam for weeks and adrenaline had seen us through. I felt a huge crash and almost couldn’t believe what I had been part of. But equally there was great relief, that some sense of normality had resumed and I had managed to stay safe and keep my family safe. On the whole I felt positive during this period.
I have been deeply affected by the severity of the 2nd wave. There were many shifts I would sob from the bottom of my heart as I drove home. Anxiety and the pressure of working in that environment was overwhelming, particularly. Pre a shift. The anticipation of what you were about to walk in to was very scary, despite being very well looked after by my work and the incredible teamwork and support we provided each other.
I have come to terms with the fact that I may suffer from PTSD. I don’t think I will ever forget it for the rest of my life.
During and post 2nd wave was a very different story. We saw other areas E.g. Kent hit so hard by the 2nd wave and we watched it creep slowly towards us, until suddenly the admissions came flooding in. A moment I will never forget.
I’m pleased I could help make a difference with my team to so many, being there when their families couldn’t whether that was holding a hand, giving a cuddle or crying with them. That gives me comfort. I’m so incredibly proud of the team I am part of.
08.
Lowest Point
What was the lowest point?
Losing patients. It’s widely known that there were many deaths due to Covid. To an extent, I am used to witnessing death, unfortunately it is a part of life and something that is inevitable. We endeavour to make death as peaceful and dignified as possible. However losing patients during Covid was incredibly upsetting. We would always call family in and protect them with PPE and inform them of the need to contact isolated post being with their loved one in their final moments. However it is so sad to witness - I tried to comfort everyone to the very best of my ability. However all of our normal communication and touch is hindered by PPE. Just an incredibly desperately sad time. Knowing we all did our absolute best and made a difference to so many provides comfort.
How did you try to keep your mental state okay? I exercised an awful lot in the 1st wave. I found it a really great way of unwinding and escaping/restoring post difficult shifts. I can’t say I did this the 2nd wave as I was just physically exhausted. I tried to catch up on rest and sleep as much as possible. Focus on the things I enjoy: walks and time with the kids and Simon, games nights (I became dobble champion and the kids loved beating Simon at Uno!) and zoom quizzes. A good box set to escape - we binged watched You, Prison Break and the Crown! All in all - just trying to take some time out to focus on what’s important and being grateful to be alive. It sounds dramatic but after experiencing working in ITU, even walking out of a long shift, taking off my mask and feeling the fresh air on my face made me feel grateful. It’s humbling in many ways.
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Taking Risks Did you have to work overtime? Yes, I worked an awful lot of overtime and bank shifts. I couldn’t stand seeing the messages requesting extra staff and knew my team was struggling. I wanted to help in any way I could and by working extra shifts meant I could assist. We had derogated ratios (meaning our normal protected ratios of 1 nurse to 1 critically unwell patient no longer stood and we could often have multiple critically unwell patients to care for) and staff sickness meaning that we needed as many staff as we could get. Our support teams were incredible. Staff came from all areas of the hospital to help - another example of the incredible comradery
Did the fact that you work in ICU make you feel like you were putting yourself and others at risk? Oh definitely. It was a constant worry of mine. I was so scared of contracting Covid myself - particularly as I have Asthma. It was very scary hearing about the number of healthcare workers who sadly lost their lives after falling ill. A price no one should have to pay for doing their job. The 2nd wave felt much closer to home, I knew many people who became unwell. I was absolutely terrified of making my partner or heaven forbid my babies sick. It was a very daunting prospect. But thankfully with PPE, hand washing and adherence to lock downs I was able to keep myself and my family safe.
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How did it affect you physically? What was it like before and after they brought in PPE? We were provided with adequate PPE from the very start which made us feel much safer. We wore FFP3 masks, Hats, Fluid resistant gowns, double gloves and visors. Initially, I was scared despite my training that I wouldn’t fit my PPE correctly causing a leak in my mask or unnecessary exposure. However as time went on, it became and is 2nd nature to don PPE and I can now do it very quickly, particularly in response to an emergency. I felt protected and I was taking the necessary precautions to protect myself, my colleagues, our patients and my loved ones. It gave me peace of mind despite being so uncomfortable.
Utter exhaustion! Shifts turned into 16 hour days back to back. The work was relentless. Proning (Turning patients on their fronts to improve ventilation due to a larger surface area for gas exchange) is hugely physically tiring, even with correct techniques and manual handling aids. My sleep was affected. I would find it so incredibly hard to switch off after a long day. Events of the day would play over in my mind and I found it difficult to relax. My partner would often just cuddle me and let me just cry or sit quietly. The PPE made the bridge of my nose break and I developed sores, a small price to pay for being safe but so uncomfortable nevertheless. My skin was so dry from the constant showering and my hands were cracked and burnt every time I washed them. The physical toll was huge on all of us. Plus I think my hair nearly fell out with all the showering pre and post shifts!
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Being Positive Were you able to stay positive? if so how? We kept each other going. The teamwork and comradery was phenomenal. Again something I will never forget. Despite the incredible sadness - we still tried to be positive, making each other laugh, dancing to the radio, understanding of the working environment and pressures, checking in and making sure we are all ok. Also making the most of rest days and taking some time to self care - a bath, time with my family Focussing on the end of Covid.
Do you have any happy memories from working in the pandemic? I am immensely proud to be part of what will eventually become a legacy. To have worked so hard and be part of such an incredible team and have been able to make a difference to patients and their families. That’s a special feeling. My daughter came home from school (she attended as a key worker child) and told me she had been asked to talk about her mummy being an Intensive Care Nurse. Her teacher had told her that it would be taught one day to future generations. She was so proud telling me and it made me feel happy that she recognised the hard work and that I had made her proud. Another incredible memory was when the Police and Fire Brigade came and clapped for the NHS one Thursday at the Hospital. It was after a really tough day and there was a real sense of unity and as the sirens sounded and everyone came together - it was an overwhelming and incredible feeling.
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STAY ACTIVE! • Exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain. Which helps you connect to your mental health. • Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills. • To begin with, it increases your heart rate, which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. • It can also stimulate the production of hormones that can enhance the growth of brain cells. • Regular physical activity can help you sleep better and feel more energized during the day. For example, taking a nuce walk, going to the gym, doing some gardening or meeting up with friend outside.
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F m I e t n n t e a E l s
https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/2449819/word-search/
Physical fitness gets plenty of attention, and for good reason. A healthy body can prevent conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, and help you maintain independence as you age.
positive way, involves strengthening neural pathways to bring your self-confidence, well-being, and satisfaction to a higher level.
To start, make a list of your good qualities. Mental fitness is just as important as phys- Remind yourself that you don’t have to be perfect. Set goals for what you want to ical fitness, and shouldn’t be neglected. Including mental exercises into your daily improve and start small to avoid becoming overwhelmed. routine can help you reap the benefits of a sharper mind and a healthier body for Stop mulitasking. You may think that mulyears to come. titasking enables you to get more things done at once, but it actually creates more Positive affirmation is one avenue to inproblems than it solves. Focusing on one creased mental proficiency. task at a time will improve your concentration and help you to be more productive. Affirmation, or talking to yourself in a
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