Mind
Spring 2017
magazine
The healing power of dance
Shalini Bhalla tells us how she found mindfulness in movement
Plus Your questions answered by our experts Top tips for a good night’s sleep
Contents
Mind news
Welcome
Mental health in the media
to your new-look supporter magazine!
A warm welcome to your Mind magazine – with its exciting new look. We’ve packed this issue with inspiring stories from people who are living with mental health problems, and lots of suggestions for how you can tackle some of your daily stress and introduce more calm to your own life. We’ve got news about what your generous donations are helping us fund, along with the latest Mind news and campaign updates.
And, of course, this is a chance for us to say a huge thank you for your amazing ongoing support, which makes our life-changing work possible. Do email me at magazine@mind.org.uk to tell me what you think. Kind regards
Mind celebrities speak out
Lo r rain e Ro a d n ig h t, E d i to r
S pr in g 2 0 1 7 issu e h ig h lig h ts
Hearing a celebrity talk openly about their mental health problems can have a hugely positive impact on someone feeling frightened by their own experiences. 14
15
4
6
Our latest M ind news
Th e h e a l i n g power of dance
Top tips f or a good s leep
T h e little page of calm
And the final Christmas appeal total…
A real-life story that’s sure to move you
Our guide to improving your sleep patterns
How meditation can improve your wellbeing
S e arch ‘Mind’
@Mind Char i ty
15- 1 9 B ro a d way, S t rat fo rd, L o ndo n E 15 4B Q | 020 8215 2243 | sup p or ter ser vic es@mind . org . uk
TV personality Denise Welch is one of our celebrity ambassadors. She’s lived with depression for many years, and sees her role as encouraging people to discuss their mental health – and take that important first step to get help. ‘Mind ambassadors represent different demographics. People want to hear from someone they can relate to. ‘It all starts with a conversation and I’m not afraid to speak up!’
Political strategist Alastair Campbell is also a Mind ambassador. ‘I’ve had lots of people tell me they were encouraged by hearing from me, and others who were open about their problems,’ he explains. We’re part of the Time to Change campaign, supported by both Alastair and Denise. And, since it launched in 2008, levels of discrimination reported by people with mental health problems have fallen from 42 to 28 per cent. Turn to page 9 for more info.
We’re a registered charity in England (no. 219830) and a registered company (no. 424348) in England and Wales. 2 Mind Magazine
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Mind news
Mind news
Christmas appeal update
Read all about it!
Life Support Support for a mental health problem isn’t just about the treatments you may receive, it’s also about the support that helps you in your day-to-day life.
Everyone needs help to cope sometimes.
Find the words For most of us, our GP is the first person we’ll go to for help with our mental health as well as our physical health. However, it’s not always easy having that first conversation about your deepest feelings. Our Find the Words campaign is designed to help you talk to your GP or practice nurse, so you can get the support that best suits your needs.
How to Find the Words •
Prepare what you’d like to say in advance, and give yourself plenty of time to get to the appointment so you don’t feel rushed.
•
Print out any info from our website or other sources that helps you describe what’s going on and how you’re feeling.
• Think about taking a friend or family member to your appointment for support. • Be honest and open – there’s no wrong way to describe how you’re feeling.
We’ve made a short film with more handy tips and suggestions. There’s also a free guide to help you find the words. Go to mind.org.uk/findthewords
When you are experiencing a mental health problem, tasks like paying bills, getting housing advice and feeling part of the community can seem impossible, and many of the community-based organisations which provide these vital services are under threat. Your local Mind can help make daily life easier. Laura went to her local Mind in west London: ‘Many people find that issues from the past can trip them up. Everyone needs help to cope sometimes.’ If you’d like to help save the many underfunded services across the UK, go to mind.org.uk/campaigns today.
To find out more about local services in your area, call the Mind Infoline today on 0300 123 3393 * or text 86463.
Thanks to your amazing response to our Christmas appeal we’ll be able to help more people like Caitlin Maggs, who shared her story about calling the Mind Infoline for support. A huge thank you!
£138,685 raised
Our survey
said...
The results of your supporter survey are in, thanks to everyone who took part.
77%
of you said you’re happy with the way we communicate with you. You’d also like more info about mental health in general, in the workplace and about your local Mind. That’s why we’ve updated your magazine, to include more of what you’d like.
*Lines open 9am – 6pm Monday to Friday. 4 Mind Magazine
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Real-life inspiration
Real-life inspiration
Just
I’m not defined by my depression, but I am informed by it. I suffer from it, but it’s what you make of it that matters.
dance
In 2002, Shalini Bhalla suffered a severe panic attack as she was leaving her house one morning. She was 27 years old, and worked in the high-stress hospitality industry – a career choice that had meant giving up her passion for Indian dance when she was 18. Almost 10 years later, she found herself hospitalised with depression. ‘I spent a month in hospital, and none of the treatments seemed to work,’ she remembers. ‘I just wasn’t able to see any light at the end of the tunnel. Dance gives Shalini strength
The power of movement
Depression led Shalini back to a childhood passion, which has transformed her life and gives her strength when she most needs it. 6 Mind Magazine
Shalini’s classes mix Bollywood dancing with aerobics and mindfulness
‘It was a really dark time for me. Then I started listening to music, and one piece was a very short invocation to the Hindu god Krishna. I don’t follow a particular religion, but I just felt something move me, and I stood up and started dancing. It was a very tough thing to do – physically I mean. I was on medication and very shaky, but for some reason
those three minutes made a huge difference to me. ‘I had forgotten how important dance had been in my life. I’ve got a photo of me dancing on stage when I was three, but I’d left it all behind. I’d become a career girl, with a “proper” job.’ Just Jhoom! With the support of her partner, Jeremy, Shalini came through her depression and realised that she needed dance back in her life. So she set up a dance company called Just Jhoom!, which means Just Dance!, and devised classes that drew on Indian classical dance and Bollywood dancing as well as aerobics and mindfulness. ‘Movement is very powerful,’ explains Shalini. ‘It’s not just about physical things like endorphins, it’s also about the mental calmness and meditative experience it gives you. It’s a release of energy. ‘There’s a wonderful Indian saying: “Where the hand goes, the eye follows. Where the eye goes, the mind follows. And where the mind goes, there is expression and spirit.” When I put my hand out, my eye follows the movement and then my mind goes there, too. I’m truly present when I dance. > Mind Magazine 7
Real-life inspiration
Mental health issues
Dance has become my lifeline for a second time.
Let’s talk about... Stigma
‘Everyone talks about mindfulness now – people who dance and exercise have been doing it for years! If you’re in the moment, you’re mindful, you don’t need to sit still and meditate if that doesn’t suit you.’ My second lifeline Tragically, Shalini’s husband Jeremy lost his two-year battle with cancer last summer. He had been a constant source of love and support for her, and since his death she has struggled again with depression. ‘The first class I taught after Jeremy died was exhausting,’ she admits. ‘I cried like a baby, but afterwards it gave me a strange sense of normality. Dance gives me so much strength – and even a sense of happiness, as fleeting as it might be. It’s become my lifeline for a second time.
It’s ok to not feel ok ‘I’ve also found that reading blog posts on the Mind website is a huge help. It shows me I’m not alone, that there are other people in a similar boat. And for me, seeing how hard Mind staff work to raise awareness about mental health validates the fact that it’s an important issue – it’s given me the courage to acknowledge my illness both to myself and others. ‘I’ve been privileged to work with Mind on some of these campaigns, and to say to other people “It’s ok to not feel ok – it’s ok and I know, because this is my story”. ‘I’m so lucky that I have dance to turn to. I’m not defined by my depression, but I am informed by it. I suffer from it, but it’s what you make of it that matters.’
Feeling inspired? To read more about Just Jhoom! and find a class near you – go to justjhoom.co.uk 8 Mind Magazine
Being honest about mental health is something many people struggle with because of the stigma that’s still attached to it. It’s time to end the discrimination. Life-changing mental health problems affect a quarter of us, yet few of us feel comfortable talking about it. Why? Maybe because most people with mental health problems have been stigmatised.
1 in 4 of us
Time to change We need to change the way we talk about mental health. Time to Change is a campaign run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, to enable everyone to be open and honest about mental health – to talk and to listen without fear of prejudice.
experiences a mental health problem in any given year.
Make a pledge Over 95,000 people have already signed the Time to Change pledge to end the stigma of mental health. Join the wonderful online wall of pledges today with a promise to be open and honest about mental health. Add your voice at time-to-change.org.uk/pledgewall and then share on Facebook and Instagram. Mind Magazine 9
Real-life stories
would trigger it, but I’d go from being fine straight down to rock bottom. ‘I was living in a bubble, not knowing what I was doing or who I was. It was tough. I pushed my family away, and eventually this led to the breakdown of my relationship. I planned to end my life – when I told my partner she called the doctor who rang me straight away and referred me to the psychiatric team.
Someone like you
Richard McGhee
Richard (right) feels lucky to have a supportive team around him
This is the first in a series of real-life interviews discussing how mental health problems can have a big impact on your day-to-day life. We all feel stressed at work from time to time – but sometimes stress can be a sign of a deeper anxiety that needs proper time and attention. Richard McGhee has been working in the fire service since he was 18, but a tragedy in his personal life had more of an impact on his work than he had predicted. ‘Three years ago, when I was 30, my partner and I lost a baby when we had a miscarriage. It was awful, but I told myself “these things happen, get on with it”. Then, last summer I was attending a traffic accident – 10 Mind Magazine
I was living in a bubble, not knowing what I was doing or who I was. ‘I’ve been really lucky with the support I’ve been given, and no-one has ever pushed me to get back to work before I was ready. I’m back now, and I still have bad days, but they’re manageable. My job is so important to me and I love it, and thanks to the support I feel so appreciated.
the casualty trapped in the car was pregnant – and as soon as I was given the briefing something just turned inside me. I had to step away from the job, all I could think about was the baby we’d lost. It was bizarre that it had taken so long for me to react to it.
‘I’ve been honest with my bosses and colleagues about what’s happened. I’d rather people knew why I was off work rather than making assumptions. Since I’ve spoken out, colleagues including senior officers have told me how they’ve been through similar experiences. It’s comforting to know I’m not the only one, and that I could also potentially help someone else by talking about it.
‘I had some time off work, and went back when I thought I was okay. But they took one look at me and sent me straight home. The same happened again a few weeks later. Looking back, I thought that work was keeping me going, but my bosses knew I wasn’t safe because of the huge fluctuations in my mood. I could never predict what
‘People working in the blue light services are seen as being big, strong and capable, so it’s even harder to admit when things aren’t right. Since I’ve become a champion of Mind’s Blue Light Programme, I’ve talked about my experiences on the radio and TV and gained so much confidence. Sharing gets easier and easier.’
Even heroes need mental health support They’re heroes in our communities, but our research shows that members of the emergency services are more at risk of experiencing a mental health problem than the general population – and sadly they’re also less likely to seek support. Mind’s Blue Light Programme is designed to provide mental health support to staff and volunteers from the police, search and rescue, fire and ambulance services in England. And, thanks to new funding announced last November, we can now start to roll out the programme in Wales. If you’d like to know more about the Blue Light Programme, or know someone who might benefit from the support it offers, go to mind.org.uk/bluelight Mind Magazine 11
Expert advice
Expert advice
What should I do if someone I know tells me they’re experiencing mental health problems? Q
A If someone in your family, or a friend, tells you they’re experiencing difficult thoughts or feelings, it can be hard to know what to do or say. But you don’t need specialist training, just showing you care can be a huge help.
Mind
Q&A
Our mental health expert, Stephen Buckley, will be here each issue to answer your questions. Should I go to my GP to get help for a mental health problem? Q
A Yes! Your GP is the best place to start if you want to access help from the NHS – once you’ve spoken to them about your concerns, they can refer you to a range of specialist services, from counselling to community psychiatric nurses. It’s not always easy to know how to explain your feelings
or concerns to your GP, so check out our Find the Words campaign for advice to help you get the conversation started. To read more about the Find the Words campaign, and get lots of useful hints on how to talk openly to your GP about a problem, visit mind.org.uk/findthewords
Give them space to talk, and offer reassurance that they’re not alone. Try not to make assumptions about what’s caused their feelings, or what will or won’t help them. It’s important that you stay calm and patient – just being there to listen and comfort them will help keep things as normal as possible. Encourage them to speak to their GP, and offer to attend appointments so they’ve got a friendly face to help them feel less anxious. For more general info about how to help,go to mind.org.uk/seekinghelp or check out our online support community, Elefriends, by visiting mind.org.uk/elefriends
If you have a question about any aspect of mental health, call our Infoline on 0300 123 3393 * or text 86463 for advice.
H a v e your s a y We all know what it’s like to worry sometimes – and sharing is a powerful thing We asked you: What keeps you awake at night? My relationships failing and being alone. Jane
Fortunately, hardly anything at all. Sandra
How I will cope when my parents have passed away. Mike
Going over things I have to do, or worries that I have. Judi
Muscle spasms. David
The damn cat. Luke
If I’m excited about something that’s coming up soon. Samantha
Thinking too much about not being able to sleep! Amanda
Over-thinking about things going wrong, or things I’d like to change. Ellisha
I get flashback nightmares from PTSD – I even shout out loud. Elizabeth
Turn over for advice about getting a good night’s sleep… Next issue: How do you motivate yourself ? Have your say by emailing us at magazine@mind.org.uk
*Lines open 9am – 6pm Monday to Friday. 12 Mind Magazine
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Expert advice
If you change just one thing...
Activities
The little page of
Sleep
calm
There are lots of free mindfulness apps you can download from your app store
Living with a mental health problem can affect how well you sleep, and poor sleep can have a negative impact on your mental health. Top tips for better sleep: Establish a routine: it will help your body learn when to wind down at the right time. Relax before you go to bed: listen to music, take a bath, do breathing exercises. Try to resolve worries before you turn the light off: talk to a friend or write down your concerns to deal with the next day. Make sure your room is as dark and quiet as possible. Switch off screens earlier: bright screens before bed will affect your sleep. Ban them from the bedroom!
For 14 more info about improving Mind Magazine your sleep patterns, go to mind.org.uk/sleep
This issue: Mindfulness Mindfulness is a technique that can help people manage their mental health or simply gain more enjoyment from life. It involves making a special effort to give your full attention to what is happening in your life at the present moment. Although many people can benefit from mindfulness, not everyone finds it helpful – find out more at mind.org.uk/mindfulness
Here are some tips to get you started: 1. Set aside some time – if you can, commit to a regular time every day to practise. 2. Make yourself aware of the sensations of your body as you sit – be aware of your breathing and focus on the effect each breath has. 3. Don’t worry if your mind wanders – remember you’re learning a new skill so it will take time to develop. 4. Be kind to yourself – try not to be critical of yourself, and gently observe where your mind takes you rather than worrying about it. 5. Start with a few minutes at a time and build up gradually as you get more confident.
Why not cut out and keep your little page of calm? 14 Mind Magazine
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Will you help us be there when someone finds the courage to say
‘I need help’? We want a world where our children and grandchildren don’t feel ashamed to ask for help.
With a gift to Mind in your will, you can help make sure nobody feels desperate and alone, now and in the future.
Get your
free guide
Order your wills pack with our free guide at mind.org.uk/wills or call 020 8215 2243