Contents Also in this edition:
Contents Features
* Food and Mood
7 - A fond farewell 8 - 9 The Smoking Ban
* Plus Poetry, Artwork, Active Minds and lots more
21 Cartoons
Hear Us recieved an overwhelming volume of articles, letters, 18,19,24,25,26 Your True Stories of living with Mental Illness 14,15,16,17 Mental Health Research 34,35,36 Slam Recovery College
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poetry and personal stories for this issue of our “In Our Shoes”. Thank you to everyone who contributed and our apologies to anyone whose submissions we weren’t able to include this time round.
Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
H
ear Us is Croydon’s Mental Health
Membership
Service User Group. Our membership is growing as more and more people with their own lived experience of mental health problems, as well as carers and staff from other voluntary and statutory organisations in the Borough, join us, to have their say about services. Membership is completely FREE and by joining you will:
hip
bers
Mem
* Receive our quarterly Newsletter, packed with information about the issues that affect us all, including personal stories of recovery, important ‘diary dates’, opportunities to get involved in shaping our inpatient and community mental health services and lots, lots more * Receive invitations to our Monthly Open Forum – the biggest and the best meeting in the borough for people affected by mental illness. An opportunity to meet other people ‘in our shoes’, learn about the Topics that are important to US, such as medication, Welfare
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* Benefits, Social Activities etc. * Hear about our Annual Social Events – including our Popular Xmas Party and our Summer Health and Wellbeing Day. * Learn about Opportunities to get involved in improving the quality of the mental health services commissioned and delivered in Croydon.
Join Us
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www.hear-us.org Orchard House
15 A Purley Road South Croydon CR2 6EZ 020 8681 6888
@
info@hear-us.org
Dear Readers, I would like to start by apologising for the long wait for this edition of In Our Shoes; it has been a year since In Our Shoes last graced your doorsteps and waiting rooms, a year where one thing or another has unfortunately kept our attention away from this publication. But In Our Shoes is back, and what better time for a triumphant return than now, when spring has ….. well sprung. So exactly what has kept us too busy to satisfy our eager readers with editions of In Our Shoes over the past year, I hear you ask.
Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
Welcome Well our wonderful Linkworking team under the leadership of our brilliant Linkworking Manager has grown to support service users in more of the mental health services in the borough, as well as increasing the number of visits to those services in which we already worked.
year’s ( although us in the Hear Us office are panicking slightly about how we’re going to make this year’s even better)
Our anti stigma project; the Reachout challenge, has expanded its mission beyond the borders of our fair borough, including becoming a part of the training for crisis and hostage negotiation police officers at Hendon Police College.
Our monthly Open Forums, co-chaired by the ever so handsome interim chair and Hear Us trustee David and the not so lovely Hear Us Projects manager Jane (three guesses as to whose written this editorial, PS; only joking Jane) continue to be well attended by the wonderful service user community in Croydon as those of us behind the scenes work to bring you exciting new topics and guest speakers each month.
The gloom of the winter months was countered by another hugely successful Hear Us Xmas Social evening at Fairfield halls that proved to be even bigger and better than last
The past year has also seen Mind’s Welfare Benefits team join us at Orchard house, so to them I extend a warm (if somewhat belated) welcome, and to all of Mind in Croydon I would
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Welcome
like to say a big thank you for all the help and support you have given Hear Us, our members and the Service User community in Croydon. Hear Us as an organisation continues to fight tirelessly for service users in Croydon, working with SLaM, the Clinical Commissioning Group/ Croydon Council and the voluntary sector to improve the quality and range of
services available to those who struggle with a mental illness. So Dear readers I hope you enjoy this edition of In Our Shoes. For more details about Hear Us’s projects please look out for our summer edition of In Our Shoes. Best Wishes
Hear Us
The Hear Us Team
Hear Us would like to thank all those who have contributed to this edition of In Our Shoes, whether with poetry personal stories, artwork or other, we are grateful for everyone’s input.
The views and and opinions expressed through personal stories and poetry are those of the individual and do not represent the views of Hear Us.
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Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
A Fond Farewell Steve Hill has served the management of Hear Us for well over a decade and a half. For family reasons he has recently stepped down as a well loved and trusted Trustee for Hear Us. The Board of Trustees miss his well considered contributions to Trustee Meetings, coming from his wealth of experience in Mental Health issues gained from his working life, part of which was with the Social Services at Croydon Borough Council. The Trustees and everyone who knows him would like to thank him for all that he has done to steer Hear Us in a steady direction for all the years that he has given so freely of his time. If the occasion should arise that he is able to come back to us, he would be welcomed with open arms. Thank you Steve for all you have done for Hear Us and it’s Members, Staff and Trustees. Ruth Govan, Chair of Hear Us Trustees. Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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Smoking Ban
Thoughts on the smoking ban
In my opinion, with regards to the smoking ban which came into force on 1st October 2014. I think it is going to cause all sorts of problems. Whilst I appreciate nonsmokers should not be forced to passive smoke that can easily be solved by provided a smoking area outside for the smokers. In spite of the fact that nicotine patches and inhales will be provided on the wards. That is not going to be enough for smokers who do not want to give up!!!!!! 8
I think it should be your human right it’s your choice to smoke!!!! Being forced to quit is going to cause tension, and anger!!!!! This of cause will affect everyone on the ward, service users and staff. Some people who are unwell and need to be admitted will not want to because they feel they will not be able to cope because of the Smoking Ban. In a worst case scenario some service users might get so stressed and agitated that it could lead to violence towards another
Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
Smoking Ban
service user or staff and this the service users that are could result in them being being forced to give up and injected to calm them down. do not want to E.G ( anger, That would just mean they aggression) are dealing with the situation Also service users are going in hand rather than the to find it very stressful being cause! forced to give up which could I wouldn’t be surprised if the result in them been giving smoking ban causes additional medication to a riot !!!!!! cope with the stress. There will be no winners because staff will have a By Abby O’Neill harder job trying to manage Hear Us Linkworker Have you been affected by the smoking ban? or maybe you just have a thought on the subject? if so we’d love to hear it. jane@hear-us.org Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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iWantGreatCare The trusted site for healthcare reviews
About us
Ensuring excellent experience across health and social care
Making it easy for patients to provide feedback on their care • iWantGreatCare lets patients leave meaningful feedback on their care, say thank you and help the next patient • It’s a service that is independent, secure and trusted by patients, doctors and hospitals • Feedback is provided on doctors, dentists, hospitals, GP practices, medicines, pharmacies and nursing homes to ensure problems get fixed
Trusted, independent information to help others find great care • Read the honest, direct feedback of patients like you when looking for care for yourself or your family 10
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• Compare ratings and reviews of doctors, dentists and care services • Totally independent, you can be confident that comments have not been edited and represent true patient opinion • Robust systems detect abuse or other manipulation, ensuring you can trust what you read
Detailed patient experience as outcomes for providers and commissioners • iWantGreatCare works with NHS and independent providers and commissioners to provide the most detailed, accurate and timely monitoring of patient experience • Bespoke solutions capture data online and offline in multiple languages, in all care settings and across integrated care pathways • Quantitative and qualitative feedback for organisations, departments, wards and clinics gives real insight with data that actually allow continuous improvement and is proven to engage front-line clinical teams • Commissioners and providers alike benefit from highly granular, comparative reporting with data that can be used to create, monitor and inform true outcomes-based commissioning Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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Martine Says
Do they know it’s Christmas!?
During the Christmas period the resource centres close for almost a week. Even weekends and after 5:00 pm there is no support for service users it is understandable that staff require time off, but if on a rota I am sure cover could be found
This means that if a person needs support the only option is A&E or Samaritans. From my own experience this can be hit & miss, some times it is ok, at other times waiting in A&E is simply unpleasant and extremely distressing especially when you are severely unwell. Additionally A&E is really not suitable for someone in crisis as there is no separate area where you can feel safe. Christmas is a difficult time for people with mental health problems loneliness and isolation are made worse simply because Christmas is focused on family and giving. Duty at resource centres can 12
also be very hit and miss affair as you are never sure who you are going to see plus, if your CPN or Care Coordinator is on duty they are not able to provide support for you. Waiting times can be very long as only one person per team is on duty and not “up to speed” on your current situation. At times, having waited all day and told by the psych liaison to go see the duty person, after having spent a long time waiting to be seen at A&E, you are simply told they are unable to assess you as it is too late. This has caused unnecessary distress and made the situation much worse for me even being dangerous. Also when waiting to see duty you are told they are in meetings and will not be available until the afternoon on more than 3 days a week. At Tamworth Road resource centre’s reception it is made clear that your care teams are unavailable before midday due to them being in meetings to improve the service you are
Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
Martine Says receiving. Also they are not available to answer calls. Mondays are important as having waited all weekend to get support you are told it is not available. This is unacceptable. Your mental illness does not clock off at 5.00 pm and come back midday Monday. Nowhere
else in the NHS is treatment unavailable simply because it is a weekend. Maybe meetings should never be held on Mondays due to the lack of support available weekends? Martine Lewis Hear Us Volunteer
We asked SLaM to comment on this issue and they provided us this response: “In order to manage people’s needs, the teams based at Tamworth Road Resource centre usually have a brief morning meeting to discuss service users care each day. On the average these meeting take place first thing every morning and last between 30 and 45 minutes. Also, each team has a multi-disciplinary team meeting once per week, which will last between 2 to 3 hours. This once weekly multi-disciplinary meeting is an opportunity for staff to discuss people care and treatment needs in more detail and because the people attending this meeting come from different professional backgrounds, we are able to address presenting psychological, physical and social issues more effectively. If you require more information about the different meetings, please do not hesitate to contact Hammond McCaulay (Lead for Recovery Team) or I.” Neil Robertson - MAP CAG Community Lead Have you had an experience of using services you want to share, if so we would love to hear from you; jane@hear-us.org Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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Research for research in psychiatry, psychology and neuroscience.
Please participate in mental health research! Research in mental health plays a vital role in improving the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people affected. Research is the only way to develop better treatments and nearly all research needs the help of those affected in order to improve treatment outcomes further. South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS patients/service users can volunteer to take part in the latest research opportunities offered by SLaM partnered by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IOPPN) - Europe’s largest centre 14
Patients/service users can participate in mental health research by signing up to SLaM’s research participation register –
called Consent for Contact (C4C). This register is exclusively for patients/service users of SLaM only. The C4C register is very easy to join and is ideal for patients/service users who are interested in being involved in research in the future that would be directly relevant to them – i.e. due to their mental health condition, experience or medication taken. For example, the C4C register currently has over
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Research 700 patients who have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and around 400 who have been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. When new research about either condition takes place, these patients/service users who have consented to be contacted, will be invited to take part in the latest research to help improve treatments for these conditions.
provide such invaluable research involvement may be paid for their time and participation, but ultimately help others in similar positions as well as researchers to develop and improve treatments faster.
Taking part in research could involve being interviewed, doing a questionnaire, completing a week-long diary, having a brain scan, giving a small blood sample, taking a new or alternative medication, trying a new or alternative type of psychological therapy or simply just giving some useful feedback about experiences with SLaM services.
part in any research, and can always say no to taking part and can even take part and then withdraw at any time without giving any reason. Participation is voluntary and its purpose is only to help improve the lives of those involved and those affected.
Patients/service users who
Participants will always be fully informed about what is involved before they take
To find out more about C4C – Talk to your Care Coordinator or contact the C4C team from the details below. More information, including our
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Research informational video and patient information leaflets, please see our website: www. slam.nhs.uk/c4c or ask a member of SLaM staff for a copy of our leaflet.
Telephone: 020 3228 3680 Email: C4C@slam.nhs.uk
Call for experiences on psychiatric inpatient wards My name is Hannah MacDonald and since 2007 I have been a service user in mental health services. I have spent much of that time as an inpatient on a mixed sex ward. During that time I was financially and sexually exploited by a male patient and my overall experience on the acute unit was very unsafe, lonely and not therapeutic. 16
When I was finally sent to a therapeutic community hospital my experience was very different and extremely positive. Having received both negative and positive experiences from mental health services I have started working with NSUN to get a greater understanding of other service user’s experiences on all types of inpatient units. I am interested to know if those experiences have been
Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
Research
positive, negative or both. The purpose for collating your experiences is to advise commissioners and policy makers how to improve crisis support in acute inpatient wards to ensure the emphasis is placed on maintaining your safety and dignity in such settings. I have with NSUN created a short questionnaire which you may like to fill in if you have had direct experience of inpatient wards or are a friend or relative of someone who has had direct experience. If you do not want to fill out the questionnaire but would like to tell me your story, please do. I would be very happy to hear from you.
Please email me or call the NSUN office and I will get back to you to arrange a good time to talk.
go to: www.surveymonkey.com/s/Experienceofinpatientwards to fill out the questionnaire. Email: info@nsun.org.uk Tel: 020 7820 8982 Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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Personal Story
Maria’s Story In 2012 my life changed for the worse I was bullied severely by ten staff in a mental health care home (I worked there as a drug misuse worker for mental health ) I was also physically attacked and harassed by neighbours; these individuals judged me regarding my faith and physical appearance. Out of jealousy they tormented me for two years. I got so unwell I had to resign because of the work staff bullies and I lost everything. I was then attacked around the same time by neighbours. I was going to work being bullied by staff
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and on returning to my home for peace I would be then set upon by these horrible people. They attacked me and threw black tar paint all over my car. I felt alone and the police did nothing to protect me. I had to end up paying a friend to protect me, a security guard. Because the police failed to help me now because of this experience I have no faith in the police service at all. I feel they have no empathy for people who suffer harassment and have no training in dealing with it with a constructive outcome in fact they make it worse, they have no training in Mental Health, Regarding understanding a person with or without depression, I found my own exchange and moved away in 2013 .I never thought I would get away and worried for my life. I am getting more
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and more confident but I will never be the same person. When your harassed and hurt physically it never truly leaves you. I try to be strong and positive. I have been a song writer and singer for over 20 years and try to concentrate on my gifts and qualities and
Personal Story
control over their lives. They find power and control when bullying others. This gives them power to control, to then leave them feelings in control of their lives when harming or hurting others in the same way, it releases their own torment. I never had family or friends to help me through this bad time. And these words reflect that feeling I had; Robbie Williams “I just wanna feel real love in the home that I live in there is a hole in my to say to those bullies and soul you can see jealous people that ‘you want’ it in my face it’s steal my joy. a real big place”. I deserve to be happy because I hope that these I deserve to live without experiences hatred and cruelty. Sometimes inspire others to “stay strong” others are envious and jealous to fight the good fight “that when they see a person doing you” can get through it well and successful for it is in their own pain that they Maria Mayle hurt others as they have no Hear Us Member Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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Poetry I walk this road alone the days
get so long the years are torn in these 50 years I’ve walked the lonely mile heart broken and tears for all these years without Love are comfort rejected , unloved. I come in and I go out alone …. As naked as I came as naked as I go the tears of my child lost and cold I never see I never hear his words MOTHER I’d just like to run back to my age for when I was 3 to start again to wipe out the hurt to wipe out the past for ever it lasts ( no one can change all that’s been done ) I pulled the short straw and now its so raw killing me so killing me slow the feeling inside my emotions do grow with in me my pain that won’t go away that’s marred my life for as long as I know I don’t know how long that I can go on its been a hard life of being alone all that I gained was pain inside my heart its ripped me apart. I’m wasted away like dust in the rain with so much to give and there’s nowhere I fit I pray for the hope one day ill be free I walk in my faith for it was he who saved me . Maria Mayle Hear Us Member 20
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Cartoons
Is that a new jacket?
yeah my psychiatrist got it for me for my birthday
Im quite touched he remembered
Hows the new medication working for you?
Its working fine.
Its me thats the problem.
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Medical Lullaby Lying in my bed, Hurting in my head, The room is changing colours, Feel that I am dead.
I feel that I will die, I feel that I will fall, When I need you the most you’re not helping at all.
My oxygen mask sings sweetly to me, Humming to the pulse of the morphine. My drip feed bleeds into my arm, My brain pulsating in this medical farm.
Sing those songs, They’re all I’ve got to hear, Sing those songs, Take away my fear.
When the doctors come round to check up on me, They feel no feeling, They’re just killing me. I dreamt that I was flying the length of the sea, When my brain exploded and there was nowhere left to be.
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When the machine sings to me And I have crossed the electronic sea, I embrace you, I embrace you death. I wish that I could see you again But for now I believe that this is the end. Wake up.
Gareth Evans
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Rona Sailing Project
Established by the late The Viscount Armory, KG., PC., G.C.M.G., T.D Registered Charity No. 1073048
Rona Sailing Project
Sailing opportunities for people With mental health problems
We have the use of a 75 foot yacht and there will be up to 18 of us living on board for the duration of the trip. On each trip everybody will be expected to take as full a part in the sailing and domestic tasks as they are able, including cooking, washing up, steering, handling the sails, and if you want to, the navigation. The Rona Sailing Project provide volunteers who help everybody to get involved and stay safe. Our aim is that everybody will come back feeling that they have had a fun holiday but also that you have been challenged and have achieved something worthwhile. The trips are suitable for adventurous beginners. You don’t need to be an athlete, but you do need to be able to move safely around the boat and get on and off in order to get ashore. Please note the long trip (September) is only suitable for those who have sailed with us before. For More information, please contact Adrian on 07816 904291 Email: adrian_sailing@hotmail.co.uk
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Dates for 20
nights) £110 2 ( y a M h t 3 11th – 1 nights) £110 2 ( e n u J d r 1st – 3 hts) £250 ig n 5 ( t p e S 20th – 25th
Personal Story
WELCOME TO MY WORLD Lithium carbonate. Who needs it? That thing piles on the pounds! It could give me goitre, Dr Who warned. Sorry, doc, I will pass on this one. I have an idea, fish oils, fresh vegetables can substitute Balance. Hmmm, I am neither happy nor sad. I can carry on like that; plod along. Life is a
sex, drink, and the gush of ideas. The feel good buzz is on! The relentless shopping spree, the grandiose thoughts, the creativity, the stamina, the passion, the burning desire to change the world, to save it from conspiracy from the powers that be. I want to create a utopia. Euphoric!
humdrum anyway. Yawn‌ Mania. It creeps in like cancer; benign to begin with till dangerously malignant Everything feels and tastes extraordinary. The air, food,
God, life is so good please do not kill me yet. Sleep. What is that? Nah, not for me thank u very much. Twenty four hours in a day are not enough for me. I can lose
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Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
Personal Story sleep. See, I have loads to do in so little time and I need more hours. Dear God, please send me more hours, will you? It is all or nothing for me…. Then flick! The cancer stops growing malignant. It retrogresses…gradually. Things are moving in a slow motion like in the movies. Speech is going, grandeur is receding into a sunset. The phone stops ringing, pals stop knocking on the door and it is because I can face them no more. My other friends move in with me. Mr. Guilt, Miss Sorrow, Madame Anxiete, lord Shame of Losershire calls to visit too. For days I curl into a ball; the comforting foetal position, unwashed,
unfed. My eyes are hollow and sunken, staring blankly at the magnolia wall. The lights have gone out. Nobody is home. Pain is here; pain of the mind, body and soul turmoil. I am as emaciated as a leaf in Harmattan. I can’t stand this any longer! I want to check out…I am too tired. I really don’t want to though. Call the Samaritans? Call 999? Call Victor? Oh, what is the use? Check out? But how? The noose? Hundred pieces of zopiclone? A fast approaching train? Dive into the Thames? Slash a vein? Oh God, help me in this dark hour. Premier radio is on. Chuck Swindoll tells me to pause. David Jeremiah says; “Hold on” John MacArthur
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Personal Story says Jesus cares. Joyce Meyer is yapping away. Gosh she is annoying! Telling me of in all harshness in her hoarse voice. Joel Osteen calms tempers with his cooing voice; “Your life will never be the same again with Christ” John Monro says a brighter day is coming. Then Pastor Daniel Kwakye of the Tabernacle of Worship calls out of the blue. “The Holy Spirit sent me” he begins. “God made u in a fear inspiring way. Don’t give up” So I cling. I hold on. I believe. I pray. I cling some more to dear life. I reach for my lithium from the top shelf. It will take a while for it to kick in but I can use its placebo effect now.
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A new day. The grass is greener, the skies above are blue, and the air is pristine. I sit on a park bench with a copy of Ebony. I am content. Thank God. BY Felicia Pearl Achampong Hear Us Member
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Service User’s of Croydon Hear Us
To contribute to our newsletter Got a poem or a story to tell ? Got some artwork you want to share, do you want to pass on your experience of using services? Email to: jane@hear-us.org Post To: Jane White, Hear Us, Orchard House, 15a Purley Road, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ
Poetry
Darkness is my mind’s eye no reflection here It mutates and cascades to my senses I fear I look through my optic, blackness is the sphere No colours of the rainbow my Italian affair I’m “STILL” in my slumber, but a light hits a nerve I see Dawkin and Hawkins and religion’s zeal Fighting a war with malicious intent With nothing but absolutes on the tip of their tongue But with doubt and humility I sense this cancer can be gone But a thunderbolt of humanities, sonic boom penetrates my drum I’m at war ready to crucify the young The escalating sound heightens my fear They all have to go, I must silence this hum I fine tune my sonar to hone in on my prey To find it was a ghost, whispering my life away The stench of my being’ the rot of my flesh The chaos around me is what I call bed Like cocaine’s snort it slithers, the back of my throat But no pleasure sensations just rancid decay My bodily fluids to keep all away 28
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Poetry The taste of a toke is my only friend Not for the high or the spiritual buzz It just gives me the need to have that munch But death is what I crave, or silence at best So thanks to the herb that my heart still pumps To touch, to feel, me to you and you to me Scatters and shatters my inner core My running memory of this physical time Is like burning coals in my mind Just the same as babes first breath Into its inevitable death But they ask me and task me To be the light they once knew So I pick up my sword and leave my stone chair And no surprises to see who’s there My friend and brother The light bearer of souls And I ask him and task him to sit in my chair And give humanity its grace So it can breathe the eternal clean air. MKD 19/03/2015 Be good be kind be truthful and be free Richard Brooks Hear Us Volunteer Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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Active Minds Football Sessions
for better mental health
Badminton Boxercise Yoga Classes Horticulture Relaxation
Cook & Taste Swimming Table Tennis Tennis
Spring and Summer 2015 Get Active and get Involved with Active Minds For a complete ‘brochure’ of all the activities run by Active Minds, including days, times, prices (many activities are completely FREE), how to join and support available, contact Dora, Peter or Alex:
Tel: 020 8 253 8205/8206 Email: activeminds@mindincroydon.org.uk www.mindincroydon.org.uk 30
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NEW Football Session Not played for a while? Want to increase your fitness or learn new skills? New beginners, intermediate and improving group
Drills Skills Coaching Match Play
• Train with a qualified Crystal Palace FC coach • Hour long session Wednesdays at 2.30 • Keep fit or get fit! • Small fee is requested From every player
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SLaMrecoverycollege
Overview of Training with SLAM Recovery College.
training is: • You had to be a Service User within SLAM I first applied to The SLAM • Had been working/ Recovery College back in 2013 supporting Clients who when the ORTUS Centre, were/had accessed SLAM based in the Maudsley • Workers/carers/volunteers Hospital first opened. The and peer supporters College itself is about a working with SLAM. personal journey towards • SLAM Staff (not students). a meaningful satisfying life • Must be 16 or over. towards living as well as • Firstly, I was overwhelmed possible, whatever symptoms with the amount of or difficulties are present. training/workshops that The college offers a learning was on offer, all of which approach that complements were free and accessible the existing services provided for easy travel access. by the Trust. The ORTUS Centre itself is The criteria for accessing their newly constructed and I found 32
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as soon as I walked into the building there was a sense of peace and harmony, which filtered down to the many staff/volunteers who work there. Its bright and airy environment gave you a sense of a non-clinical atmosphere. Every course and workshop they offer is co-designed and co-run by trainers who have experienced mental health difficulties, working alongside trainers from the mental health professions. Training I have done so far: Understanding Psychosis Understanding Bipolar Understanding Eating Disorders Understanding the Impact of
Substance Mental Health Awareness Tree of Life Spirituality & Wellbeing How to get a good night’s sleep Additional support is offered should Service User have problems with Dyslexia or learning challenges, vision or hearing impairment, mobility or any other difficulty which may prevent participation with training. What they don’t do: Reimburse travel expenses Provide lunch I would highly recommend anyone who would like to learn more about The Recovery College to enrol.
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Please be aware that although they offer at least 38 training workshops some of the courses are very popular especially “Introduction to Mindfulness”.
Contact SLaM Recovery College
SLaM Recovery College, 1st Floor Administration Building Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill London SE5 8AZ
0
8 36 2 2 3 20
slamre @ o l l he
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coverycollege.co.uk
www.slamrecoverycollege.co.uk
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Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
NEW SIBLING SUPPORT GROUP Do you have a brother or sister with a mental illness? “A new support group has been started for all adult brothers/ sisters of anyone with a mental health problem. It is an informal group where you can chat and share the difficulties you may experience with others in the same position as you. It has been started as there was no support group for siblings prior to this and the need was felt to be there for such a group. Do come along--it is very friendly and relaxed.� Come and chat informally with others like you. WHERE?----Fairfield House, 10 Altyre Road; Croydon WHEN?----11am until 1pm Saturday February 28th & fourweekly thereafter. Call Angela on 0208 688 1210 for more information Or, just turn up. You will be made very welcome.
for better mental health Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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Food and Mood Explore the relationship between what you eat and how you feel with words of encouragement from people who’ve been there
How much water are food, sugary Try you drinking? snacks, changing Dehydration affects your things ability to think clearly and step by to concentrate. Drink 6-8 step glasses (11/2-2l) of warm chocolate or cool water daily to stay and other stimulants can hydrated. be a sign of dipping blood sugar levels. This can leave you feeling irritable, unable Does Think of to concentrate, tired and your this as an brain experiment, depressed. Eat regular meals and snacks that need to see how include ‘brown’ wholegrains, oiling? you feel oats, whole fruits, nuts Brain and seeds. They release cells need ‘oiling’ with energy more slowly essential unsaturated and steadily. fats if they are to
communicate properly with each other. If you’re not eating oil-rich fish such as mackerel, sardines, herring, salmon or trout three times each week, then a fish, linseed or hemp oil supplement will boost levels of brainenhancing omega-3 oils. Can you control your cravings? Cravings for ‘white’, refined,starchy
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Have you had Perhaps some keep a protein? food and Good mood mood diary protein containing - and be foods can include honest with lean meat, fish, yourself! eggs, cheese, legumes, nuts and seeds. These foods
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contain the building blocks for brain chemicals that influence how you think and feel. Eating protein also helps control fluctuating blood sugar levels Did you You are check the unique and label? the expert Becoming a on how you ‘food detective’ feel can help you avoid unnecessary food additives that can affect how you feel. Many people find they feel better if they avoid colourings such as tartrazine (E102 or FD&C Yellow No. 5), flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (MSG or E621), artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (E951) and preservatives such as sulphur dioxide (E220) and BHT (E321). Is your health affected by caffeine? Too much caffeine has been associated with anxiety, cravings, nervousness and depression. If you feel worse for not having
It’s worth a regular cup of breaking tea, coffee, cola or chocolate this through the can be due to caffeine withdrawal ‘comfort zones’ to symptoms. You experience may soon feel noticeably better a greater well-being if you avoid caffeine or reduce the amount you consume. What did you have for breakfast? Eating breakfast Don’t give helps to up. Things prevent a mid-morning may not dip in mood happen overnight and energy and keep blood sugar levels balanced. Good mood breakfast foods include porridge, wholegrain cereals or live yogurt with fresh/dried fruit, nuts and seeds, wholemeal bread/toast plus nut or seed butters and sugar-free jam. How’s your gut feeling? The state of your mind is closely connected to the health of your gut. Wholegrain (‘brown’) foods,
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Are you intolerant? Food intolerance can contribute to a wide variety of unpleasant Get the or uncomfortable support Are you having Go at feelings. It may five today? your own remain undetected of family, A colourful variety pace and until the offending friends, of fruit and make it a foods are eaten less colleagues or a health vegetables contains sustainable often of replaced vital vitamins, with tolerated food. professional way of if you can minerals and living Common culprits include wheat (in phytonutrients needed many types of bread, pasta, pizza, to nourish and protect the bodycakes and cookies),dairy (e.g. milk, mind. Five is the very minimum cheese, yogurt, butter) and yeast number of portions of fruit and (e.g. in bread, cheese, vegetables you need each day. A yeast extract, wine and portion is about a handful. beer) legumes (beans, peas, lentils), fruit and vegetables contain fibre and all contribute to happier (e)motions.
How to use this Guide Taking responsibility for your health can improve how you feel. What better way to start than to consider what you are eating! This information aims to explore what you eat and your emotional and mental health and well-being. If you are starting out, the suggestions can be taken as a step-by-step guide. If you are already benefitting from a better way of eating then this can serve as a useful checklist to keep you on track. (Please note that the suggestions in this leaflet are not a substitute for medical advice.)
for better mental health
www.mind.org.uk 38
Benefits that can follow from an improved diet • Greater sense of control • Positive moods • Clearer thinking • More energy • Feeling calmer Mind (National Association for Mental Health) 15-18 Broadway London E15 4BQ tel: 020 8519 2122 fax: 020 8522 1725
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