This is where you can ventilate your own thoughts and opinions about mental health issues.
You are welcome ask questions or highlight areas for concern.
(example)
Subject: Breathing Exercise
I have suffered with anxiety for many years. My most effective strategy to reduce my anxiety has been "Square Breathing." This is where you breath in for 2 seconds, then hold it for 2 seconds, then breath out for 2 seconds, then hold it for 2 seconds, then breath in for 2 seconds. You repeat this cycle until you feel less anxious.
If you want to submit a notice
20th March 2002 - Subject: Football Supervision
I am a Senior Physiotherapist working for the NHS (Mental Health). Part of our programme, besides the usual Physio/rehab side, is geared towards diversional activities, mostly as an anti-depressant. Football forms part of that programme. However, the question has been raised as to whether or not nursing staff are able to supervise/referee small sided football for patients. My main concern is the question of qualification and competency tethered with a public insurance indemnity issue, bearing in mind the activity would take place on NHS property. I have been asked to canvass the various authorities to gain their professional standing and opinion. I would be most grateful for your comments on the issue.
Martin Jones
Senior 1 Physiotherapist
Harplands Hospital
4th February 2002 - Subject: Poor treatment of a patient
Can you please help me. My brother suffers from manic depression & is currently under a 28 day section. He has twice just walked out of the establishment he is in & the staff have alerted the local police each time along with my mother (she is 64 years old & not coping at all well with these latest incidents). Surely it is the responsibility of the staff to ensure a sectioned client is given far greater supervision. Primarily for his own protection & secondly for other people he may come in contact with. Are we over reacting or is he not receiving the proper care in the hospital he's in. ANY SUGGESTIONS !!
9th October 2001 - Subject: Panic Attacks
Hi Everybody!
I am a psychology student who also suffers from panic attacks. I have been using
the internet now for 2 years and have found it helps me with my attacks.
This gave me the idea of studying this for my final year project dissertation. I
have since set up a mailing list to find other people who also suffer from panic
attacks/ social phobia/ agoraphobia etc. and those who find that the internet
gives them some sort of relief.
If anybody would like to subscribe to my mailing list and help me with an
important piece of research then sign up at: http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=internet_research
This is a completely private and confidential mailing list:
Your Privacy:
1) This list is a moderated discussion list, therefore only I, the list owner,
will be able to read each message and approve any message, which is posted to
the list. Only messages containing no personal or confidential details will be
posted.
2) All replies will be directed only to me, the owner of this list.
3) Any message archives are accessible only to subscribers of this list.
4) No one other than myself, as list owner, is permitted to view the
subscriber list. The list of subscribers is kept completely confidential.
5) You have the right to unsubscribe to this list at any time.
I would be extremely appreciative if you subscribe to my list, if anybody
would like some extra information then feel welcome to email me at
internet_psychology@hotmail.com
I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you!
Sophie Fair
25 July 2001 - Subject: Day resource 'drop in' centres
Hi, I'm a user of a day resource centre for mental health problems, in Bedford Beds. I'm currently writing up a new pamphlet describing the services on offer here, like activity / therapy groups, drop-in cafe etc. I'd be very interested to see any examples from other such centres around the UK. We've got future plans for a web site, again, it would be useful to see what's already there, I've found a couple so far (Lewisham spring to mind) but I'm sure there must be more, so I'd welcome any links you have. Perhaps some of us could swap / share ideas? Just a thought. My email is
whiteian@dayresourcecentre.co.uk
if anyone would like to get in touch. Many thanks!
Ian White
24 June 2001 - Subject: Can you help?
IM A MOTHER OF A 5 YEAR OLD GIRL CALLED SHELBY SHE SUFFERS FROM SELECTIVE MUTISM AND EXTREME SHYNESS TO EVERYONE. SHE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING AT SCHOOL, ONLY STANDS. I SPENT 2 MONTHS WITH HER WHEN SHE FIRST STARTED NURSERY SCHOOL, ALTHOUGH SHE NEVER SPOKE ALLOWED SHE DID SPEAK. SHE ALSO PLAYED ALONG SIDE OTHER CHILDREN, SAT DOWN AND USED THE TOILET. WE MOVED HER TO A NEW PRE-SCHOOL AS IT WAS NEARER HOME, BUT WAS MADE TO LEAVE HER STRAIGHT AWAY. SINCE THEN SHES BEEN LIKE THIS. AFTER VARIOUS PROFESSIONALS CLINICS ETC ETC, SHES STILL THE SAME. A CONTACT HELP GROUP WOULD HELP US, ANOTHER PARENT ALSO. AS FAR AS IM CONCERNED HER PRE-SCHOOL IS RESPONSIBLE, SHE ENTERS YEAR1 IN SEPTEMBER AND SHES SO FAR BEHIND. TO ANYONE WHO CAN HELP, PLEASE CONTACT ME.
22nd May 2001 - Subject: Volunteers needed
26th March 2001 - Subject: Dialetical Behavioural Therapy
Does anyone actually know what this entails? I have recently started this treatment but still I know nothing. Please send email sou81f@bangor.ac.uk
Lucy
15th March 2001 - Subject: Advance directives/agreements
I AM LOOKING FOR EXAMPLES OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES/AGREEMENTS IN USE IN THE UK WITH A VIEW TO THE WHITE PAPER FOR THE NEW MENTAL HEALTH ACT. IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFO PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT cjmht.sosbc@virgin.net. Thanks.
Neil West
15th March 2001 - Subject: Prevention rather than cure?
I am a 20 year old female in the U.K. At the age of 14, I was admitted to a Young peoples unit due to Anorexia, as well as self-harm & depression. Since then, I have self-harmed to a massive extent (2nd degree burns, many cuts & scratches), also I have attempted suicide many times. I have a brother aged 12 who has ADHD & Aspergers syndrome. I can see the same mistakes being made with him as were made with me. I am sure that many Adult Mental Health problems could be prevented if the correct support was provided at the beginning of Psychiatric treatment, what do you think?
26th February 2001 - Subject: Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a serious illness which has physical and mental effects and is often a mask to other problems, these people deserve help and often want help but this should not be on a psychiatric ward, their withdrawal symptoms during detox is not pleasant for other patients. Some people are admitted 2 or 3 times a year and often boast how much they drink and how often they have been on the ward and have every intention of drinking again. A psychiatric ward is not appropriate; a separate ward should be set up which is geared up to giving them the help that need like Smithfield. Alcoholism wrecks other people's lives, their families especially, but most of the help is geared up to the alcoholic with very little for the people living with them. If a child is in an environment where a family member is an alcoholic it affects that child, it remembers the dread of the person coming home drunk, the rows and sometimes the violence that follows. These images don't leave your head. It isn't always a parent it can be a relative. Al-anon helps teenagers but often younger children are ignored.
In a very broad sense alcoholism is like eating disorders and many other problems, it is a form of self harm. At the end of the day if an alcoholic does not want to stop drinking then they won't regardless of pressure from doctors and families.
Gaynor
21st February 2001 - Subject: Sexual relationships between patients
Please can you help? I have been asked to look into the issue of sexual relationships between patients in a hospital setting (i.e. sexual intercourse and anything else related to this subject). I do apologise before hand, as I do not use the computer that well and finding it a little difficult. I work within the mental health setting and have come across no policies or procedures relating to this subject. If anybody has any policies or procedures or information regarding this please could you reply. Thank you for your time
19th January 2001 - Subject: Helpline
I would just like to tell everyone about a mental health organisation called CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). This is a free confidential telephone helpline service to help men with feelings of loneliness and depression staffed by trained counsellors.
Lines are open daily between 5pm and 3am.
Tel: 0800 585858
John
10th December 2000 - Subject: Effective Intervention
My brother has been hearing voices since he was nineteen. He can make his voices quite down or leave for a period if he tells them to go away out loud. However if he does this in public people look at him strangely. Therefore his community psychiatric nurse suggested that he should tell his voices to go away by talking into his mobile phone. This has been very useful for him.
Karen