Useful Resources
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In this section of our website we aim to sign post you to some of the many useful resources and organisations (both locally and nationally), that you can turn to when you need help, require information, advice or just pure inspiration.
If you have come across a useful organisation, great website, good book, or You Tube video clip that you think should be included in this resources section, then simply use our Contact Us form and tell us all about it!
We look forward to receiving and including your recommendations! -
There are many ways of treating mental health problems. The first thing you need to do if you have any concerns is to talk to your GP. They will be able to listen to your concerns and be best placed to discuss what treatment would help you most.
For some people talking therapies might be best. For others a course of medication will be beneficial.
Mental health drugs continue to be monitored and better, more efficient drugs are continually being worked upon. Some of the older drugs did have side effects that many people found harder to deal with than the mental health problems.
It is important though to discuss with your doctor or psychiatrist if you are having side effects from the medication. This might mean that your dose needs changing or that the drug you are being prescribed is not suitable for you. This is the same with all medicines.
Click on the links below to find out more information about Mental Health issues:- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Mind Publications
- National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence website
- Mental Health Foundation
There is a huge amount of terminology and jargon used when discussing mental health matters. To help you navigate this maze we have created three 'Jargon Buster' sections listed below:
Mental Health ClassificationTreatmentsNeuroses
'Neurotic' covers those symptoms which can be regarded as severe forms of 'normal' emotional experiences such as depression, anxiety or panic. Conditions formerly referred to as 'neuroses' are now more frequently called 'common mental health problems'.
Psychoses
Less common are 'psychotic' symptoms, which interfere with a person's perception of reality, and may include hallucinations such as seeing, hearing, smelling or feeling things that no-one else can.
Depression
Everyone has the blues but clinical depression is very different. It can strike at any age and is the most common cause of suicide. The lows are much more severe and persistent than in common depressions. People who are affected may experience psychotic symptoms. Symptoms may include feelings of hopelessness, unable to carry out normal duties, thoughts of guilt and worthlessness.
By 2020 depression is estimated to be the second biggest international health problem.
Manic Depression (Bipolar)
People experience episodes of both mania (highs) and depression (lows) often for lengthy periods. Periods of mania can lead to increased energy, over activity. It can also lead to self-neglect and in extreme cases result in starvation and dehydration. Approximately 1 in 100 adults in the UK will experience manic depression at some time in their life. Half of all women and a quarter of men will be affected by depression at some time in their life and 15% will experience a disabling depression.
Schizophrenia
Is seen as the most chronic and disabling of the major mental illnesses. It is the term used by doctors to describe a state of mind in which people's sense of their own identity, thoughts and perceptions go beyond the normal range of experience, e.g. Hearing Voices, being persecuted by others - false or irrational beliefs. It is NOT a split personality, but represents a breakdown of communication between different parts of the brain.
Schizo-affective disorder is the medical term used where the symptoms of depression or mania and symptoms of schizophrenia are present at the same time or within a few days of each other.
People can become socially withdrawn and isolate.
An estimated 1% of the population will have schizophrenia at some stage in their life.
Anxiety
Chronic fear or tension and panic attacks are 'anxiety states'. These are among the most common mental illness in UK. It covers panic disorder- symptoms feel as if they have come out of the blue, phobias - feeling frightened of certain objects, creatures or places to the extent that it prohibits normal daily functions and obsessive compulsive disorder to post-traumatic stress disorder, which can include flashbacks.
19% of women and 13.5% of men in the general population are affected by depression or anxiety at any one time.
Over 1 in 10 people will in their lifetime have an anxiety disorder that will cause them serious problems.
An estimated 13% of the population will develop a phobia at some point in their life.
Around 2.5% of people are likely to experience obsessive compulsive disorder.
Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa is extreme dieting sometimes to the point that life is threatened. Bulimia Nervosa which can include starvation, vomiting and laxative ingesting.
It affects roughly 1% of women in the Uk between the ages of 15-30 years of age with anorexia, 50% of these will occur before the age of 20. An estimated 1-2% of adult women in the UK have bulimia nervosa.
Personality Disorder is an umbrella term for a very wide range of problems from someone with a psychopathic disorder to someone who is exceedingly shy.
Dementia
This is caused by a slowly advancing form of brain damage, the cause of which is often unknown. 20% of people over the age of 80 will suffer.
Roles within the Mental Health Teams definedMany people diagnosed with a mental illness will be treated with drugs such as tranquillisers or anti-depressants. 'Talking treatments' are becoming more valued such as counselling or psychotherapy. Similarly complementary approaches are being looked into more for example St.John's Wort for depression, or acupuncture or homeopathy.
Pharmaceutical drugs are known by their brand name and their chemical name, which can be interchangeable and therefore confusing.
Neuroleptics
Are the class of drugs used to manage the symptoms of schizophrenia. They may also be referred to as TRANQUILLISERS or ANTIPSYCHOTICS. For example; Chlorpromazine - Largactil.
These may be administered as a "depot" injection e.g. Flupenthizol/Depixol.
Side Effects: 'Tics' or odd physical behaviours can be due to the side effects of the drugs given to treat ill mental health.
Stiffness, lack of movement, clumsiness, 'zombie' like movements, slow speech. Some women may have hormonal changes.
Tardive Dyskenisia: Abnormal facial and mouth movements, can last for months or years after the drug has stopped.
Antidepressants
e.g. Clomipramine/Anafranil Citalopram/Cipramil Fluotexine/Prozac.
Side Effects: Sedation. Excessively dry mouth, can interfere with speech, lead to dental decay, Low blood pressure, excessive sweating, blurred vision. Teeth grinding, nausea, sexual problems.
Bipolar Disorders
Lithium Carbonate/ Camcolit/priadel.
Lithium Citrate/Li-liquid/Litarex.
Side Effects: Fluid loss leading to dry mouth, thirst, excessive urination; kidney problems, weight gain, abdominal discomfort, shaking of hands.
Side effects may not affect everyone
Drugs severe - so are conditions.
For more information click on the following links:The National Institute for Clinical Excellence. NICE guide lines are recommendations for good practice. There are different booklets that can be downloaded that cover areas of treatment, diagnosis, care, self-help or a combination of these.
Nurses
They carry out mental health assessments and monitor health, look at preventing relapse and overall care co-ordination for example what is happening to support your mental well-being and medication.
Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)
This is a mental health nurse based in the community mental health team.
Occupational Therapists
They help co-ordinate activities towards recovery and helping the individual to develop skills to return to independent living through both 1:1 and group work.
Social Worker
They support the welfare/social needs of client. Provide assessment for sections, funding for accommodation, support with benefits and debts. Also work around adult and child protection.
Approved Social Worker (ASW)
They are qualified social workers who are approved to undertake responsibilities under the Mental Health Act, including deciding whether detention under the Act is appropriate.
Key Worker
This is the main person working with the individual at the present time, often they are also the Care Co-ordinator.
Care Manager
This is a professional with responsibility for co-ordinating assessment, care planning and service delivery of care services under the care programme approach.
Counsellor
They aim to help people develop insight into their problems and identify resources within themselves which they can use to cope more effectively with their situation. This is often referred to as 'talking therapy'.
Psychotherapist
Are the same as a counsellor but may offer more in-depth long term work and in addressing issues from the past and present which are affecting current mental health.
Clinical Psychologist
They offer help with talking treatments, particularly cognitive behaviour therapy to address current and past issues e.g. phobias, anxieties. Also able to assess for diagnosis where I.Q. and early childhood development is relevant, e.g. learning disability.
Consultant Psychiatrist
They are a medical specialist who specialise in mental illness.
Responsible Medical Officer
This is a term used in the Mental Health Act 1983 to define doctors who have the power to fulfil particular functions under the Act.