May’s Mental Health Awareness

Here at YOU-CAS we pride ourselves in specialising in Mental Health.

May’s Mental Health Awareness Week showed the nation that it’s OK to not be OK.

Mental Health has always been a silent issue for many people. Mental health doesn’t effect a certain type of person, it can effect the young to old. We need to stop the Stigma of Mental Health and need to educate ourselves correctly so we can help one another, especially during these strange times.

During the pandemic is has been brought to light how many of us have actually suffered with Mental Health Issues and how we need to #ASKTWICE. During this pandemic, millions of us have experienced a mental health problem, or seen a loved one struggle. And we’ve seen that the support we all need just isn’t out there.
During the pandemic, it has left a lot of people where they were isolating from loved ones for many months, not seeing a sole. It showed the strain of the NHS and key workers continuing tirelessly everyday to keep the country going and safe. However the one positive thing i would like to take away from the Pandemic, was showing the solidarity of a nation. We all stood on the steps clapping for our NHS and all the Key Workers. It may not have been the payrise they outrightly deserved, however it was recognition of gratitude. Recognition of the impact that COVID-19 had on the mental health of people on the front line. It was acknowledging the struggles of parents becoming a teacher completly out of there depths. The gratitude to teachers and thinking that they well and truly deserve the summer holidays.

The Mental Health Awareness Week hosted by the Mental Health Foundation chose the theme of Nature.

Nature is so central to our psychological and emotional health, that it’s almost impossible to realise good mental health for all without a greater connection to the natural world. For most of human history, we lived as part of nature.

Nature is our great untapped resource for a mentally healthy future. It is on our doorsteps. Whether you are an avid gardener or enjoy taking a stroll down the beach, we were encouraging all staff and clients to take a moment and embrace nature.

Here at YOU-CAS we specialise in Mental health support and provide our clients the emotional support on a daily basis. However, if you are not ready for face to face contact, there are many places available for help.

 

  • Samaritans. To talk about anything that is upsetting you, you can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email jo@samaritans.org You can also call the Samaritans Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).
  • SANEline. If you’re experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10.30pm every day).
  • The Mix. If you’re under 25, you can call The Mix on 0808 808 4994 (Sunday-Friday 2pm–11pm), request support by email using this form on The Mix website or use their crisis text messenger service.
  • Papyrus HOPELINEUK. If you’re under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who might be struggling, you can call Papyrus HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 (weekdays 10am-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm and bank holidays 2pm–10pm), email pat@papyrus-uk.org or text 07786 209 697.
  • Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). If you identify as male, you can call the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) or use their webchat service.
  • Nightline. If you’re a student, you can look on the Nightline website to see if your university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.
  • Switchboard. If you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, you can call Switchboard on 0300 330 0630 (10am–10pm every day), email chris@switchboard.lgbt or use their webchat service. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+.
  • C.A.L.L. If you live in Wales, you can call the Community Advice and Listening Line (C.A.L.L.) on 0800 132 737 (open 24/7) or you can text ‘help’ followed by a question to 81066.