02/06/2020
Hi everyone, today's post is about your mental health.
Now more than ever, the world is a stressful place, and one of the most stressful jobs is being a key worker, such as carers. I am sure we all have felt the stress and anxiety of the situation. If not for yourself, then for friends and family. We all deal with this pressure in different ways, have our own coping mechanisms.
But what happens if you are struggling to cope? Well, that’s where hopefully this post comes to help as you should not fight alone!
To help protect your mental wellbeing, following these 5 steps will help:
Add structure to your day and try to get into the habit of a daily routine. You might find it helpful to write a plan for your day or your week. It is also essential to keep doing things you enjoy as this can give you some relief from anxious thoughts and feelings and can boost your mood.
Exercise. Your physical health has a significant impact on your mental wellbeing. Your body releases endorphins when you exercise, which provide stress relief and boost your mood.
Connect with people – maintaining relationships with people you trust is vital for your mental wellbeing. Try and stay in touch with family and friends via telephone, video, or social media, particularly if you are feeling anxious.
Try not to check the news and social media updates continuously; they can make you more worried. If this is having an impact on you, try to limit the time you spend engaging with the media coverage. It may help only to check the news at set times during the day.
Maintain a regular sleep pattern – good-quality sleep can have a positive impact on how you feel both mentally and physically. Every Mind Matters advises on how to get a good night’s sleep.
However, if you are feeling anxious, stressed, worried, concerned, or even depressed then my first bit of advice is to talk to someone, doesn’t matter who, just talking about your situation and how you are feeling can be a big difference. It can be a friend, work colleague, family member, or anyone that wants to help. I know if any of our team here at Verilife (office staff, carers, clients) are feeling a certain way they can speak to any of us, we are here to help! The hardest part is starting that conversation, but once you do, you won’t regret it. It doesn’t have to be on the phone; it can just as easily be done in an email or text. The key is to start talking!
I will admit we have no training (actually most of us don’t), but we are uniquely aware of the pressures you are under and what it is like to be a carer during these times... its what we do - care.
If you start looking for help, you will be inundated with places to go. I have listed a few here:
MIND has a dedicated page for key workers and their mental wellbeing which can be found here
A new web site supporttheworkers.org, list guidance and resource for carers during the COVID pandemic
The NHS web site, Every Mind Matters has help, resource, hints and tips for mental health during the endemic.
Maudsley Learning has a page dedicated to COVID and helping the public at large, including a free course on Psychological Impact of coronavirus.
Public Health England has an excellent summary page with great advice and resources, you can find it here
For direct help then:
You can send a message with FRONTLINE to 85258 to start a conversation with Shout’s messaging support service. If you want to speak with someone directly, then you can call 0300 131 7000
There is even an app that can help, try Headspace an app that helps to de-stress through meditation.
If your looking to help others through their stress than MindEd can provide educational resources, this is aimed at helping children and young adults but is reputed to be an excellent resource.
For Verilife staff please remember there is a helpline we have available for free to help with stress and any other problems you are facing.
If you know of any other resources that have helped you or someone else, then please share, and we will make sure everyone is made aware.
Please take care of yourselves and remember you are not alone!
