The road to employment: a volunteer's story

The stigma attached with mental health can make it really difficult to access volunteering and employment opportunities, and when you don’t have any routine or structured activity for a period of time, it can cause a real set back of confidence and self-esteem.

Danny Parr, from Nottingham, knows exactly how this feels since having mental health issues from the age of fourteen. However, with support from the Social Inclusion and Wellbeing Service and Notts County Football in the Community, Danny managed to take control of his life and would like others to hear about his journey.

“I have suffered with mental health issues from a young age. As with many people, the start of my journey was a harrowing experience which became a lot worse when I was admitted as an inpatient for the first time.

As a teenager with mental health issues, I entered a back and forth, in and out cycle of accessing services for the next five years. It was a negative experience but in spite of this, I overcame what, at the time, seemed to be insurmountable odds and began to take back control of my life. It was a slow process of trial and error with a lot of picking myself up and dusting myself down.

The key opportunity to gain control over my illness and my life, and to give me hope again, came when I began to have contact with the Social Inclusion and Wellbeing Team. Two people in particular from that team, Sangita Dhawan and Ian Kirkpatrick, have, over the years, fought my corner and supported my recovery. The team put me in touch with the Notts County Football in the Community scheme where I met four key coaches: Ian Richardson, Tom Curzon, Dave Ellis and Dave Parrott who have, for the past eight years, supported me and played a major and significant role in my ongoing recovery.

I started by going on a sports leadership award course. Afterwards, I was offered a volunteering placement with one of the junior football clubs as an assistant coach. With support from my coaches and the Nottinghamshire Healthcare team, I did this placement for nearly two years. I left this placement and moved on to do other things including getting involved in the Football in the Community project. This not only enabled me to fulfil my passion for football but also made me aware of my potential as an individual.

I have experienced many setbacks along the way, none more major than the tragic event of 30 August 2014 when I found my dad passed away on the kitchen floor of the family home. However, since this traumatic period I have lost six stone in weight, graduated as a Peer Support Worker and secured a very well paid job with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which is my first paid employment.

A volunteer co-ordinator from the Social Inclusion and Wellbeing team told me about the position at the CQC, which required someone with lived experience of mental health. I went through the job description and felt very excited. This role as an inspector would give me the opportunity to be someone other than a service user who could perhaps make a difference to the way services are delivered, by making appropriate suggestions for a more responsive service. The role required a lot of travelling and visiting various healthcare set-ups to see if the services were safe, effective, responsive, caring and well led.

Applying for this job was exciting but at the same time, I was worried about how I would perform at the interview and being turned down. But Ian – from the Social Inclusion and Wellbeing team - helped me with the application process and even prepared me for the interview by working on mock questions. The advice and practical support that I received helped me to perform so well at my interview that I was offered the job straight after the interview. It took a while for the news to sink in that I had finally got into paid work and I had another identity apart from being a service user with mental health issues.

I have been working for nearly a year now and continue to greatly enjoy my work. It has given me a sense of self belief and self worth as well as financial independence.    

I have also achieved a few qualifications such as the FA Level 1 Football Coaching badge and, through Notts County, attained the Sports Leaders Level 2 qualification. I was also awarded Disability Player of the Year for two consecutive years when captaining the Notts County Pan-Disability Championship side, managed by Tom Curzon who was the first to spot my potential and to give me a start.

All four coaches mentioned above gave me many pep talks and sound advice along the way and I owe a substantial chunk of my journey forward to both the Social Inclusion and Wellbeing Team, for empowering me to pursue and attain my ambitions, and to Notts County Football in the Community for giving me the opportunity to seize control and to stabilise significantly. Without these two services I wouldn’t be where I am today and they are cornerstones of my support network. I hope that by telling my story I can help empower others to achieve similar success in their lives and to make significant forward steps on their journeys of recovery.”

As part of Nottingham Mental Health Awareness Weeks, the Social Inclusion and Wellbeing Service are holding an Employment and Volunteer Fair on Friday 16 October for service users. For more information, please visit the Trust's website.

You've got a friend in me

Last week we shared Alexandra’s story; a mum helped by her local perinatal support service after struggling with anxiety and depression following her baby’s ill health.

Alexandra’s story isn’t a one-off though, and there are many more families in need of support. Emily, a full-time mum to three boys, is the Perinatal Volunteer Befriender who helped Alexandra to overcome her anxieties.

“I had three very different perinatal experiences” explains Emily. “The baby blues, pinks and a long period of anxiety, brought on by my youngest son’s diagnosis of Down’s Syndrome at three weeks old.

“When I heard Sure Start was looking for perinatal befrienders I jumped at the chance to be involved; it was the kind of support that I’d needed at my lowest periods.

“Alexandra was fantastic to be around and very open about her feelings. We went out and conquered lots of personal challenges together. Today, she is a lot more confident and knows she has great strengths and abilities, especially as a mum. She has overcome a lot in a short period of time. It’s simple but so effective, to know that someone is there for you; especially if they understand how you feel or what you’re dealing with.

“Befriending is great. I get to meet and socialise with lots of lovely new families. I enjoy the work role aspect too; I’ve gained lots of experience from working in the office and completing paperwork.”

“Children's Centres are priceless for mums” says Emily. “They can find out about what services are available that suit their needs and how their families can benefit. Brill!”

If you’re interested in becoming a Perinatal Volunteer Befriender, contact your local Children’s Centre Coordinator.

“Why do I need a Befriender? I’ve got friends, I’ve got family. How can they help me?”

For Alexandra, 31, from Eastwood, the first few months of motherhood didn’t go quite as she’d hoped. However, after finding support from a local befriending service, Alexandra is now sharing her story, encouraging other families who are struggling to access the help that's available.

At six-months-old, Alexandra’s son, Cal, was admitted to hospital as the result of a severe milk allergy; a condition that can cause diarrhoea and vomiting, skin rashes and difficulty breathing. In rare cases, it can also result in anaphylactic shock, a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. At around the same time as his hospitalisation, Cal also developed a hernia which, after a long wait, eventually led to surgery.

All this took its toll on new mum Alexandra, who was eventually prescribed anti-depressants by her GP. He also suggested she try the Perinatal Befriending Programme, run by Nottinghamshire Children and Families Partnership, part of Nottinghamshire Healthcare.

“I went to my doctor and said ‘I think there’s something wrong with me’” Alexandra explains. “Feeding Cal was like force-feeding. I feared he’d go back into hospital. I was anxious that he wasn’t getting enough milk. Doctors told me ‘try not to let him cry too much, because his hernia may pop out.’ It was exhausting. Mentally, I couldn’t cope.

“I lost the confidence to go out, it was just too stressful. I felt I had no one to talk to. I was really isolated.

“When my doctor first suggested it, I thought: ‘Why do I need a befriender? I’ve got friends, I’ve got family. How is that going to deal with what I’m going through?’ But, I gave it some thought and decided to give it a try."

Soon after, Alexandra was paired with Emily and, from then on, things slowly started improving for Alexandra and Cal.

“After her first few visits, I began to look forward to Emily visiting. She had experienced many of the same issues I had; it was so reassuring to talk to someone who knew how I felt! 

"It was baby steps at first; a walk round the block, then to the local park and, eventually, into town. She went with me to groups so that I wasn’t sitting on my own. She introduced me to other parents. If Cal got upset, she’d remind me ‘it’s ok if he cries.’ She’d recognise if I was struggling and say ‘let’s go.’ She wasn’t too pushy. Some health professionals tend to dictate, but Emily would just suggest ideas. She always let me choose.

“Slowly, my confidence built up. The anxiety, the nerves, all calmed down. And, as soon as I calmed down, so did Cal. Having Emily around helped me to relax.

“Now, things are improving each day. And Cal is eating me out of house and home! Weaning has been a challenge but I’m slowly introducing him to new foods. I’ve started a new job and I’m looking forward to enjoying him this Christmas, without worrying about feeding and hernias! I’ve got a bit more of a spring in my step. I’m slowly coming off my anti-depressants and by next year, I want to be off them completely.”

For more information about Perinatal Support Services, contact your GP, Health Visitor or local Children's Centre Coordinator. 

How can doll therapy help someone with dementia?

Most of us know someone affected by dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are around 800,000 people in the UK with the condition and this number will rise to an estimated 1 million by 2021.

Although doll therapy is mostly used in care homes, there’s no reason it can’t also be introduced by a relative or friend caring for someone with dementia at home. Research suggests that caring for a doll can help to improve the wellbeing of someone with the condition and encourage changes in behaviour, helping to reduce aggression and agitation.

Here, we take a ‘beginners’ look at doll therapy. If you’re thinking of trying it, we’d suggest doing your own research too. We’ve listed some useful articles further in this post to help get you started.

First things first; doll therapy isn’t for everyone. And there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ approach to using it. If you’re caring for someone with dementia, you’ll best understand their needs. If you decide to try doll therapy, introduce it slowly. Don’t force it.

There’s a lot published already about the benefits of doll therapy. For the person with dementia, looking after the doll can give them a role, a sense of purpose; it can fulfil a need to care, to give and receive love. It may also help stimulate happy memories. All of this can increase self-esteem and provide comfort during anxiety. For the carer, it helps to start a conversation; you can talk about the doll and carry out activities together, such as bathing the doll, washing or folding its clothes. It introduces a common bond between you and the person you’re caring for.

If you’re considering using doll therapy, you’re probably wondering what sort of doll to get. Really, this depends on who you’re caring for; you might need to try a few different ones before you get it right. The Alzheimer’s Society has a useful online post, written by caregivers, about the different types of doll to choose from. Regardless of which doll you choose, you should have a small selection of clean clothes and blankets. And you may also want to consider getting a moses basket, for when the doll isn’t being used.

As with most therapies, doll therapy isn’t without its criticisms and there’s a notable lack of research about its long term use. Care homes have reported residents arguing over dolls and the person with dementia may put the doll’s needs before their own, not sleeping or eating because they’re busy looking after it. Another criticism is that it infantilises the person with dementia, encouraging them to behave like a child and failing to treat them with respect and dignity. However others argue that, when the person with dementia has chosen to care for a doll, it’s the family that experience the indignity rather than the person with dementia. It’s a complex debate.

If you’re thinking about trying doll therapy, it may be helpful to talk with others who know the person you’re caring for; relatives, friends, health professionals. Should you decide to give doll therapy a try, introduce the doll gradually and look for signs of wellbeing – smiling, laughing, talking, reduced anxiety – but be aware of signs of distress too.

We’d also recommend doing your own research too. Here are some useful articles to get you started:

My Story: Using Doll Therapy to Engage (Alzheimer’s Society)
Written by a caregiver about her experience of using doll therapy with her Mum.

Doll Therapy in Dementia (National Institute for Health Care Excellence)
Various studies about the use and impact of doll therapy

Care homes use ‘doll therapy’ for residents with dementia (The Guardian)
An article published in 2013, looking at how the therapy is used in care homes.

If you’d like to talk about dementia more generally, contact the Alzheimer’s Society.

What's the big issue?

There has been talk in the news lately about a problem sometimes known as ‘bigorexia’. Lou Wilkins works at The Health Shop, which sees people affected by the condition using the specialist steroid service. We caught up with Lou to find out more.

What is ‘bigorexia’?

‘Bigorexia’ is a type of body dysmorphia, also sometimes called ‘reverse anorexia’. It’s when people – usually men – have a distorted view of their body and think that they don’t look big enough. They may go to extreme and potentially dangerous lengths to get the muscular body they desire.

Despite the dangers, some people use steroids to change their body size. Our specialist steroid service at The Health Shop works with people to make sure they are doing so as safely as possible.

Why would someone risk their health to look bigger?

We see people who aren’t happy with the way they look. They say they feel much more confident when they are bigger and get more compliments from people. And once people start using steroids, many feel like they can’t stop.

There are also people who can’t stop because they’ve not reached their goal weight. We see some people in our service who keep shifting the weight goal - a bit like people with anorexia. First they want to be 14 stone, then on the next visit 15 stone, and so on. However big they become, it’s never enough.

People who are affected feel depressed and anxious about their bodies, and panicky if they haven’t pushed themselves hard enough in the gym. This can increase their reliance on large amounts of steroids and other performance or image enhancing drugs.

What are the dangers?

People’s bodies need time to rest and recover. Natural hormone levels can be permanently affected when people use steroids continuously.

Other dangers include development of breast tissue and problems with the cardiovascular system, fertility and sexual performance.

Body dysmorphia can also affect relationships and other areas of people’s lives, because it can take over and become all someone cares about.

How can I spot if someone is affected?

There are several warning signs that someone might be developing body dysmorphia:

• losing relationships because of excessive gym attendance
• anxiety about missed gym visits/not training hard enough
• continuing to train despite injury
• overly critical of their appearance
• changing their goal weight
• using steroids continually despite unwanted side effects

Where can I get help?

If you are affected by the above or know someone who needs further information, advise them to contact our Body Shop at The Health Shop, where they can get support and advice.

www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/the-health-shop

healthshop@nottshc.nhs.uk

0115 9475414

If you suffer from mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, our Let’s Talk-Wellbeing service offers psychological assessment and treatment.

www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/letstalkwellbeing

10 ways to stay stress-free at uni

Starting university is one of the most exciting times in a person’s life. It’s a chance to meet new people, have new experiences and develop new opportunities.

It also comes with its own unique set of stresses and challenges. Moving to a new place, separated from family and friends, mixed with academic and financial pressures can create a breeding ground for common mental health difficulties.

Jason Parker is a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner and regularly helps students overcome these difficulties to get the most out of their time at university. Here are Jason's top ten tips to help students stay well.

1. Our first tip is to make time for yourself. Hobbies and interests are really important for our wellbeing and reducing stress. Try to keep them up even during crunch time.

2. Look after your body. Your mental wellbeing is tied to your body. Eating well, regular exercise and a healthy life style can all help manage stress and promote psychological wellbeing.

3. Balance your time. But we’re not just talking about studies and play; remember that you’ll need time for the day-to-day living stuff. This may not be as fun as time with friends or as pressing as your studies, but it is just as important for a comfortable, stress reducing life.

4. It’s ok to feel anxious. Some anxiety and stress is normal, especially given the demands you face. So don’t be too hard on yourself.

However, when it doesn’t go away, don’t ignore the signs. You can contact our Let’s Talk-Wellbeing Team if your anxiety and stress is becoming a problem.

5. Remember you are not alone. Most people will experience a period of stress, depression or anxiety in their life, and students are no exception. Talking can help you feel less alone with your problems.

6. Put off procrastination. Procrastination goes hand in hand with perfectionism and stress. Try setting small goals - for example, aim to study for five minutes and then see how you feel.

7. Face your fears. Fear and anxiety feed off avoidance. Standing up to fears can help your confidence and self-esteem grow.

8. It's good to talk. If you’re struggling talk to friends, family and tutors. Offloading can help find new insights and ideas on how to manage your problems.

9. You don't have to be perfect. You’ve got this far because you’ve done well. The idea of achieving high standards is regularly reinforced in us. But trying to reach 100% will just lead to stressing over tiny details, wasted time, extra stress and eventually burnout.

10. Finally, get help if you need it. There are organisations and services out there to support you with the challenges of being a student. Don’t leave it to the last minute. Get in touch with us to talk through your options and how we can support you.