We’re supporting a campaign spearheaded by MenCap and the Law Centre to make the Personal Independence Payment process better for people with disabilities. We especially want to gather responses from as many mental health service users as possible.
If you have claimed PIP, or supported someone who has, we want to hear from you. What went well? What didn’t go well? How would you improve the process?
Complete the anonymous survey www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PIPexperience
This week’s Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week poses a question to those of us who enjoy a tipple: “How Risking Is Your Drinking?”
Some 38% of men and 16% of women are now drinking above recommended limits – 14 units for both men and women – with 1.1m people in the UK being alcohol dependent, according to a recent report from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Its Global Status on Alcohol report found that people who drink to alter their mood – or to change their mental state – are ‘dicing with danger’.
“Sufficient evidence now exists to assume alcohol’s contributory role in depression,” the report stated.
Other studies corroborate the findings, illustrating that up to 12m adults in the UK drink to help them relax or overcome feelings of depression. However, drinking to mask anxiety, lift a depressed mood or to help cope with general unease has the opposite effect: once the alcohol wears off the physical hangover is very often accompanied by anxiety or low mood.
Drinking can also affect your judgement and might open people to decisions and actions they may regret later. Alcohol is estimated to be a factor, not only in 16% of road deaths, but 48% of suicides and 49% of self-harm presentations to A&E.
Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, in his forward to its report, Cheers? Understanding the relationship between alcohol and mental health, written by Dr Deborah Cornah, states: “The reasons we drink and the consequences of excessive drinking are intimately linked with our mental health, and this holds the key to dealing with growing worries about alcohol misuse.”
Evidence shows:
To counter these potential pitfalls, adults – men and women both – should restrict themselves to the recommended 14 units per week, which amounts to six pints of lager, or a bottle and a half of wine spread over three or more days, with a few days being completely alcohol free.
Adhering to healthy limits on your drinking will not only improve your health, you’ll also save hundreds of calories, considering 18 glasses (three bottles) of wine, at 175ml per glass, is equivalent to 2880 calories – or three portions of fish and chips. The same number of pints of beer is worth 3240 calories!
If you’re uncertain about the levels of alcohol you are drinking why not test yourself at www.alcoholandyouni.com/audit
For further information, help and advice visit: www.drugsandalcoholni.info
One of our wonderful clients – John from AMH New Horizons Downpatrick, has just completed a work placement in RQIA. This was arranged through the Health and Social Care Board Disability Placement Scheme 2019.
The best news is that John has also just secured a full time job!
Congratulations to John and a big thank you to RQIA for providing the placement.
Pictured L-R Stephanie McKeating – AMH Employment Officer, John Higgins – Placement Trainee and Julie Livingstone – RQIA Placement Manager.
John took part in the Working It Out Project which is part-funded through the NI ESF programme 2014-202 and the Department for the Economy.
Our Chief Executive, David Babington today welcomed some of our partners in the Menhir Project to Action Mental Health.
Pictured left to right : Antonio Benitez, Early Stage Researcher, Universidad De Granada; Prof Maurice Mulvenna, Ulster University; Prof Zoraida Callejas, Universidad de Granada and David Babington.
Zoraida and Antonio are currently on secondment in Northern Ireland kick starting the MENHIR project. #menhir_h2020
MENHIR, led by the Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain will research and develop conversational technologies to promote positive mental health. The technology hopes to assist people with mild depression and/or anxiety manage their symptoms and prevent relapse via mental health monitoring through interactive conversations.
Action Mental Health is one of the project members of MENHIR, a partnership of academia, private and voluntary sector organisations.
The other members are –
MENHIR will use co-creation to develop a technology Chatbot to provide symptom and mood management, identification of patterns indicative of relapse and recurrence, personalised support, coping strategies, mental health education and signposting to online resources and local services.
Health today is best viewed from a holistic perspective – and good health means having a healthy body AND a healthy mind. International Men’s Health Week, from June 10 to 16 – Father’s Day – is reminding men about the importance of maintaining a healthy body and mind.
International Men’s Health Week is celebrated in many European countries, as well as in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and a number of other places worldwide. The overall aims of Men’s Health Week are to:
Most of us know that by keeping your waistline to below 37 inches you’ll have a fighting chance against illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Equally, we know that everyone – women included – should be eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day to stay fit and healthy, and that men shouldn’t consume more than 14 units of alcohol a week.
If we know all this, why is there a need for Men’s Health Week? It’s due to the fact that research shows that men experience a disproportionate burden of ill-health and die too young compared to their female counterparts. In fact:
These statistics however, can’t be truly interpreted without looking at the statistics surrounding mental ill-health and suicide.
Northern Ireland in general has high levels of mental illness with some 39% of us suffering one form of mental illness in our lifetime. The levels of mental ill health here is greater than any other region in the UK and at least 25% higher than in England.
Suicide rates here are also high with 2015 seeing the highest number of people taking their own lives since records began in 1970s – of these 77% were male.
We are working with Ulster University and Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody to repeat our call for action in an event in Parliament Buildings on 21 June 2019, (for more details contact [email protected]).
Talk to your family and friends, talk to your GP. Lifeline is also available. It’s Northern Ireland’s crisis response helpline service for people who are experiencing distress or despair. People living in Northern Ireland can call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
Steeple Antrim, Downpatrick and Fermanagh. Men’s shed is a project for men aged 50+ to share skills, socialise and connect with their wider community. Men’s Shed brings together men to share their skills, have a laugh and a cup of tea while working on practical activities of their choice.
It’s place for members to be themselves, a place to work at your own pace, a place to exchange ideas and learn, a place for members to support each other and build friendships.
Our Men’s Shed in Downpatrick is marking Men’s Health Week by exhibiting an array of their art, crafts and woodwork at the St. Patrick’s Centre, Downpatrick until June 15. To find out more contact Lisa, at [email protected]
#menshealthweek #menshealthbynumbers
The evenings are brighter, longer and the birds are chirping as the sun delays its nightly dip back behind the horizon – spring is here. The season allows us more time to enjoy the outdoors and to take full advantage of its soothing benefits to our bodies and minds – and particularly our mental health and well-being.
May has been National Walking Month so if you haven’t been for a wee dander lately, why not head out today, tomorrow or as soon as you can – and continue the good habit into the summer?
You could even grab a few like-minded colleagues at work and head out at lunchtime. Better yet, why not take the opportunity to encourage others less inclined to join you to find out why walking – especially briskly – is so good for keeping fit, and even better for your emotional and mental health.
Walking boosts the levels of chemicals in your body called endorphins and serotonin, which not only reduce pain, but also improve your mood. Like any activity, walking improves self-perception and self-esteem – even the quality of your sleep.
One client of Action Mental Health who has been experiencing the benefits of walking with her local AMH group, said walking, especially with a friend:
helps to clear your head
offers an enjoyable social aspect, having a bit of chat and a laugh
offers an exercise that’s not too strenuous
makes you feel good
So if you’ve taken up the habit of walking this month, Action Mental Health is hosting a few events in the coming weeks to let you join others with the walking bug – while also raising money for the charity.
This weekend, walkers are heading out on the Cave Hill Dawn Walk to traverse the picturesque peak over the city of Belfast and beyond. For more information and to sign up visit:
In County Down, walkers can don their boots to experience the new stretch of picture-postcard Carlingford Lough Greenway, to walk the Dublin Road Bridge to Victoria Lock – a 5.7km walk, which is again being hosted to raise funds for Action Mental Health.
To find out more and to obtain sponsorship forms for the August 4 walk please contact B Hughes at AMH Newry on 028 3026 6117 or contact [email protected].
Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 came at a time when the issue of mental health and well-being has never been in sharper focus.
As Prince William opened up about his emotional fragility following the death of his mother Princess Diana, Great British Bake-Off winner Nadiya Hussein allowed the cameras in to capture her battle with anxiety, and former Homeland actor David Harewood revealed a bout of psychosis in his 20s.
These high profile personalities were among headline discussions conveyed by the media over the week, highlighting the prevalence of mental health issues in society. They helped to prove that mental ill health knows no boundaries, whether social, religious, class or ethnicity.
Closer to home Action Mental Health helped steer the public conversation towards mental health issues, fundraising for our services through the second ever Great Big Purple Picnic (GBBP). Local politicians and community representatives descended on Action Mental Health’s nine services across Northern Ireland to partake of the picnic which, this year, featured barbecues, pet therapy sessions, horticultural sales, yoga, music and a host of festive events.
Action Mental Health also supported a flagship initiative by Queen’s University Belfast to support better well-being among staff and students at the institution. The pinnacle of QUB’s week-long series of events was a panel discussion on mental health matters featuring the personal stories of local people like former GAA star Oisin McConville, who fought a gambling addiction and radio presenter Paulo Ross, who cares for his mother who suffers mental ill-health.
Action Mental Health supported the university’s itinerary which included a pedometer challenge, holistic well-being sessions, workshops, talks on cyberbullying and sleep-improving sessions, lunchtime walks and its very own Great Big Purple Picnic in the university’s historic quad.
Our corporate partners also got behind the week’s events with gusto. Ardent supporter Danske Bank’s Business Development Team walked a collective 500 miles across a number of its branches, raising funds and awareness with every step. Other staff embraced the Great Big Purple Picnic festivities as well as a host of other activities in branches across the country.
Staff members in our partners Allstate were also treading the pavement, raising funds and awareness with their ‘Walk a Mile and Smile’ event, while stands went up at its three branches to inform employees on the best ways towards mental health and well-being. Staff were encouraged to take part in a selfie- competition before a hair-raising zipline event brought the week to a finale.
All 53 branches of Gordons Chemists jumped on board the Mental Health Awareness Week bandwagon, raising awareness among customers through literature and selling wristbands while staff donned purple for the day.
Coca Cola too, participated, letting employees test their aim in an archery competition in a novel way of marking Mental Health Awareness Week.
Meanwhile WW (formerly Weight Watchers) turned purple with al fresco dining at venues across County Antrim, and Farrans Construction staff enjoyed a week of GBBP-related events.
SDC used the week to launch the new partnership between the truck and trailer parts firm and Action Mental Health, when staff got the opportunity to participate in stress tests and avail of the charity’s breadth of knowledge on mental health issues with information stands and awareness raising efforts.
In Warrenpoint & Lisburn, our corporate partner, CTS, got into the spirit by hosting Great Big Purple Picnics for all their staff.
Financial Services Compliance (Fscom) had a purple dress-up day on Friday, a week after launching their new charity partnership with Action Mental Health, while Medicare Osborne Pharmacy on the Lisburn Road also got in the purple spirit.
Cranswick Country Foods in Ballymena held a GBPP bake sale and have decided to continue their fundraising drive with a sponsored walk within the splendour of Glenariff Park on June 29.
Employers across Northern Ireland and Europe opened their workplaces to people with disabilities as part of Job Share Day on Thursday 16 May. We were delighted that so many Action Mental Health clients were participating in the initiative, in a variety of roles and organisations across the country!
Our ESF “Working it Out” projects provides a comprehensive programme of specialist training in Personal Development, Vocational Skills and Employability, with the aim of helping our clients access employment or further education. The Job Shadow Day is co-ordinated by the Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment and is supported by its members. Job Shadow Day is perfect for our clients as it can provide the perfect opportunity to get firsthand experience of the world of work and to discover and learn about the skills required to compete and succeed in the workplace.
One of own job seekers – Ciara McCormack – had the opportunity to shadow our Chief Executive, David Babington, as he went about his daily duties. The day kicked off meeting representatives from two Colombian cities with other community organisations and Belfast City Council. The visit is part of an 18 month exchange programme for sustainable urban development. Next it was on to Queen’s University Belfast for the headline event in a week packed with initiatives to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week in partnership with AMH. David was on a panel of special guests including familiar faces GAA star Oisin McConville, Cool FM’s Paulo Ross and our own AMH everyBODY’s Deborah McCreedy. The discussion was hosted by BBC’s Tara Mills, Ciara got the opportunity to chat with all the guests and discover what the AMH Fundraising & Communications team get up to behind the scenes.
Here’s what some of our other clients got up to!
