Suicide First Aid: From Loss to Hope #WSPD2024 by Jane McNeice
Wednesday 13th March 2024 will leave an indelible mark on our family’s life. Sadly, my daughter’s 22-year-old cousin, Alex Conley, ended her life from the pain that became a suicide. The ripple effect was momentous, with so many impacted emotionally. The lives of Alex’s parents and those closest to her will never be the same again. I often find that pain follows the laws of physics in as much as we recompense in equal measure to the pain experienced, whether that is positively or...
Read MoreEmotional Avoidance, by John Ford
Emotional Avoidance “When we close the door to our feelings, we close the door to the vital currents that energise and activate our thoughts and actions.” — Gary Zukav One of the most pervasive challenges we face, whether in our personal lives, workplaces, or broader communities, is emotional avoidance. This behavior—where we actively avoid feeling and processing our emotions—has far-reaching consequences that can leave relationships strained, workplaces toxic, and our personal growth stunted....
Read MorePrioritising Mental Health Throughout the Journey of Life, by Millie Fully
The NHS has recently appointed a director for mental health and neurodiversity, proving that wellbeing concerns are finally receiving the acknowledgement they deserve. It signifies a step in the right direction of mental health being a top priority during all phases of life. Mental health has no age Poor mental health can affect anyone, at any age. It changes how we manage, and our relationships with other people. Identifying the signs We must educate ourselves on spotting the signs of poor...
Read MoreAutistic People ‘Canaries in the coal mine’? by Jane McNeice
In the last few weeks, I have heard and read several references to Autistic people being the ‘canaries in the coal mine’, the analogy being that we are the first to identify danger and threat, succumb to it, and are a warning sign to others before they too experience it. As I so often do, I rolled this thinking around in my brain, reflected and ruminated on it, and questioned whether it had any substance. My instincts were telling me it wasn’t wrong, the very instincts that were being alluded...
Read MoreIncrease Awareness About Mental Illness This Mental Health Awareness Week (13th-19th May)
Millions of UK adults and young people have experienced or are currently experiencing the debilitating effects of a mental health disorder. In virtually every instance, individuals struggling with these conditions can recover and enjoy a substantially better life. Here Lee Hawker-Lecesne MBPsS, Clinical Director at The Cabin, Asia’s premier rehabilitation center with over 50 years of clinical expertise, looks at how important awareness of the high incidence of mental health problems is...
Read MoreAusterity: Why mental health training should remain a priority, especially in times of hardship. By Jane McNeice
I reall the recession of 2008-9 and my attempts to convince senior management teams that mental health training should be a top priority. This sat alongside efforts to influence General Practitioners and other health care practitioners to discuss return to work with their patients as part of mental health recovery and because work is extremely protective for our health. This was at a time when businesses were facing financial hardship, and their worries centred around preserving funds to pay...
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