About Mental Health

Supporting
your mental
health

Your mental health matters

Mental health and wellbeing have never been more important. We all have mental health, but we all experience it in different ways, and anyone can be affected by mental ill health.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Find out more about what support services are available to help you, or someone you care about.

Common mental health conditions in the UK?

With mental health affecting 1 in 4 of us in the UK, below is some useful information on some
of the more common mental health conditions.
  • What is Anxiety?
    • This is a future-oriented state of mind, characterised by worrying about things that might happen. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there has been an “explosion” in anxiety over the last decade.
    • In the UK, over 8 million people are experiencing an anxiety disorder at any one time (Mental Health UK)

  • Symptoms of Anxiety
    • Everyone’s experience of anxiety will be different. Anxiety can have both physical and mental symptoms.
      • Physical symptoms can include:
        • Sweating
        • Hair loss
        • Extreme tiredness
        • Sickness
      • Mental symptoms can include:
        • Feeling irritable
        • Racing thoughts
        • Change in appetite.
        • Overt thinking

  • Types of Anxiety
    • There are many types of anxiety disorders, but the 5. Common ones include:
      • Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) this is over worrying about different activities and events. This may feel out of your control. This can affect your day-to-day life. You might find that it affects your ability to work, travel places or leave the house.
      • Panic disorder – regular panic attacks with no particular trigger if you have panic disorder. They can happen suddenly and feel intense
      • Social anxiety disorder – You have an intense fear or dread of social or performance situations. This can happen before, during or after the event.
      • Phobias You have an overwhelming fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal. Phobias are stronger than fears.
      • Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) – You will have obsessions, compulsions or both if you have OCD. You may realise that your thinking and behaviour is not logical but still find it very difficult to stop.
      • Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) – You will have upsetting thoughts about the way you look if you have BDD. The thoughts don’t go away and have a big effect on daily life.
      • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – You may have PTSD if your anxiety symptoms developed after a stressful or distressing event. Or if you have experienced trauma over a long period of time.
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  • Support for Anxiety – If you think you may be experiencing any of the above, please contact your GP or fill in our self-referral form if you live in the Wolverhampton or Telford area

  • Managing My Anxiety – As well as receiving professional support from a trained specialist, there are a number of things you can do within your daily life to support your recovery:
    • Breathing exercises – Breathing exercises can help to calm you when you are feeling anxious.
    • Health and fitness – Introducing small changes to the way you eat and getting more active can help to support your recovery.
    • Sleep – Getting a good night’s sleep.
  • What is depression?
    • Depression can make you feel persistently down or sad for weeks or months at a time. It is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders in the world.
    • Around 1 in 6 adults in the UK are experiencing depression (ONS)

  • Symptoms of Depression – The symptoms of depression can look different for everyone.
    • Mental symptoms – The NHS describe some of the following physiological symptoms:
      • continuous low mood or sadness
      • feeling hopeless and helpless
      • having low self-esteem
      • feeling tearful

  • The physical symptoms can include:
    • moving or speaking more slowly than usual
    • changes in appetite or weight
    • constipation
    • unexplained aches and pains
    • lack of energy

  • Common types pf depression
    • Postnatal depression – Post-natal depression is a type of depression that many parents experience after childbirth. It is a common illness, which affects more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth
    • Seasonal affective Disorder (SAD) – SAD affects you at the same time of year, usually in the winter. Some people may find they have symptoms in summer and feel better in winter.
    • Manic Depression – Manic depression is the old name for bipolar disorder. It is a different illness to depression. People with this illness have highs (mania) and lows (depression).

  • Support for depression
    If you think you may be experiencing any of the above, please contact your GP or fill in our self-referral form if you live in the Wolverhampton or Telford area

  • Managing my depression – There are number of different things you can introduce into your daily life to aid you on your recovery journey:
    • Exercise & healthy diet – Introducing small changes to the way you eat and getting more active can help to support your recovery.
    • Sleep – Getting a good night’s sleep.
    • Alternative therapies – Complimentary alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, meditation and Yoga can help to improve your emotional wellbeing

 

  • What is Stress?
    • Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure and we experience it day-to-day. Too much stress affects our mood, body and relationships. Although stress is not normally considered a mental health problem, it is connected to our mental health. Evidence suggests Long-term stress increases the risk of mental health problemssuch as anxiety and depression.
    • One in 14 UK adults (7%) feel stressed every single day (CIPHR)
  • The symptoms of Stress?
    The symptoms of stress can look different for everyone.
  • Mental symptoms can include:
    • Irritable
    • Uninterested in life
    • Worried
    • Overwhelmed
    • Nervous
  • Physical symptoms can include:
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Panic attacks
    • Sleep problems
    • Sweating
    • High blood pressure
  • Support for stress – If you think you may be experiencing any of the above, please contact your GP or fill in our self-referral form if you live in the Wolverhampton or Telford area
  • Managing stress – There are number of different things you can introduce into your daily life to aid you on your recovery journey:
    • Self-care – Introducing small changes to the way you eat and getting more active can help to support your recovery.
    • Talk to family and friends – Don’t suffer in silence,
    • Alternative therapies – Complimentary alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, meditation and Yoga can help to improve your emotional wellbeing

Black Mental Health Statistics UK

If you’re Black, you may face specific issues relating to your mental health. Things like fear, stigma, and lack of culturally sensitive treatment can act as barriers to accessing mental health care.

  • Black women are more likely to experience a common mental illness such as anxiety disorder or depression.
  • Black men are more likely to experience psychosis.
  • Black people are 4 times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act.
  • Black men are far more likely than others to be diagnosed with severe mental health problems and are also far more likely to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Culturally appropriate care

To address the cultural barriers and systemic discrimination experienced by black people, we deliver culturally holistic and comprehensive support for African and Caribbeans impacted by mental ill health.

Fill in the below to request
an self-referral form