07976 828 637
Why become a Mental Health First Aider/Champion?
You and l both have mental health, just as we have physical health. In the same way one can become physically unwell, the same is true of our mental health. Mental ill health can happen at any time, at any age and can affect people from any background. While an increasing number of people are starting to be more open about their own mental wellbeing, stigma unfortunately still exists. Even with more information available on and offline, we don't tend to know how to look after our mental health like we do our physical health. This means that an individual may not know how to support a friend, family member or colleague experiencing a mental health issue, or where to go for support with their own mental health.
MHTC's training courses teach people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue. You’ll learn to recognise warning signs of mental ill health and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone whilst keeping yourself safe. It will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and potentially stop a crisis from happening.
You’ll also learn how to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and more.
In addition, you’ll gain an understanding of how to support positive wellbeing and tackle stigma in the world around you.
How common is mental ill health?
• 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues each year
• 70—75% of people with diagnosable mental illness receive no treatment at all
• 75% of mental illness (excluding dementia) starts before age 18
• More men die by suicide: 75% male and 25% female
• More women attempt to take their own lives than men
• 80—90% of people who attempt/die by suicide have a mental health condition, but not all are diagnosed
• At any given time, 1 in 6 working-age adults have symptoms associated with mental ill health
• Over a third of the public think people with a mental health issue are likely to be violent
• People with severe mental illness are more likely to be the victims, rather than the perpetrators, of violent crime
• People who identify as LGBT+ are more likely to have suicidal thoughts, and attempt suicide, than those who do not identify as LGBT+
• Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety
• 6% of the population say they have experienced at least one symptom of psychosis
• Psychosis is more common among BAME groups
• Bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder often starts between adolescence and mid-30s
• Around 2% of the population have experienced symptoms of bipolar disorder and it can take up to 6 years to receive the correct diagnosis
Places to go for help and advice
In times of crisis, people can be directed to the following organisations:
GP Surgery
Advice about appropriate treatment for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety and provide access to professionals who can provide talking therapies, such as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
NHS
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/mentalhealth has pages about mental health and a list of mental health helplines. You can search for local face to-face and telephone services.
NHS WellMind
This is a free NHS mental health and wellbeing app designed to help you with stress, anxiety and depression. The app includes advice, tips, and tools to improve your mental health and boost your wellbeing.
Other organisations:
Samaritans
www.samaritans.org provides a safe place for anyone who is struggling to cope, 24/7. Call free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit the website to find details of the nearest branch. Samaritans provide emotional support for people 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They allow people to talk about feelings of distress and despair and are confidential and offer non-judgemental support.
Mind
www.mind.org.uk/information-support the website has an A to Z of information and advice on a range of mental health topics. You can call the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393, or email them on info@mind.org.uk. A range of languages are available. There are also local branches of Mind, some of which provide face-to-face services.
Re-think Mental Illness
www.rethink.org does not provide emergency help, but has an advice line 0300 5000 927, or will reply to emails info@rethink.org. Re-think also provides local support groups and mental health services.
Hub of Hope app
https://hubofhope.co.uk/ The Hub of Hope is the country’s first nationwide mental health database, brings help and support together to one place. The app help's people to find much needed support using their phone’s location to find key services and organisations. Whether it’s someone to talk to or a ‘safe place’ to visit, there is always help available.
Any questions about our training courses?
Email info@covenantandkingdom.org.
You can also contact MHTC via the form below.