The age-old adage is that “prevention is better than cure” and this goes for mental health too. All over the UK more is being done to ensure that people are aware of the risks and what they can do to develop psychological flexibility that can help prevent mental illness.

Schools

Just over 15,000 people that work in schools have been trained as mental health first aiders. Their roles are to spot the warning signs, provide initial support and comfort and help children access professional treatment. The scheme is organised by Mental Health First Aid England and this scheme was first tried out in 18 schools, colleges and youth clubs and trained teachers and carers to recognise the symptoms such as depression and social anxiety.

It is said that one young person out of ten is estimated to experience some form of emotional or mental health problem each year – it is also said that problems often occur early as half of young adults with mental health disorders first experience difficulties before they are 15.

Prisons

As well as schools, some of Britain’s most dangerous prisoners are being offered mediation training to confront their violent impulses as part of mindfulness-based stress reduction. It is estimated that one in ten prisoners suffer psychosis, with two out of three prisoners have a personality disorder. The charity, Centre for Mental Health is working with these prisons to improve prisoner’s mental health. They are attempting to improve the issue by giving prisoners employment and housing for when they are released. The centre believes hope about the future is a key factor in avoiding mental heath problems.

Emergency services

Those who work for the police, fire and ambulance services are more susceptible than the general population to have a mental health illness. Police officers who investigate fatal road crashes, paramedics and firefighters are among those who have undergone the course that is being offered by the mental health charity Mind as this can give them a better understanding of how to cope with the stress they face.

This is also in connection with another improvement in mental health that has recently been publicised – ‘the mental health call centre’.

Can call centre therapy solve the NHS mental health crisis?

The call centre in West Oxford is one of the dozens of locations where the NHS is finally starting to tackle the issue on a mass scale. The NHS believes that people with mental health problems die 15-20 years earlier than the average. A government adviser on mental health Lord Layard identified mental health problems ‘the biggest causes of misery in Britain today’ – it is estimated that six million people are affected by a mental health illness.

The call centre in Oxford is part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. The IAPT programme is rooted in the idea that treating anxiety and depression early enough can prevent more serious mental illnesses and can keep people working which can save around £7billion per year. The programme hopes to make therapy free on the NHS for low-intensity mental illnesses as medication was at one point, the only option. At the Oxford centre, 50 therapists handle 6,000 cases a year and the workload is rising by over 1,000 cases a year.

A prime example of a successful treatment from the call centre is Rikki a 53 year old father of two who says he was ‘on the verge of suicide’ when he visited his GP. He was then eventually referred for IAPT services. Rikki had a long history of depression and also felt suicidal in his teen years; he had a breakdown when he worked as a paramedic after attending repeated cot deaths. He started to have feelings of ‘deep failure’ that was related to his work and then became suicidal. The techniques that Rikki learned through IAPT gave him the means to cope. He said: “It was like going outside and breathing fresh air. It gave me the tools to handle the way that I feel.”

Mental Health is something that Broudie Jackson Canter take extremely seriously. The firm have just this month held their own Well Being Week which included free fruit and daily lunchtime sessions of Pilates, Mediation, Yoga, Mindfulness and Chi Ball. The firm were also a part for a stress management course.

Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety are serious illnesses that can be difficult to cope with for those who are affected and those around them. It is important that we notice these signs early as ‘prevention is better than cure’. We hope that our work at Broudie Jackson Canter can, in one way or another, help with those who are suffering from a mental illness. If you or a loved one are affected by issues raised, then do not hesitate to contact our friendly mental health team. Please click here for a call back or message us your enquiry.