MENTAL HEALTH

AND
PSYCHOSOCIAL
SUPPORT
RealTalk.
Honestly…I feel ______________ .
Session Objectives:

■ Identify STRESS and its Effect;

■ Define Mental Health, Psychosocial Support
■ Discuss some ways to manage mental health problems
■ Appreciate support from peers in dealing with mental health
issues
ESSENTIALS OF MENTAL 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 choices. Mental health is important at
every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence
through adulthood.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS:

Eating or sleeping too much or too little / Having low or no energy

Pulling away from people and usual activities
Feeling numb or like nothing matters / Feeling helpless or hopeless
Having unexplained aches and pains
Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
Yelling or fighting with family and friends
Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
Having persistent thoughts and memories you can't get out of your head
Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
Thinking of harming yourself or others
Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or
school
WHAT IS STRESS ?

Stress is the reaction people have to excessive

pressures or other types of demand placed upon
them. It arises when they worry that they can’t
cope.
WHAT IS STRESS ?

Stress is the “wear and tear” our minds and

bodies experience as we attempt to cope
with our continually changing environment
STRESS FEELINGS
■ Worry
■ Tense
■ Tired
■ Frightened
■ Elated
■ Depressed
■ Anxious
■ Anger
TYPES OF STRESSORS

■ External
■ Internal
EXTERNAL STRESSORS

■ Physical Environment
■ Social Interaction
■ Organisational
■ Major Life Events
■ Daily Hassles
SOCIAL INTERACTION

■ Rudeness
■ Bossiness
■ Aggressiveness by others
■ Bullying
MAJOR LIFE EVENTS

■ Birth
■ Death
■ Lost job
■ Promotion
■ Marital status change
INTERNAL STRESSORS

■ Lifestyle choices
■ Negative self - talk
■ Mind traps
■ Personality traits
LIFESTYLE CHOICES

■ Caffeine
■ Lack of sleep
■ Overloaded schedule
NEGATIVE SELF - TALK

■ Pessimistic thinking
■ Self criticism
■ Over analysing
MIND TRAPS

■ Unrealistic expectations
■ Taking things personally
■ All or nothing thinking
■ Exaggeration
■ Rigid thinking
PERSONALITY TRAITS

■ Perfectionists
■ Workaholics
TYPES OF STRESS

■ Negative stress

■ Positive stress
NEGATIVE STRESS

It is a contributory factor in minor conditions, such as

headaches, digestive problems, skin complaints,
insomnia and ulcers.
Excessive, prolonged and unrelieved stress can have a
harmful effect on mental, physical and spiritual health.
POSITIVE STRESS

Stress can also have a positive effect, spurring

motivation and awareness, providing the stimulation to
cope with challenging situations.
Stress also provides the sense of urgency and alertness
needed for survival when confronting threatening
situations.
THE INDIVIDUAL

Everyone is different, with unique perceptions of, and

reactions to, events. There is no single level of stress
that is optimal for all people. Some are more sensitive
owing to experiences in childhood, the influence of
teachers, parents and religion etc.
Most of the stress we experience is self-generated. How
we perceive life - whether an event makes us feel
threatened or stimulated, encouraged or discouraged,
happy or sad - depends to a large extent on how we
perceive ourselves.
Self-generated stress is something of a paradox, because
so many people think of external causes when they are
upset.

Recognising that we create most of our own upsets is

an important first step towards coping with them.
How can I help myself?
Self-care techniques and general lifestyle
changes can help manage the symptoms
of many mental health problems. They
may also help prevent some problems
from developing or getting worse. Here
are some tips for looking after yourself
that you might find helpful.
Stay aware of your mental health
problems
■ Tell people what helps
■ Spot your early warning signs
■ Keep a mood diary
■ Build your self-esteem
Nourish your social life

■ Feeling connected to other people is important. It

can help you to feel valued and confident about
yourself, and can give you a different perspective
on things. If you can, try to spend some time
connecting with friends and family – even a text
or phone call can make a difference.
Try Peer Support

Peer support brings together people who've had similar experiences

to support each other. This can offer many benefits, such as:
• feeling accepted for who you are
• increased self-confidence
• meeting new people and using your experiences to help others
• finding out new information and places for support
• challenging stigma and discrimination.
Make Time for Therapeutic Activities

■ Relaxation
■ Mindfulness – mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that
involves being more aware of the present moment. This can
mean both outside, in the world around you, and inside, in your
feelings and thoughts. Practising mindfulness can help you
become more aware of your own moods and reactions, but not
everyone finds mindfulness helpful.
■ Getting into nature
Look After Your Physical Health

■ Get enough sleep

■ Keep physically active
■ Avoid drugs and alcohol
■ Make time for personal care
■ Eat healthily
Contact a Special Organization
If you have a diagnosis, or would like support in a specific area, try contacting a specialist
organisation for help.
• Anxiety UK offers advice and support for people living with anxiety.
• B-eat provides information and support for people affected by eating disorders.
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) supports men's mental health.
• FRANK provides confidential drugs advice and information.
• Hearing Voices Network runs an online forum and local groups across the country.
• Mind Out offers mental health advice and support for anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+.
• No Panic offers help and advice about anxiety disorders, including a helpline and recovery
groups.
• StudentMinds supports students with their mental health.
• YoungMinds supports children and young people with their mental health.
If these work well for you then you may find
you don't need any formal treatment.
However, it's important to remember that
there is unlikely to be an instant solution. 
Recovering from a mental health problem is
likely to take time, energy and work.
Formal Treatments
Talking treatments
Talking treatments provide a regular time and space for you to talk about your thoughts and
experiences and explore difficult feelings with a trained professional. This could help you
to:
• deal with a specific problem
• cope with upsetting memories or experiences
• improve your relationships
• develop more helpful ways of living day-to-day.
Formal Treatments
Medication
■ The most common type of treatment available is
psychiatric medication. These drugs don't cure mental
health problems, but they can ease many symptoms.
Which type of drug you are offered will depend on
your diagnosis.
Formal Treatments
Complementary and alternative therapies
■ Some people find complementary and alternative
therapies helpful to manage stress and other
common symptoms of mental health problems.
These can include things like yoga, meditation,
aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, herbal remedies
 and acupuncture.
THANK YOU!