Urgent Mental Health Support

If you are having thoughts of suicide, are harming yourself or have thought about self-harm, it’s important to tell someone.

These thoughts and feelings can be complex, frightening and confusing, but you do not have to struggle alone.

If you cannot wait to see a doctor and feel unable to cope or keep yourself safe, contact one of the organisations below to get support right away.

It’s important to know that support is available, even if services seem busy at the moment.

NHS 111 Option 2 Crisis Line

Health in Mind (Mid Essex IAPT) is part of the NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) initiative, offering free and confidential talking therapy and practical support for adults with common mental health problems including anxiety and depression.

Health in Mind is provided by Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Mid and North Essex Mind and Chelmsford Counselling Foundation.

This FREE service is available to all patients registered with a GP practice in mid Essex and is open to people aged 17 and over.

After your needs are assessed you will be offered the most appropriate care with a trained professional, which may include talking therapy to help you manage your current mental health problem including

• Stress and anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Depression including pre and post-natal
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Living with a long term condition such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain or IBS.
• Providing care for a loved one, friend or family member

Treatment sessions may be by phone, online, in groups or face-to-face. Treatment options are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which is a structured therapy where you will set goals you want to reach and work on changes you can make to patterns of thoughts and behaviours to help you attain your goal. 

How can I access Health in Mind?

Your Mind plan helps you build a practical plan you can use to help maintain and improve your mental health and wellbeing. By answering this short quiz, the Every Mind Matters widget gives you five actions that can help you feel more in control, deal with stress and anxiety, boost your mood and improve your sleep

SilverCloud: online mental health support 

If you are looking for extra support with your mental health and do not want to speak to a health professional, you can log on to Silvercloud – a free and secure online self-help programme that is proven to help with anxiety, stress and depression.

Why choose online support?

Access is immediate with no GP referral required. You can log onto the system from your computer, smart phone or tablet at any time of the day or night.

This means that you can slot your therapy into a time that suits you, instead of having to attend in person or trying to squeeze sessions into a busy week. You have the freedom to choose to complete your weekly therapy sessions in the environment of your choice and at a time that suits you.

How does online therapy work?

Programmes consist of informative and interactive modules which you can complete at your own pace to help improve your wellbeing.

A supporter from North Essex IAPT will guide you through the SilverCloud programme at your own pace, where you will learn effective ways of managing feelings of anxiety, depression and stress. You will have up to six online reviews with your supporter, roughly every two weeks, to help you make progress.

The self help modules are easy to use with tools and activities to help you think better, manage your life and livewell. The goal of each module is for you to take the information and techniques learned – and to start applying them in your day-to-day life. At regular intervals, your supporter will check your progress and provide feedback and guidance.

Is this service right for me?

• I am currently experiencing low mood and/or anxiety.
• I would like to make active changes to improve my wellbeing.
• I can commit to 1-2 hours a week logging onto the online programme, independently in my own time.
• I can commit to regular practice of helpful techniques to improve my mood.
• I have access to the internet. 

If you answered yes to the above five questions, then we recommend signing up by clicking the link below. 

Provides help and support for those with mental health issues for adults and young people 

Telephone: 01206 764600
Website: mnessexmind.org 

Most people feel low sometimes, but if it’s affecting your life, there are things you can try that may help. Some people think depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. They’re wrong – it is a real illness with real symptoms. Depression is not a sign of weakness or something you can “snap out of” by “pulling yourself together”. 

Feeling low may cause someone to stop doing the things they like, cut themselves off from loved ones or have difficulty sleeping. Other signs include feeling:

• sad
• worried, anxious or panicked
• tired
• less confident
• frustrated, irritated or angry

A low mood should lift after a few days, but if it lasts longer than about two weeks, it may be a sign of depression.

The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people with depression can make a full recovery. 

Watch the video below for some top tips to help you deal with low mood.

If low mood is affecting your daily life or causing you distress, call NHS 111, talk to your GP or refer yourself to our local talking therapies (IAPT) service.

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. 

Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview. 

During times like these, feeling anxious can be perfectly normal, but some people find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives. 

Anxiety can show in a variety of ways. This can be as changes in your body, in being constantly worried or changes in your behaviour, such as becoming overly careful or avoiding things that trigger anxiety.

You may:

• feel tired, on edge, restless or irritable
• feel a sense of dread
• be unable to concentrate or make decisions
• have trouble sleeping
• feel sick, dizzy, sweaty or short of breath
• be shaky or trembly
• get headaches or tummy aches
• avoid situations or put off doing things you are worried about
• have difficulty falling or staying asleep
• experience a noticeably strong, fast or irregular heartbeat
• have pins and needles
• have a dry mouth
• sweat excessively
• repeatedly check things or seek assurance from others

Most people feel stressed sometimes and some people find stress helpful or event motivating. But if stress is affecting your life, there are things you can try that may help.

If you are stressed, you may:

• feel overwhelmed
• have racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating
• be irritable
• feel constantly worried, anxious or scared
• feel a lack of self-confidence
• have trouble sleeping or feel tired all the time
• avoid things or people you are having problems with
• be eating more or less than usual
• drink or smoke more than usual

We all have to look after our health, but people with severe mental illness (SMI) need to be a little extra careful. Individuals with SMI will most likely have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Your medication and lifestyle could put you at risk of certain health problems. The good news is, you’re entitled to an annual health check to get advice and support.

What will happen at my annual physical health check?

The health check will be completed by a competent healthcare practitioner. This may be done at your GP Practice, may be done by specialist mental health workers in the community, or may be done by your community mental health team if you are receiving care from a specialist team.

They will:

• Weigh you and/or measure your waist. This is to see if you are at risk of developing diabetes, heart attack or stroke. Being too heavy can also increase your chance of getting other physical problems. 
• Measure your blood pressure. Raised blood pressure can contribute to heart attack and stroke.
• Take a blood test to check your cholesterol and sugar levels, and make sure they aren’t too high. Raised cholesterol can also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. High blood sugar can mean you have diabetes.

You will also discuss:

• Side effects of medication
• Smoking, alcohol and use of non-prescription drugs
• Exercise  and diet
• Other health problems
• What help you have or need at home
• How you keep yourself well

Further information

The Good Health Guide is full of practical information and helpful tips for people severely affected by mental illness. The Professionals who do your physical health check will also be able to advise you on ways to improve your physical health, and link you to organisations and services in your local community who can help.

With You in Mind is a social, inclusive, wellbeing hub for people over the age of 16 in Chelmsford. 

These sessions are for people who want to improve their confidence, wellbeing and mental health. The team of Coordinators and Mental Health First Aiders are there to help support you at each session with low impact activities including badminton, table tennis, board games and art. 

Activities run every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre from 2-4pm. Your first session is FREE!

For more information call 01245 606569 or go to www.chelmsford.gov.uk/withyouinmind