Covid Mental health awareness

 I guess you already know that Covid is rising every second, day, minute,s, week, month, etc worldwide, which is also having a huge effect on mental illness as much as restrictions are protecting health and safety. It can be hard to focus on too many things at one time. Therefore' other illnesses etc are not or and haven't been such as cancer etc due to Covid. It is hugely concerning the number of mental illnesses, suicides,  cancer, etc have or have increased. Here is a link on mental health. Here's some awareness of mental health in the Covid lockdown on the mental health foundation website. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/research/coronavirus-mental-health-pandemic/ https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/research?utm_source=ppc_google&utm_medium=paid_ads&utm_campaign=research&gclid=CjwKCAiAtouOBhA6EiwA2nLKH_KuXkMmNW2KQ8vUTtTeHGvI7aLwknyaGORjUlri5tKYtAkYUFecVRoCQEYQAvD_BwE

The main thing that hits a lot of us is how the Covid lockdown has changed our lives to how life was before Covid but we must remember people were facing mental illness before covid. However' Covid I guess for a lot of people has affected them even more so because those who work or and did are either having to work from home if they can or and losing their work altogether. This is the same with courses etc but not necessary for everyone. 

Most people are confused about what they still have access to and what they don't for example health with how they say communicate with the doctor, work, courses, meetings, etc face-to-face communication is getting very less the same with other things too. Accessing things online is find probably for most people, even though most people are online these days not everyone feels safe, not everyone feels confident to learn about IT, the internet, etc, and how to feel safe. Even most of those online don't know how to access everything on there. For most online communication even though even those who find it hard still understand the covid safety still find most if not all online issues hard to access, can cause most people with mental health a lot of stress, Anxiety, etc. 

For example also at the start of the covid period with the rules were changing a lot even though most had much good reason to do so the unknown and unexcepted can put fear into many of those who face mental health. Although I don't disagree with getting out is good for mental health but rather confusing for those who face it, when they are told for example one day they are allowed to sit on the park bench and the day they are not. It's good to get fresh air and that but if you struggle to understand the rules when they are changing etc that can get very confusing. 

For many of us who face illness can find it hard to focus on things and hard to motivate ourselves physically as well as mentally. Even things we are interested in and good at are a challenge for us. However' even more so the things we are not good at and the things we don't enjoy. For a lot of you, I would guess you understand it's common sense not to try to empower someone with something they are not interested in and cannot do, which could make them worse. As for the things they can do and what they enjoy in most common cases it could be because at the start of feeling as they do for example they could be feeling sad, angry, etc a lot due to Anxiety, Depression probably even other or and mental illnesses can affect concentration and or motivation badly. They could stop for a long or short amount of time because they could lose interest and concentration in things they normally are then it can take however long or short to get back into them.  In the times of the early lockdowns and even now to most degrees can be rather hard for those who need support as in the early stage of covid a lot of us were made through Covid rules to spending a lot of time alone. With most not all things support can be rather hard online compared with face-to-face. Not forgetting all that I have written about today can affect people other problems such as disabilities etc in the same way but I guess some more than others etc, which can vary from person to person.

Voice of mental health awareness

 Mental health is part of the way we feel, which can vary in different people with and without a reason whether it is a good or bad feeling inside us, our reaction may not be necessary be what is around us, which may be a reaction to something else or just the way we are feeling anyway, the concerning part is if we are feeling negative a lot.

A lot of negative feelings can affect the lives around us, forcing, self-esteem, self-confidence, etc, which can affect most of us where we may not be showing interest in things we would normally where we could get back into them in our own time or not at all. 

Working on the positive is a good thing but it may take some people longer than it does others, depending on how they are feeling and what they are through how much it is affecting them or it may not be anything at all but they may be still feeling negative for however short or long. This could be concerning to a point where they could be finding it hard to tell anyone or maybe in some people's cases only certain people, which is likely to be different for different people. 

It is up to each individual whether or not they will, want to, etc to voice how they feel, etc, we cannot force anyone to talk or not to talk no matter much and how little or no talk, they talk. However' most may necessarily decide to talk right away or not at all but no one can help with what we don't know, which is concerning the risk of those suffering alone where whatever is on the mind could get worse.  How long can these people cope with what's on their minds? In most cases, risks are suicides cases, etc.

Common fears most people may have of talking, fear of opening to those who they don't know or and trusting people, etc. 

Most people would rather try to cope themselves. I will have to be open and honest even though most people may not like what I say but it is the choice of every individual what they choose but all these concerns and reasons are worrying. Despite the help such as counseling etc out there but there's never enough help as far as mental illnesses are concerned but however much help people it is down everyone's choice. However, help isn't just down to counselors, therapists, etc. 

 The people themselves people around them, how people feel comfortable etc to know who they feel they can trust, those they may know, etc, which I know doesn't always work that way but we cannot force people to do what they don't want to or and what they feel they cannot do, etc or they may not feel ready to do or try to do whatever yet, etc. https://mylifepsychologists.com.au/what-are-the-benefits-of-cognitive-behaviour-therapy-cbt/

http://www.thecbtclinic.com/pros-cons-of-cbt-therapy

As I have said in many other posts on this website people with mental illnesses aren't all negative and even those who are struggling to think positive are not all negative please do not judge.

 This is because is most people self - confidence, self-esteem motivation, etc, most people even struggle to change or and many have known very little or and no positive. Mental illness can take a lot of people and can be more serious in some people than others. In some people it may depend is if or if not there's a reason for how they are feeling even or and they are behaving, reacting, interacting to the situation of there is a situation such as say a relationship, marriage break up, death of someone they know, career problem loss, friend, family row, fall out, money problems, etc, which is emotional situations. 

How do you help them to move to the positive all to when they can, want to, etc, is when the right time is, is any right time, etc. You can suggest ideas, give options, choices, etc but not tell them what to do. Right or wrong choice it's there choice whether they go left, center, right, go for it, not at all, think about it, or they may say I am not ready yet, etc or they change their minds on things, etc. 

On the positives, it's about what they want and what they do and doesn't want to try, are they ready to take those steps? Yes, no, not yet or not at all while being your program they may not go along with your ideas or their own only because may doesn't mean they won't find ways of moving forward in the future. 

This could be things like for example reading a book, painting a picture, etc, finding a career, etc, like I said in the last post for example you suggest reading a book they may write a poem which is not a bad thing at all it is a positive thing even if they write about what is bothering them which is another way of getting things off their chest so never judge that.  https://www.helpguide.org/find-help.htm

More on Mental health awareness

 Most if not all of must get bored with me going on about Mental health all the while but the reason I write about it is because even today with counseling, support, awareness, etc we have is never enough. Mental health is good if taken care of but it's not good if it's not taken care of and can be a risk of increasing to Mental ill-health but really  Mental ill-health is within someone through no fault their own and not always seen because most people can be afraid of the reaction of others and or many other reasons. It's not always the case but it can be so serious where so many people are driven by different reasons or even none at all to take their own lives.

 However' never judge a book by its cover Mental health even and Mental ill-health isn't always negative.  People who face mental health and mental ill-health are not sad, dangerous people, etc but their mental illness can make them feel as they do and make them misunderstand who show how they feel. At the same time that doesn't mean that their safety and yours don't matter. Mental illness can be so serious it can affect people's confidence, self-esteem, trust, etc even towards those they know really, not very well or not at all, most people towards those mostly towards those they don't know but that's not necessarily the case with everyone you will or and may come across. Mental illness isn't an excuse for how someone behaves but also mental illness doesn't help how people behave towards others and or even themselves. It is hard to understand how and why someone feels the way most people do and how those feelings can increase and how people behave as they do if they carry feeling as they do. How long can a human being stand feeling as they do whether it's sadness, anger, etc with being a danger or and upsetting themselves or and others? Why can it be? There could be reasons or and there may not be reasons like relationship breakups, family rows, deaths, falling out with friends, Covid lockdown down, just having an off day, or and no reason at all. 

How do we help someone, can we help someone? The answer to that question is that can have many different answers or and no answers because every human being is different and it would be a boring world if we were all the same. Never judge someone for not wanting to be helped in every way of trying to help is not working, it's no fault yours or theirs. Mental illness can affect self-confidence, self-esteem, motivation, even self believe in one's self and even others but not everything about a person is necessary down to mental illness either, whichever way they shouldn't be judged, etc. Anything you cannot cope with yourself means things you are not qualified, trained for, etc find those who can. For example, anything you suggest they are not going along with it, don't get angry or and mad with the person, there maybe many reasons they are not going along with your idea like they may not be ready to take whatever step yet or ever for example.

Many things could cause people to feel negative in some way. We can all feel negative one way or another at different times, that feeling could pass for a time them not even come back for a long time, etc, how, when, etc these things happen can vary for different people. When it gets concerning is if people are feeling negative a lot but that doesn't necessarily mean they are or not facing mental illness, which can depend on the people what they are facing what they are or not, or and it may be no reason at all. 

Try to empower the positive, which could be empowering them to think positive, do positive things, etc.  Never force them and push them, always give them a choice, it's likely that most people will either do something their own time or not at all. Never feel your job is a waste of time, let down, etc, if someone doesn't choose to try that's up to them that doesn't mean they won't try something else off their own back, which is a huge achievement for them or and they may find ways of moving forward when their sessions with are over, never think it's you or them either but yours and their safety matters, you are doing a great job, they may well be that some things may not be in their skills, etc or and in the case maybe they may not able to focus, etc.

Never chase them to do things like for example, I told you to have a game of football last week so if you're not going to do it now, it's the end of the session. Never say things like that. Another example is saying you suggested reading a book, then they tell you they have written a poem, never say I told to read the book not write a poem. The reason that no one wants to feel pushed and also empowered is independence, your client by doing something by writing that poem, for example, is taking their own step by moving themselves forward to helping themselves, therefore, you should be praising them not putting them down. 

More on Mental health and Mental ill - health

 Let's think about what mental illness is and isn't,  what is, is really just because it's not always seen it doesn't mean it is not real. 

We don't always know who does and doesn't face it. 

When it is shown it is very often how a person feels, behave, react, interact, and even copes and doesn't with life but not everything is down to mental health and mental illness.

 In all honesty, it can be very hard to tell in many people and many cases but we mustn't judge or guess. However, that doesn't mean there are no limits and that the safety of yours and others doesn't matter. Everyone's life matters.

 Mental illness can cause people to be a danger to themselves or and to others where they can be unaware of their only actions caused by the mental illness itself or even side effects of the treatment depending on what they face and their treatment.  

Mental illness isn't all negative and neither is good or fun, funny, etc either, mental illness is not wrong or shameful. Mental illness is not fake it is real. Mental illness is not a disease it is an illness and a condition that should be taken seriously and mostly it is not taken seriously. 

Mental health can be positive but also saying that it depends on how we cope with it but Mental ill-health makes life hard to cope with.  For example, finding it hard to focus on things whether we try to focus on things we enjoy or not, which may vary from person to person, what we are facing, etc. 

According to most researches, I have come across online up to 1 in 4 people facing mental illness but many don't open up, which is no shame in that is their choice but when not aware of no one is aware of the full numbers.

Type of mental illness such as Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, and many more https://braindonorproject.org/someone-you-care-about-is-struggling-with-mental-illness-and-science-needs-answers/?gclid=CjwKCAiA4veMBhAMEiwAU4XRr5J0N7wY6q4sKPMiiSBQQelqouZ6BghXsx9vjMSnd7YHWx2yg6uKzBoCebUQAvD_BwE can cause different problems in different ways such as too much of something or and too little of something, which may be struggling to focus on anything at all or and always doing something non -  stop. Other things like hearing things or and seeing things that may not even be there, could even get the person who's facing it misunderstood for not wanting someone to be around or as if the person may have something to hide, which in those people is mostly not the case.

 

Supporting mental health

 Mental health well Mental-ill health is a huge part we think, feel, behave, act, react, even cope with life, etc. Many of us struggle to cope so we shouldn't be judged for not trying to cope. However there is only so much help out there and others can only do what they can to help people, which is why empowerment, advice, guidance, etc come in. Those of us who face mental - health will know is self - esteem, confidence can be hard for us but that doesn't necessarily mean we all have no intentions of trying to help ourselves.

We just may take longer than other people to help ourselves, come out of our shells, etc, which may be hard for those who don't face mental-ill health to understand or some people just may find it hard full stop, please do not judge, they are not lazy they face mental - ill-health, which can take time and patience, etc but at the same time services, etc have their rules, laws, so much training, etc. 

On the other hand, it can be shocking the number of people who cope but don't cope without trying to find help because they may worry about putting on others, etc, or even any help would be enough for them. This can be hugely concerning suicidal risks etc but can be hard to help those who don't ask for help at the same time they shouldn't be judged etc, we do not want to make them feel a thousand times worse to what they do feel

This is where we cannot force people to talk or not to talk. For those who try to get help, for those who don't face mental - ill-health it is mostly hard to understand but for those who do, even just the tiny step to try and get help at the very beginning is a huge effect and achievement for them so judgement is not what they deserve. 

The most common way to cope is getting into the route of thinking to the positive from the negative, which helps some people but may be harder for others, which doesn't necessarily mean it won't help or will, (CBT).  Never try to empower anyone to do or think about things they don't enjoy. Try to empower them to think, do things they do enjoy. Be patient as mental ill-health takes a lot out of people. This may help them right away,  however long or however short. Most services only say a six months programme, this could be for them to bear in mind not only during in the programme but after, which the choice is up to them. Just because they may not go along with it for any reason in the programme doesn't mean they necessary won't after the programme. This could be for eg; hobbies, interests,  careers they may enjoy try to empower the goals they enjoy by asking what they enjoy.  Even things they enjoy may be an effect for most people, mainly most of those who are facing Depression where that can vary but I know from my own experience that it can cause you to struggle to cope with facing anything really.

Covid and lockdown awareness

 I guess when you read the title Covid and lockdown awareness you thought of Covid and lockdown it's self I guess, which is not the case. In this handout, I am writing about what the Covid and lockdown have caused and what I am writing about was the case even before Covid and lockdown, just that the amount of people who face has risen.

My point is, the length of time most people have been having to stay home and even now the lockdown has eased for many reasons, health, etc, even people haven't been out and about as much since long before lockdown and Covid. In just a month I have learned that when contacting people who feel they need a chat, they just feel they need a chat, not necessary although some people do. With Befriending, people could be wanting a chit-chat, not necessary, support with counseling, mental health, advice, and guidance, mentoring, advocacy, etc but other people may. It's very easy to think people are back to living normal lives because lockdown has eased but it's not the case, many for their own health and safety in some ways but can with some people increase risks in others such as mental health for example but is not necessary everyone, still either have to still remain the same from the start of lockdown or and not as much as other people. 

Despite of the amazing job professionals do etc, not everyone faces mental health, disabilities, other problems, certain illnesses that affect everyday lives, etc that can cause people to be vunable. To empathize with how someone is feeling is not easy to understand if you haven't faced something the same or and similar to yourself.

 We understand it cannot always be promised but having the understanding of what a person is going through can help even if it's just a bit. As much as professionals do the best of they can do, what they are qulifcated and trained for. Don't get me wrong I have been a client myself when facing counseling, other things, etc, and I don't have a bad word to say in the support I did receive, and most counselors, etc themselves may have faced similar things in life as their clients but if someone is facing disabilities, mental health, etc, this can make a difference to not only what support they need but how much, which can be more than what a person is feeling. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying this does not rule professionals out, etc because what one person doesn't know the other does. My point is there should be more chances if there isn't already for those with disabilities, mental health, etc to help others who face similar if not the same as them for those who would like this sort of career, which could benefit themselves as well as the person they are trying to help as much as professional counseling, etc, which also mean mentoring, advocacy, even coaching, etc. Personally, this has always been the case I guess but from what I see that we have really only become more aware during Covid and lockdown as for example mental health has increased with us having to stay at home a lot, etc. Let me give you an example!

I could have started doing Befriending at the start of lockdown, which didn't happen somehow but then I have achieved counseling and mental health certificate. During that time my own mental health had increased but most of the lockdown like us all I lived with what had then just before and during the time I was doing my mental health qualifiable, my mental health just took its troil despite myself studying at the time. Not I just cannot explain but at the time for some reason, I felt as if life wasn't worth living and I never knew why myself. Now I wonder what it was all about. I won't say I haven't felt like this before because I have in many periods of my life but I find when you start to feel better you then feel guilty as to why you felt so down without a reason to do that, I will say you have no need to feel that way but somehow when you feel as though you are in a crisis, that is how you feel at the time. 

Like I said Counselors etc to does amazing jobs but I will be honest to say now just in a month doing Befriending my mental health has improved quite a bit and I hope I have helped others in the best way I can too. 

More on Mental health, disabilities and other problems awareness

 No one should be forced into a career they don't want but when it comes to things people live with such as mental health, disabilities, other problems, illnesses, etc it can be an everyday part of peoples' lives. Learning to help others doesn't necessarily to be a career, it's just knowing how to support people get through their lives but like I said no one should be into anything. People who face mental health, disabilities, etc don't like to feel as if they are any problem to others, we like to feel whoever is helping us that they want to help us. However, we understand that life doesn't always turn that way, because there are times help is really needed.  

My point is sorry I haven't written anything on this website for a while as I have been doing some voulteerly work in similar areas I am talking about, Befriending the past month, which I really enjoy and any chances elsewhere I will go for it and build my career upon similar chances. If anyone knows any sort of chances in this career feels free to write a common on this website.

 One thing I have learned in this Month, more so through  Covid, lockdown, etc, most people facing mental health, where mental health charities, services, etc have been so busy, and funding is not enough. 

I understand it's very easy for me to say but I understand not everyone has a lot of support, not everyone knows a lot of people and like I said not everyone has the same interests, meaning we cannot force anyone to do what they don't want but if this is your interest or and someone you know and you know people who face mental health, etc, even talking to someone who feels they need someone to talk, can make some difference to someone's life if not all and even take a little bit of work off the mental health charities, services, etc, this could even include taking some work off hospitals and places that work in these fields. Training and qualification in this field I believe shouldn't just be offered to get through people in careers but also for those who have the interest to help others outside a career too when comes to mental health, disabilities, other problems, illnesses, etc not only to support the people themselves but friends, family, etc.