In supporting & engaging with World Mental Health Day & it's theme of 'Living with Schizophrenia', MSM are delivering public presentations across our localities...
Wednesday 8th: Bipolar Disorder: exploring the ins & outs of the ups & downs
- presented by Rachel Butler: to raise awareness of symptoms, treatments, the science & lived experience of bipolar disorder… to promote MSM's Peer Support in Wombourne
PLEASE NOTE: this presentation is cancelled but will be rescheduled asap, it will still take place at the Fire Station, Giggety Lane, Wombourne, WV5 0AX.
PLEASE WATCH THIS SPACE!
Friday 10th: MSM Sponsored Walks in & around Stafford
- 10am starting from Quest, Tipping St, Stafford, ST16 2LL
- 3 walks (short, for everyone; medium, for some scenery; long, for the serious), all finish at Quest. Each walker is sponsored for the Peer Support Group / Activity of their choice
Saturday 11th: Stand in Cannock Library
- 10am - 2.00pm information on Schizophrenia & severe mental illness; signposting
Saturday 11th: Schizophrenia Awareness
- 1.00pm - 2.30pm Quest, Stafford
- presented by Leasa Hatherly; learning through fun & interaction; refreshments
Volunteer appreciation events will also take place in each locality
for details of presentations, contact:
Gemma Hobday (Operations Co-ordinator)
0787 5402 471
for details of sponsored walks, contact:
Linda Newton (Partnerships Co-ordinator)
0797 1050 881
27 September 2014
Living with Schizophrenia
"Imagine suddenly developing an illness in which your are bombarded with voices from forces you cannot see, & stripped of your ability to understand what is real & what is not. You discover that you cannot trust your senses, you mind plays tricks on you, & your family & friends seem part of a conspiracy to harm you. Unless properly treated, these psychotic experiences may destroy your hopes & ambitions, make other people recoil from you, & ultimately cut your life short. Some 220,000 people in England have such psychotic experiences - we probably all know a family who is affected, but the stigma is such that they may be keeping it a secret"
(Prof Robin Murray, The Abandoned Illness - a Report by the Schizophrenia Commission)
Schizophrenia is the most commonly diagnosed psychotic mental illness. Over 26 million people worldwide… 220,000 people in England… some 30% of our mental health & social care spend, some £2.5 billion yearly… an overall cost to the nation of about £11.8 billion... with poor health indicators & high mortality rates, those with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia die 15 - 20 years younger than the general British population.
World Mental Health Day 2014 aims to open a conversation about, & call attention to this serious, often disabling, condition. Sharing information & guidance; networking care & support; tackling ignorance & mythology; fighting stigma & discrimination… it is amazing what a bit of a chat & a think might achieve!
WFMH have published a wide-ranging collection of papers, Living with Schizophrenia, which aims to reflect current medico-scientific knowledge about the illness, as well as capturing Schizophrenia's real-life impact on individuals & families… there's a fairly overt medical bias, but it's a good jumping off point for understanding more about this illness.
I strongly recommend the Schizophrenia Commission's powerful & shaming Report (or Executive Summary) which can be accessed here; a damning indictment of our society, our health & care & political institutions, yet a beacon of hope, shining light on solutions that can yet improve the lot of those who experience this most debilitating illness.
The National Audit of Schizophrenia (2012) attempts to collate a comprehensive picture of the quality of care received by people diagnosed with Schizophrenia in England & Wales.
Mind's website offers a broad range of information in regard to Schizophrenia, including causality & treatment, self help guidance, & advice as to haw family & friends can help.
Rethink Mental Illness & the Meridan Family Programme offer Caring for Yourself a guide to help those experiencing mental illness, their carers, family & friends. Aimed at helping folk developing new skills & coping strategies, the eight downloadable booklets offer tips & exercises about looking after oneself, as well as 'how to' information in respect of supporting a person suffering severe mental illness.
Sane, the Hearing Voices Network, the Voice Collective, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Time to Change etc. Many & varied is the research, information, advice, & personal experience relating to Schizophrenia; available on the internet & via your library, have a read, have a think, have an opinion… have compassion...
(Prof Robin Murray, The Abandoned Illness - a Report by the Schizophrenia Commission)
Schizophrenia is the most commonly diagnosed psychotic mental illness. Over 26 million people worldwide… 220,000 people in England… some 30% of our mental health & social care spend, some £2.5 billion yearly… an overall cost to the nation of about £11.8 billion... with poor health indicators & high mortality rates, those with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia die 15 - 20 years younger than the general British population.
World Mental Health Day 2014 aims to open a conversation about, & call attention to this serious, often disabling, condition. Sharing information & guidance; networking care & support; tackling ignorance & mythology; fighting stigma & discrimination… it is amazing what a bit of a chat & a think might achieve!
WFMH have published a wide-ranging collection of papers, Living with Schizophrenia, which aims to reflect current medico-scientific knowledge about the illness, as well as capturing Schizophrenia's real-life impact on individuals & families… there's a fairly overt medical bias, but it's a good jumping off point for understanding more about this illness.
I strongly recommend the Schizophrenia Commission's powerful & shaming Report (or Executive Summary) which can be accessed here; a damning indictment of our society, our health & care & political institutions, yet a beacon of hope, shining light on solutions that can yet improve the lot of those who experience this most debilitating illness.
The National Audit of Schizophrenia (2012) attempts to collate a comprehensive picture of the quality of care received by people diagnosed with Schizophrenia in England & Wales.
Mind's website offers a broad range of information in regard to Schizophrenia, including causality & treatment, self help guidance, & advice as to haw family & friends can help.
Rethink Mental Illness & the Meridan Family Programme offer Caring for Yourself a guide to help those experiencing mental illness, their carers, family & friends. Aimed at helping folk developing new skills & coping strategies, the eight downloadable booklets offer tips & exercises about looking after oneself, as well as 'how to' information in respect of supporting a person suffering severe mental illness.
Sane, the Hearing Voices Network, the Voice Collective, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Time to Change etc. Many & varied is the research, information, advice, & personal experience relating to Schizophrenia; available on the internet & via your library, have a read, have a think, have an opinion… have compassion...
World Mental Health Day 2014
Friday 10th October is World Mental Health Day 2014;
this year's theme is Living with Schizophrenia.
Established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), World Mental Health Day provides a global, regional, & local focus on mental health awareness, education, & advocacy. Emotional, psychological, behavioural, & neurological 'disorders' are remarkably common - the 1996 Global Burden of Disease study showed neuro-psychiatric disorders account for over 25% of all health loss due to disability, 8 times greater than coronary heart disease, 20 times greater than cancer, this highlighted the central place of mental distress in population health & the demand for proper health service responses.
Some facts:
* schizophrenia, depression, dementia, substance abuse & other mental illnesses make up 13% of global disease burden (WHO)
* more than 450 million people across the world experience mental illness (NIH)
* US citizens diagnosed with severe mental illness will die 25 years earlier than the general population; even in Denmark, with universal health coverage, it is almost 19 years earlier This differential is even greater in the developing world
* suicide is one of the three leading causes of death for those between 15 - 44 years of age, & second leading cause of death in the 10 - 24 year age group (WHO
* suicide rates have increased 60% globally (WHO); more than 90% of those who kill themselves have a diagnosable mental illness (NIH)
* mental & psychological disabilities are associated with unemployment rates as high as 90% (WHO)
* people who experience severe mental illness are more likely to have other major heath risk factors as well e.g. in the US 22% of the general population smoke, this rises to more than 75% of those with a severe mental illness; folk with depression are twice as likely to be obese.
* in the UK 70% of people affected by mental illness experience discrimination
* by 2030 depression will be the second highest cause of disease burden (WHO)
… Fundamental Facts, a comprehensive summary of mental health research, is available from the the Mental Health Foundation.
Every year, World Mental Health Day enables tens of thousands of people across the world to raise awareness & tackle stigma, to highlight available help & raise funds for such help, to promote individual self-awareness & encourage those experiencing mental distress to actively seek help… openness, communication, knowledge, & compassion, these are the values that underpin World Mental Health Day.
this year's theme is Living with Schizophrenia.
Established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), World Mental Health Day provides a global, regional, & local focus on mental health awareness, education, & advocacy. Emotional, psychological, behavioural, & neurological 'disorders' are remarkably common - the 1996 Global Burden of Disease study showed neuro-psychiatric disorders account for over 25% of all health loss due to disability, 8 times greater than coronary heart disease, 20 times greater than cancer, this highlighted the central place of mental distress in population health & the demand for proper health service responses.
Some facts:
* schizophrenia, depression, dementia, substance abuse & other mental illnesses make up 13% of global disease burden (WHO)
* more than 450 million people across the world experience mental illness (NIH)
* US citizens diagnosed with severe mental illness will die 25 years earlier than the general population; even in Denmark, with universal health coverage, it is almost 19 years earlier This differential is even greater in the developing world
* suicide is one of the three leading causes of death for those between 15 - 44 years of age, & second leading cause of death in the 10 - 24 year age group (WHO
* suicide rates have increased 60% globally (WHO); more than 90% of those who kill themselves have a diagnosable mental illness (NIH)
* mental & psychological disabilities are associated with unemployment rates as high as 90% (WHO)
* people who experience severe mental illness are more likely to have other major heath risk factors as well e.g. in the US 22% of the general population smoke, this rises to more than 75% of those with a severe mental illness; folk with depression are twice as likely to be obese.
* in the UK 70% of people affected by mental illness experience discrimination
* by 2030 depression will be the second highest cause of disease burden (WHO)
… Fundamental Facts, a comprehensive summary of mental health research, is available from the the Mental Health Foundation.
Every year, World Mental Health Day enables tens of thousands of people across the world to raise awareness & tackle stigma, to highlight available help & raise funds for such help, to promote individual self-awareness & encourage those experiencing mental distress to actively seek help… openness, communication, knowledge, & compassion, these are the values that underpin World Mental Health Day.
22 June 2014
Ecotherapy - a personal perspective on the curative value of natural world
check out this article for a broad insight into 'ecotherapy' as a curative...
Nature is the best medicine
I know a lot of us have been banging on about the new allotment project in Cheslyn Hay, but it ain't all about graft & planting. There's an awful lot to be said for allowing nature to simply wash over you… think on this article!
14 April 2014
People pay a high price for mental health cuts
Rethink Mental Illness, as part of the first ever National Psychosis Summit, released their report Investing in Recovery: making the business case for for effective interventions for people with Schizophrenia & Psychosis.
The report outlined that mental healthcare cuts cost the NHS £millions in the long-term; with many more folk experiencing severe mental illness ending up in hospital, & for extended periods. Community mental health care is simply not responding to the demand on services - with fewer people having access to early intervention treatments & talking therapies due to reduced capacity & waiting lists. Believe it or not, over a 10 yr period, for every £1 spent on early intervention services, we as a society save £15 - how is it such services are being cut on a national level?
Shifting the focus of care to the community, i.e. actually transferring the savings from bed closures to community services, might have the effect of saving mental health services some £50m each year: to support someone experiencing psychosis within community care costs on average £13 per day; occupying a mental health hospital bed costs some £350 per day on average. Family interventions - information, education, involvement, & therapy for the family unit - results in a saving of some £1,350 per year per psychotic patient. Family work in Schizophrenia is fast disappearing!
Over 50% of the cash spent on psychosis devolves to in-patient care, not prevention or early detection. £14m might be saved if Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment teams could stay in touch with even half of those at risk of admission for psychosis - in some regions they are involved with only 5%, a twentieth, of these folk!
With some 2.3% cut last year this overwhelming emphasis on in-patient care is a serious resource trap! Almost £1,000 is saved each time Cognitive Behavioural Therapy supersedes an admission, & whilst mental illness makes up 23% of the disease burden, it accrues only 13% of the health budget - yet psychiatric services are asked to make 20% deeper cuts than physical in-patient services.
This National Psychosis Summit aimed to identify & address the systemic problems which prevent investment in quality, fair, & widespread services, based on humanity, respect, & best practice, for those in our communities who experience these most frightening & debilitating illnesses.
We wish the Summit well, but ain't gonna hold our breath… plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose!
The report outlined that mental healthcare cuts cost the NHS £millions in the long-term; with many more folk experiencing severe mental illness ending up in hospital, & for extended periods. Community mental health care is simply not responding to the demand on services - with fewer people having access to early intervention treatments & talking therapies due to reduced capacity & waiting lists. Believe it or not, over a 10 yr period, for every £1 spent on early intervention services, we as a society save £15 - how is it such services are being cut on a national level?
Shifting the focus of care to the community, i.e. actually transferring the savings from bed closures to community services, might have the effect of saving mental health services some £50m each year: to support someone experiencing psychosis within community care costs on average £13 per day; occupying a mental health hospital bed costs some £350 per day on average. Family interventions - information, education, involvement, & therapy for the family unit - results in a saving of some £1,350 per year per psychotic patient. Family work in Schizophrenia is fast disappearing!
Over 50% of the cash spent on psychosis devolves to in-patient care, not prevention or early detection. £14m might be saved if Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment teams could stay in touch with even half of those at risk of admission for psychosis - in some regions they are involved with only 5%, a twentieth, of these folk!
With some 2.3% cut last year this overwhelming emphasis on in-patient care is a serious resource trap! Almost £1,000 is saved each time Cognitive Behavioural Therapy supersedes an admission, & whilst mental illness makes up 23% of the disease burden, it accrues only 13% of the health budget - yet psychiatric services are asked to make 20% deeper cuts than physical in-patient services.
This National Psychosis Summit aimed to identify & address the systemic problems which prevent investment in quality, fair, & widespread services, based on humanity, respect, & best practice, for those in our communities who experience these most frightening & debilitating illnesses.
We wish the Summit well, but ain't gonna hold our breath… plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose!
01 April 2014
Sustainability & Resilience
Hi to the guys who are chasing down our eco-therapy ideas... did you know some MSM folk have taken on a few allotment beds at Cheslyn Hay Allotments? They're gonna be doing our 'Return2Roots' strategy in real-life! You really must check this out this 'idea site' http://www.resilience.org as well as http://challotments.wordpress.com/
Just grow some stuff; a small bed, a tub, a window-box... owt! This idea, of responding to environment & aspiration & commitment, kind of sums up our position as a client-led charity - whilst commissioners may not pay for it, or even see it as important, we believe it is important to make friends & meet'em, & share activity; on a bad day, it can be the only reason to get up & get out & do stuff!
We must stop apologising for wanting friendship & activity groups. A fair few of us like to drop-in to see our mates; we like some regularity & structure, & social support, which some sneer at as 'tea & buns' therapy, can prove as effective as contact with'professionals'. We do need space, sometimes protected, in which to engage & belong... it's all about relationships & friendships... the rest is just window dressing!
Just grow some stuff; a small bed, a tub, a window-box... owt! This idea, of responding to environment & aspiration & commitment, kind of sums up our position as a client-led charity - whilst commissioners may not pay for it, or even see it as important, we believe it is important to make friends & meet'em, & share activity; on a bad day, it can be the only reason to get up & get out & do stuff!
We must stop apologising for wanting friendship & activity groups. A fair few of us like to drop-in to see our mates; we like some regularity & structure, & social support, which some sneer at as 'tea & buns' therapy, can prove as effective as contact with'professionals'. We do need space, sometimes protected, in which to engage & belong... it's all about relationships & friendships... the rest is just window dressing!
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