Southend Mind Jubilee Centre Appeal

     Southend Mind have been putting their heart and soul into its Jubilee Centre; a 'one stop shop' for community resources. The Jubilee Centre, located in Southchurch Road, will be the first of its kind in the UK; offering information, advice and guidance; advocacy; space for activities; and a range of other community based activities. The centre will also be used a number of other wonderful organisations within the area.

     I live relatively close to the Jubilee Centre and I have seen it develop from an old bed shop to this wonderful new centre. Having volunteered and worked with the fantastic people at Southend Mind I was invited to the launch; whilst being there I, and many others, felt great excitement and anticipation to see this centre being completed, up-and-running and ready to help people with mental health problems. 
     Part of the Jubilee Centre is now open, providing access to information and advice to the public.

     However, the centre is not yet finished - there is still some way to go. The next phase will provide the building and furnishing of five counselling rooms. Unfortunately, building work has currently been halted until more money can be raised. 

This is the reason for me writing this blog post. 

     The premise of this blog post is to encourage you to dig deep and give what you can, or perhaps donate some of your time and fund-raise for Southend Mind.
There are many ways in which you can help. You can:

• hold raffles, cake sales or coffee mornings,
• do a sponsored leg waxing or head shaving,
• hold a charity auction or fashion show,

the possibilities are endless!

     For more information about donating to Southend Mind click here.

     You can also volunteer yourself at one of Southend Mind's events; you can check their website here for their latest events. By being a volunteer it can be a win-win situation; not only is your time and effort hugely appreciated, but, you can meet new, amazing people, also, volunteering can make you feel amazing! It's certainly made me feel amazing!

Please give what you can.
Whether it's your time or money, no matter how much, it all adds up!

    1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. With your help and support together we can all help to improve the lives of others. Thank you.

     You can 'follow' Southend Mind on Twitter, and 'like' them on Facebook.

South East and Central Essex Mind: Registered charity number 1148451

BMNM.

Mental Health - Let's Get Talking

     January is over and February is here. How are those new years resolutions coming along?  Congrats if you're still going - you rock! But if you've fallen off the metaphorical wagon or horse don't give up - brush yourself down and get back on that metaphorical wagon/horse that we talked about earlier.
     Even though the year is still young, I feel that this year will be a great year for mental health. Even though there are more and more people are talking, there is still a wall of stigma; but I believe that the more we walk about mental health the more the wall gets broken down.

     At this time 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems experience stigma and discrimination. I believe that it is the myths surrounding mental health that are perhaps the biggest contributor this stigma. Here are a few of these myths...

1. Mental health problems are very rare.
2. People with mental health problems are very different from other people.
3. Only celebrities get mental illnesses.
4. People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
5. It's best to leave people alone if they develop a mental health problem.

When in reality...

1. Mental health problems affect 1 in 4 people.
2. We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health.
3. Anyone can be affected by a mental illness, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or background.
4. People with a mental illness are more likely to be a victim of violence.
5. Most people with mental health problems will want to keep in touch with their friends, family and colleagues. Keeping in touch can be a great help in their recovery.

These experiences of stigma and discrimination against mental illness can have very harmful effects. It can:

• prevent an individual from applying or gaining a job,
• leave an individual feeling isolated from friends and family,
• most importantly, prevent someone from seeking help when they may need it most  due to feelings of embarrassment or fear of discrimination.

You might be thinking now 'What can I do about this?'. Well, I have a few suggestions. 

You don't have be a mental health expert to be supportive (but some knowledge can help). But doing nothing, or avoiding the issue, can making things worse. If someone close to you (a friend, family member or colleague) is experiencing mental health problems or a mental illness there are a lot of small things you can do that make a BIG difference. 

• Be there to talk and listen.
• It can be very hard for somebody to tell someone about a mental health problem out of fear of reactions. If someone talks to you, acknowledge their problem and let them know you're there for them.
• Make time to stay in touch, carry on with whatever you'd normally do.
• Ask them how you can help; people will need support at different times and in different ways.
• Also bear in mind that having a mental health problem is just one part of the person; don't define them by this alone. Speak about other things - TV, movies, music etc.
• Furthermore, think about the words you use. Using words like 'crazy', 'nutter', 'loony' or 'psycho' can hurt and only reinforce the stigma of mental health.

     For further help and advice, whenever you may want or need it, you can turn to mental health organisations like Mind, YoungMinds, Time to Change, Rethink, and many more.

     So, with these tips in your arsenal why not start a conversation about mental health?

Let's get talking!!

BMNM.

What is 'Be Mindful, Not Mindless'?

     Hello, I thought I'd just let you all know what Be Mindful, Not Mindless (BMNM for short) is all about. The blog itself will concern all things involved with mental health (from filling in the facts, to commenting on related news stories).
     
     Just like physical health we all have mental health; it can be good and it can be bad. Mental health, and it's awareness, has always been something very close and important to me, and it is for many others as well. 1 in 4 will experience mental health problems, whether it'd be themselves or someone they know. For something that affects all of us it still appears to be one of the biggest taboos in our society still. I hope to play some part in ending this. 
     My aim is to help raise awareness and hopefully educate others about mental health. Will you help too?

BMNM.