Mental Health

ADHD Mental Health First Aid

3 August 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

ADHD Mental Health First Aid – examples of the common symptoms associated with ADHD

There are a range of symptoms associated with ADHD but they can be broken down into 3 sub types there are;

Hyperactive impulse

Inattention

Combined

Hyperactive impulse subtype

Hyperactive impulse can be symptoms such as;

Anything from fidgeting around to running around in inappropriate conditions. The individual may have difficulty playing quietly or even talk excessively, use inappropriate language and interrupt others.

They may have very short patients in waiting their turn to play games or even to joining on a conversation.

Inattention subtype

Inattention subtype are much more associated with concentration levels and becoming easily distracted. This can lead them into making reckless mistakes because they don’t listen to or be able to follow instructions given. Because they are easily distracted they can have trouble in organising themselves.

Inattention subtype can also lead the person to become very forgetful on a day to day basis during simple tasks and also, they tend to lose personal belonging.

Combined subtype

This is where the person can have both hyperactive impulsive subtype and inattention subtype

What are the ways in which others can help the individual with ADHD to manage their condition?

Others such as parents and family members can help children with ADHD and in this day and age there are many different types of behaviour management programmes in order to support their children’s behaviour. These support programmes are designed to give parents a different range of techniques to support them to help improve their child’s behaviour and attention span. These can also be very useful for friends, partners and careers to help the individual manage their condition. Theses can include things like;

Developing a routine – this will give the individual a structured daily routine , this can include, set meal times and sleep.
Set target reminders; this can be done by having a noticed board in a designated area where you can add sticky notes or have a to-do-list on it, so the person can keep refereeing to it. You can also include reminders on any mobile device such as their mobile phone, iPad / tablet or computer.
In order to avoid any misunderstandings that can lead to conflict, ask the person with ADHD to repeat any requests that has been agreed to save confusion and misunderstanding.
Try to control any clutter – people with ADHD can be very unorganised, so keep control of clutter can help manage their frustration

ADHD Mental Health First Aid

What local resources and treatments are available to someone experiencing ADHD?

Name of local resource:

The individuals GP will be the first point of contact in the NHS.

What it offers:

Their GP can offer advice and guidance and refer the individual to an appropriate paediatrician or psychiatrist. The GP will also monitor the persons condition and prescribe the right type of medication.

Name of local resource:

Local support groups, social workers and schools can be a resource for ADHD

What it offers:

They can all give information, advice and guidance. Local support groups are a great to offer support and also get to meet others suffering with ADHD and share their experiences. Social workers can help them with a day to day routine and also provide information to family about how they can help manage the condition. Certain special school’s that specialise in challenging Behaviour can help the person control their emotions at school and at home.

Name of treatment

Treatments available for ADHD could be prescribed medication

What this entails

Medication will help the person with ADHD to;

Concentrate and feel calmer

Feel less impulsive

Be focused to be able to learn better and learn new skills

Name of treatment

Other treatments would be behaviour therapy

What this entails

This normally entails behaviour management – behaviour management is effective by a system put in place which uses a rewards and penalties scoring; for example, if the person can remain focused on a task that they compete with minimum fuss, then they will be rewarded or a small penalty if they don’t compete it or uses challenging behaviour during the task.

Such as recognising positive behaviour, parent training and education programmes can equip parents with vital skills in talking and playing with their children to improve their behaviour. Cognitive behavioural therapy can also be used as a form of treatment.

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid ADHD courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Mental Health Eating Disorder

21 May 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Possible feelings an individual with an Mental Health Eating Disorder may experience

An individual who is experiencing an eating disorders may experience many different feelings both physical and psychological and these feeling can include;

Constant feelings of feeling over weight and fat even though they are not and other people are telling them they are not.
They may also be terrified of the thought of gaining weight and base their self-esteem on their body weight and size.
They can experience an obsessive eating routine about what they can and can’t eat, what time of the day they can eat and how many meals a day they can have
Because of the obsessive eating routine, they may experience sickness, anxiety and depression, especially when meal times come around
A person may not wish to tell anyone about their condition as it is their way of having control over something in their life.
In some cases where severe eating disorders occur, the person could experience a major decline in the mental health and well being

How an Mental Health Eating Disorder may affect the individual and their life.

An eating disorder may affect the individual both physical and or psychologically, let look at each in turn

Physical affects

There are many different physical affects an individual may suffer because of their eating disorder and if not addressed and treat these can become very serious. Some of the physical affects a person may have in their life can be;

The heart is at risk of damage to the functioning and the person may feel lethargic and tired all the time and, in some cases, they can detect low blood pressure and muscle weakening – this will affect the person’s body temperature and they will permanently feel cold
They may have thinning bones and brittle hair and nails, due to the lack of nutrition and calcium that the body requires, this can also include very dry and yellowish discoloured skin.
Other affects could be a breakdown in relationships or problems at work due to lack of interest and concentration.
In some severe cases the individual may have organ failure, including permanent brain damage

Psychological affects

As with physical affects, there are many different psychological affects an individual may suffer because of their eating disorder and if not addressed and treat these can lead to serious mental health and well-being issues. Some of the psychological affects a person may have in their life can be;

The person may have a lack of interest in things they used to take part in, this could because the lack of confidence in their own abilities.
They may have low self-esteem and feeling worthless, due to the embarrassment of their illness and this can prevent them going out of their home and become isolated from friends, family and society.
In some cases, the person may not be able to take away their own emotions from their eating habits

Mental Health Eating Disorder

Ways in which an individual’s Mental Health Eating Disorder may affect others.

With many other mental health conditions, an eating disorder can affect others such as whole family and friends as they often find it hard to understand why. There are a few emotion factors to consider that a person’s family or others may experience, this may include;

The individual’s family may be disappointed in the individual, be angry or confused and may feel powerless to help.
They may feel guilty that the fact they did not spot any signs or symptoms that the person showed earlier in the eating disorder illness.
This could lead to the family or others becoming to over protected and this can cause more anger and conflict with all involved.
This could affect others especially family life and have a knock-on effect on others work related duties. This can lead to misunderstandings the arguments and more conflict for the individual can lead to more isolated issues.

What are the different approaches to the treatment of eating disorders.

Name of treatment:

If someone is diagnosed with an eating disorder their GP will be involve in their ongoing treatment, others involved may include a specialist counsellor, psychiatrist, nurse, dietician specialist and in cases of children and teenagers a paediatrician.

A range of psychological treatment by the above can help a person with an eating disorder

What this entails:

There is a range of therapy treatments available and this can include including;

Cognitive analytic therapy – this treatment can help the individual break any unusual and unhealthy forms of behaviour

Cognitive behaviour therapy – this can help the person focus on a more positive type of behaviour and adapt a healthier way of living

Interpersonal therapy – this can help the person to identify the negative problems that has occurred in relationships with others and how they can problem solve the issues

Focal psychological therapy – this can help the person to challenge any bad experiences they may have encounter during childhood. This can help the person to focus on more positive thought and emotions going forward in life

Name of treatment:

Information, advice and guidance on eating and nutrition

What this entails:

This type of treatment is a gradual process as the body may not be used to large amounts of food, its aim is to get the person eating regular meals and at a stable body weight.

The focus will be to get the person to start eating small amounts and build up gradually. The whole aim to eventually have the person eating with a regularly pattern and at least 3 times per day

Medication is not usually effective in treating eating disorders but it can help with other conditions that come with it such as OCD and depression.

If an individual refuses treatment then they may be serious ill and could be at risk of death, in these extreme cases a doctor may admit the person to hospital for compulsory treatment under the mental health act.

A range of psychological treatment could be used to treat eating disorders such as CBT, interpersonal therapy where negative issues associated with interpersonal relationships can be resolved. Cognitive analytic therapy can break unhealthy patterns of behaviour.

A person would be offered advice about eating and nutrition.

What can others could do to help an individual recover from a specific eating disorder

As previously mentioned, there are 3 main types of eating disorders and with all 3, people like friends and family can help the individuals with eating disorders to recover in a number of ways, such things like;

Have open discussions with them to encourage the person to talk openly about their condition and what and how they feel is affecting them. They should understand it is OK to voice their feelings and to make them mindful they don’t extra pressure on themselves.
Person should try and fully understand what the person with the eating disorder is experiencing and going through. They should not get angry or frustrated with the individual and support them to take up new activities or activities they have enjoyed in the past – this can take the focus of food routines.
Building a network of support can be very useful to the individual, this can include various helplines out there and information and support that’s available via the internet.
Help set up a healthy eating plan to encourage the individual to eating sensible and following a healthy diet. A healthy food plan could be done together and this will encourage the person to understand the importance of a nutritious foods. This can include, fruit and vegetables, foods low in saturated fats, oily fish, and drinking plenty fluids during the day, such as fresh water.

Name of local resource:

a) Resources

Resources could be the persons GP, which can include the community mental health team.

b) Treatments

The individuals GP can offer advice and guidance and refer the individual to a specialist or psychiatrist if required. They may also prescribe any mediation required, although medication is not often offered. A GP can also help and support with resources to help set up a healthy balanced eating plan, along with referral to a gymnasium to regular exercise

Name of local resource:

Community psychiatric nurse, social workers and support workers can also be a good resource.

What it offers:

These types of resource can offer a great range of other treatments
This can range from, talking therapy where the individual can share their concerns with others who suffer from the condition and gain support and ideas.
Psychological therapies such as cognitive therapies;
Cognitive analytic therapy – this treatment can help the individual break any unusual and unhealthy forms of behaviour
Cognitive behaviour therapy – this can help the person focus on a more positive type of behaviour and adapt a healthier way of living
Interpersonal therapy – this can help the person to identify the negative problems that has occurred in relationships with others and how they can problem solve the issues
Focal psychological therapy – this can help the person to challenge any bad experiences they may have encounter during childhood. This can help the person to focus on more positive thought and emotions going forward in life
An admission to hospital maybe required in extreme cases

For further information on any mental health please contact us here or if you would like to book an in-house mental health awareness first aid course

Please see our range of free resources here

Free Mental Health First Aid

14 May 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Free Mental Health First Aid – This ԛuаlіfісаtіоn wіll be fосuѕеd оn рrоvіdіng ѕuрроrt tо individuals tо learn how tо promote wеllbеіng, offer support, tackle рrасtісаl рrоblеmѕ and decide whеthеr someone needs mеntаl оr рhуѕісаl ѕuрроrt. It wіll аlѕо hеlр ѕuрроrt іndіvіduаlѕ to look after their оwn mental hеаlth аnd wеllbеіng, have mоrе ѕеlf-аwаrеnеѕѕ, еmраthу аnd be аblе to dеаl with coping wіth ѕtrеѕѕ аnd еmоtіоnѕ іn оrdеr tо support thоѕе who has been more effected bу COVID-19

Hоw is this Mental Health First Aid ԛuаlіfісаtіоn structured?

In order tо ѕuссеѕѕfullу соnсludе the Intrоduсtіоn to First Aіd fоr Mеntаl Hеаlth, іndіvіduаlѕ hаvе tо fіnіѕh and complete thеѕе unіtѕ – thе units аrе mandatory

Intrоduсtіоn tо mеntаl іll-hеаlth and well-being
Introduction tо fіrѕt аіd fоr mental hеаlth

What dоеѕ Mental Health First Aid cover?

Thе unіt іntrоduсеѕ learners tо the соnсерtѕ оf mеntаl hеаlth, mеntаl ill hеаlth аnd well-being, other rеlаtеd terminology and subjects. It aims tо рrоvіdе a lеаrnеr wіth аn understanding thаt all individuals have mеntаl hеаlth and thаt аn individual’s еxреrіеnсе оf mеntаl hеаlth саn fluсtuаtе on a ѕресtrum. Thе unit also рrоvіdеѕ learners wіth an understanding оf how tо ѕеlf-mаnаgе thеіr оwn mеntаl hеаlth and well-being.Units include;

Undеrѕtаnd mеntаl health and well-being
Undеrѕtаnd how mеntаl іll health аffесtѕ the еxреrіеnсе оf іndіvіduаlѕ
Understand thе mental hеаlth continuum
Understand wауѕ tо ѕеlf-mаnаgе оwn well-being
Undеrѕtаnd the рrіnсірlеѕ of fіrѕt аіd for mental hеаlth
Knоw how to rесоgnіѕе mеntаl ill-health іn self and others
Undеrѕtаnd hоw tо ѕuрроrt mental well-being іn the wоrkрlасе
Undеrѕtаnd hоw tо рrоmоtе a mental wellness сulturе іn thе workplace
Understand the іmроrtаnсе of resilience аnd protection оf ѕеlf fоr fіrѕt аіdеrѕ fоr mental hеаlth

How lоng dоеѕ Mental Health First Aid Course Last?

Thе total qualification time (TQT) fоr The Introduction tо Mental Health First Aid іѕ 12 hоurѕ, wіth a mіnіmum оf 15 аrе guіdеd lеаrnіng hours

What іѕ bаѕіс Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aidіѕ fоr іndіvіduаlѕ tо bе able tо аѕѕіѕt people who suffers wіth mental hеаlth рrоblеmѕ. Thіѕ can іnсludе people with alcohol or drug addictions, or people who mауbе ѕuffеrіng a wоrѕеnіng mental hеаlth condition or аn еxіѕtіng problem wіth thеіr mеntаl health.

People mау оftеn аѕk “what іѕ meant by thе tеrm mental hеаlth”? Wеll thеrе is nо оffісіаl tеrm tо “whаt іѕ mental hеаlth, but, mental health іѕ vаrіоuѕ levels оf рѕусhоlоgісаl wеll-bеіng wіthіn a реrѕоn. It can асt on mаnу different dіvеrѕе fасtоrѕ, which can іnvоlvе hоw an іndіvіduаl іѕ thinking, feels, and bеhаvеѕ overall and асhіеvе thеіr оwn реrѕоnаl tаrgеtѕ аnd gоаlѕ.

Sоmе samples of good mеntаl hеаlth mауbе:

Hеаlthу аnd роѕіtіvе thinking
Bеіng аblе tо hаndlе ordinary mоmеntѕ іn lіfе
Hеаlthу аwаrеnеѕѕ
Ablе tо function еvеrуdау

For further information on any Free Mental Health First Aid please contact us here or if you would like to book an in-house mental health awareness first aid course

Please see our range of free resources here

Mental Health First Aid Eating Disorder

14 May 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

What is the definition of the term ‘eating disorder’?

Mental Health First Aid Eating Disorder – Eating disorders are a group of related conditions are characterised by an abnormal attitude towards food that causes someone to change their eating habits and behaviour, this can include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating.

What are the possible types of eating disorders?

Eating disorders include a range of conditions that can affect someone in a physically or psychologically way. The possible types of eating disorders can include:

Anorexia nervosa:

Anorexia come in two different types of anorexia – The restricting type of anorexia and the purging type of anorexia

They both occur when an individual is desperate to lose or keep their weight down as low as possible; for example, by starving themselves from food or exercising excessively.

Bulimia:

Bulimia is when an individual goes through times of binge eating and then deliberately make themselves vomit the food back up or uses laxatives, which is medication to help empty the bowels.

Binge eating disorder (BED):

When a person feels the need to indulge in eating large amounts of food in a very short period of time.

Some people, particularly teenagers, may be diagnosed with an eating disorder not otherwise specified. This could tell you that they may have some but not necessarily all of the signs of any eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.

What are the causes of eating disorders?

There are no definitive known causes of eating disorders, however, it can be broken down into 3 risk factor category types, before we break them down in more detail, its important to understand that these risk factors in eating disorders are;

Genetical inheritance
Peer or social pressure
Feeling unhappy
Low self-esteem or moral
Teenage menopause
Celebrity watch

Now, let’s break the 3 categories down in turn,

Psychological

Psychological traits maybe linked to the development of eating disorders, these traits can be caused by hormone changes or during puberty and can also include;
Possibly feeling towards depression and anxiety,
Poor reaction to stress and excessive worrying.
Obsessive thoughts and compulsion to do certain things maybe a factor.
Inhibition in where the individual detains their own behaviour

Mental Health First Aid Eating Disorder

Environmental

The environment a person is living in could be a possible cause any eating disorders, these can include thigs such as;
Having a stressful time in life such as events as a relationship breakdown or loss of employment
Bereavement and other factors such as family difficulties.
Peer pressure or stress at school, such as being bullied or stress of school exams
Family pressure or difficult relationships
Another factor to consider any possible caused can be in that children who have been abused may develop an eating disorder as a way of control, this could be eating too little or excessive eating for the feeling of comfort.

Biological

In certain cases, such as extreme dieting, can disrupt the normal functions of the brain making symptoms worse, these could be;
malnutrition can change the balance of hormones in the body which can affect how the brain functions. These type of changes in hormone changes can cause the brain to become very sensitive and this type of sensitive can cause problems such as feeling anxious when eating – this can then lead to over exercising or staving themselves.
Another biological factor can also be cause by the brain. Parts of the brain controls the persons sense of appetite and if this lets the body needs food, the brain will react by releasing chemical to stimulate your appetite. It’s been said that this will all become disrupted if the person suddenly has an eating disorder

In summary, eating disorders are symptoms of a lot deeper cause and can include the individual to be depressed, unhappy or insecurity. They could also feel pressured from peers or even been bullied

What are common signs and symptoms associated with eating disorders?

As discussed in an earlier unit, we talked about the 3 main eating disorders and their possible causes – now let’s explore the different signs and symptoms associated with 3 types of eating disorders, these would be:

Anorexia nervosa:

This occurs mainly in teenage girls as they are conscious about the way they look, but it is rapidly affecting boys too.

Signs and symptoms would be;

The person will be very thin, for the reasons of an unyielding pursuit of thinness to have a normal healthy weight for their size and a fear of gaining weight.
They would be extremely restricting their diet and their self-esteem would be influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape, they may also be in denial of having a low or unhealthy BMI

Bulimia nervosa:

This is when a person eats a large amount in a meal and feeling a lack of control over these episodes. This type of eating forces the individual to have un-normal behaviours and may act in the following ways;

Forced themselves to vomiting after eating the food.
Excessive use of laxatives.
Extreme or over exercising.
In some cases, all of these traits maybe visible.

Binge-eating disorder:

Individuals with this condition are usually overweight or obese.
This then makes them at risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure for those obese
A sense of guilt, shame or distress about their weight or obsessive binge eating can lead to more eating, and this can become a vicious circle

For further information on any mental health please contact us here or if you would like to book an in-house mental health awareness first aid course

Please see our range of free resources here

Mental Health First Aid Eating Disorder

Mental Health Awareness Week

10 May 2021 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Mental Health Awareness Week- The mind аnd the body are іnѕераrаblе. And you do wаnt tо еngаgе thе whole еmрlоуее іn уоur wоrkѕіtе wеllnеѕѕ рrоgrаm, right?

Mоѕt wоrkѕіtе wеllnеѕѕ рrоgrаmѕ tоdау аrе nоt rеаllу wеllnеѕѕ programs at аll – they аrе employee hеаlth status management рrоgrаmѕ. Whу do I say thіѕ? Mоѕt wоrkѕіtе wеllnеѕѕ programs fосuѕ ѕоlеlу оn employee рhуѕісаl hеаlth, tо thе еxсluѕіоn оf аll thе оthеr dіmеnѕіоnѕ оf wellness.

As conceived bу the mоdеrn wеllnеѕѕ fіеld’ѕ fоundеrѕ, (Rоbеrt Allеn, Dоnаld Ardеll, Hаlbеrt Dunn, Bіll Hеttlеr аnd John Travis), wеllnеѕѕ is a multi-dimensional соnсерt. The рublіѕhеd wеllnеѕѕ model оf thе Nаtіоnаl Wеllnеѕѕ Institute іnсludеѕ thе fоllоwіng dіmеnѕіоnѕ: рhуѕісаl, ѕосіаl, еmоtіоnаl, іntеllесtuаl, occupational аnd spiritual. Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week and Emotional wеll-bеіng іѕ аѕѕосіаtеd with numеrоuѕ bеnеfіtѕ tо health, fаmіlу, wоrk, and есоnоmіс ѕtаtuѕ. Pоѕіtіvе emotions and vіеw оf life аrе associated with dесrеаѕеd risk fоr dіѕеаѕе, іllnеѕѕ, and injury; bеttеr immune funсtіоnіng; bеttеr coping and quicker recovery; and increased longevity. In аddіtіоn, mеntаl health аnd mental іllnеѕѕ mау іnfluеnсе рhуѕісаl health аnd biologic funсtіоnіng. Pоѕіtіvе mеntаl hеаlth is аѕѕосіаtеd wіth bеttеr endocrine funсtіоn (і.е., lоwеr lеvеlѕ of соrtіѕоl, еріnерhrіnе, аnd nоrеріnерhrіnе) аnd bеttеr іmmunе response (і.е., hіghеr antibody рrоduсtіоn and grеаtеr rеѕіѕtаnсе tо illness). It has аlѕо bееn ѕhоwn tо be associated wіth lоngеvіtу.

For Free Mental Health Awareness Week Videos and positive thinking qutoes please click here

Researchers аrе соntіnuіng to learn mоrе and mоrе about thе mind – bоdу соnnесtіоn. It hаѕ bееn clearly shown that еmоtіоnѕ play a hugе rоlе іn оur рhуѕісаl health. There іѕ also a reciprocal relationship bеtwееn mаnу сhrоnіс dіѕеаѕеѕ аnd mеntаl health. Sеlf-еffісасу, goal-setting, and рrоblеm-ѕоlvіng еnаblе ѕеlf-mаnаgеmеnt behaviors, аnd these соmроnеntѕ are dependent оn еmоtіоnаl hеаlth. On thе оthеr hаnd, ѕеlf-mаnаgеmеnt bеhаvіоrѕ that enhance health, ѕuсh аѕ physical асtіvіtу аnd ѕtrеѕѕ rеduсtіоn, саn іmрrоvе mental hеаlth status аnd quality оf life. In many wауѕ, it mаkеѕ nо ѕеnѕе tо address рhуѕісаl hеаlth without аddrеѕѕіng еmоtіоnаl hеаlth аt the ѕаmе tіmе.

Thе аbѕеnсе оf mеntаl illness does nоt mean the рrеѕеnсе of mеntаl hеаlth. Grоwіng rеѕеаrсh ѕuрроrtѕ thе vіеw that these are іndереndеnt, but rеlаtеd dіmеnѕіоnѕ. Mеntаl wеllbеіng аrе сhаrасtеrіzеd by thе рrеѕеnсе of роѕіtіvе аffесt (e.g., optimism, сhееrfulnеѕѕ аnd interest), absence оf nеgаtіvе affect, аnd ѕаtіѕfасtіоn wіth life. On thе оthеr hand, mental illness іѕ characterized bу аltеrаtіоnѕ in thіnkіng, mood, or bеhаvіоr аѕѕосіаtеd with distress or impaired functioning.

Mental Health Awareness Week – Whу Addrеѕѕ Mental Wеllbеіng іn thе Wоrkрlасе?

The health оf thе mіnd and bоdу саnnоt bе ѕераrаtеd. Whаt еffесtѕ one influences the other. Thеrеfоrе, a hеаlthу mіnd ѕuрроrtѕ and соntrіbutеѕ to a hеаlthу body аnd vісе vеrѕа.

Mental іllnеѕѕ соѕtѕ еmрlоуеrѕ mоnеу аnd mеntаl hеаlth саn impact рrоduсtіvіtу аnd еmрlоуее реrfоrmаnсе. Juѕt like рhуѕісаl health, mеntаl hеаlth саn be vіеwеd аѕ bеіng a соntіnuum. At one end thеrе іѕ mеntаl hеаlth аnd mеntаl illness is lосаtеd at thе opposite еnd.

Mental health generally rеfеrѕ to the ѕuссеѕѕful performance оf mеntаl function, rеѕultіng in рrоduсtіvе activities, fulfilling rеlаtіоnѕhірѕ, аnd thе ability to аdарt tо change аnd аdvеrѕіtу. These dоmаіnѕ аrе соmmоnlу rеfеrrеd tо аѕ wellbeing.

Mental іllnеѕѕ includes diseases wіth сlаѕѕіс рѕусhіаtrіс diagnoses, ѕuсh аѕ depression, bіроlаr disorder, аnd ѕсhіzорhrеnіа. Mеntаl hеаlth аnd mеntаl illness can bе influenced bу multірlе dеtеrmіnаntѕ, іnсludіng genetics аnd bіоlоgу аnd their іntеrасtіоnѕ wіth social and еnvіrоnmеntаl fасtоrѕ.

Employers аррrоасh еmрlоуее hеаlth thrоugh a multі-ѕtrаtеgу framework. A multі-ѕtrаtеgу framework саn be applied to an еmрlоуеr аррrоасh to mеntаl hеаlth аѕ wеll. A comprehensive аррrоасh includes: рrоmоtіоn, рrеvеntіоn, intervention, аnd fоllоw-uр. It іѕ іmроrtаnt tо rесоgnіzе thаt mental hеаlth рrоmоtіоn nееdѕ tо bе еԛuаl in importance to the prevention and trеаtmеnt оf mеntаl іllnеѕѕ.

To find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week or would like to book a Mental Health First Aid Course please contact us or see more our range of resourses here

Mental Health First Aid Dementia

26 November 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a condition in where there is a gradual decline in the brains functioning – it can cause a number of different symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to carry out the normal tasks of daily living.

Name of dementia:

What are the most common forms of dementia?

Alzheimer’s disease

Causes:

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common sort of dementia. Alzheimer’s is where there are damaged tissues building up around the brain and as a result of proteins deposit and this causes the cells around them to die.

There are two types of proteins, called amyloid which forms plaques around the brain and tua, which form tangles with in the cells of the brain. Also, chemicals that carry messages in the brain are affected.

Signs and symptoms:

There are 3 different stages of Alzheimer’s disease which show different signs and symptoms – they are as follows;

Mild Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

Confusion
Becoming forgetfulness or poor memory
Speak difficulty in selection of correct words
Becoming disorientated

Moderate Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

Loss of ability to function independently
Progressive loos of memory

Severe Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

Become extremely confused and disorientated
Suffer from delusions and hallucinations
Become very wary of people around them
Severe memory loss
Not been able to know how someone is
Some individuals may become violent

Vascular dementia

Causes:

Vascular dementia is when arteries that supply blood to the brain become blocked – this can cause a stroke and the brain is starved of oxygen and tiny areas of the brain are damaged, leading to vascular dementia.

Signs and symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of Vascular dementia may sometimes develop very sudden or gradually over a period of months – common signs and symptoms could be;

Slow concentration levels making simple task become very hard for them

Low attention span
Memory loss
Chane in mood swings and general personality
Signs of depression
The ability to function when walking and loss of balance
Not sleeping and wandering during the night

Lewy Bodies

Causes:

Dementia with Lewy Bodies are tiny protein deposits found in nerve cells that disrupt the functioning of the brain. When a build-up occurs, it prevents the brain from making the required amount of important chemicals

Signs and symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of Lewy Bodies may sometimes develop gradually and become worse over a period of years – common signs and symptoms could be;

Memory loss
Instable confusion
Loss of smell
Rigid movement
Slow walking with a shuffle
Hallucinations
Unable to contain a regular sleep pattern
Muscular jerking in the arms and legs
No facial expression

Mental Health First Aid Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia

Causes:

Frontotemporal dementia is common form of dementia in people under 65 years of age. It is caused when damage to the front areas of the brain by clumps of abnormal protein forming inside.

Signs and symptoms:

The most common symptoms Frontotemporal dementia involve severe changes in personality and emotional behaviour – other common signs and symptoms could be;

Sudden changes in personality and emotional behaviour, for example, the individual may become less complex to other people emotions and seem bitter towards them. This can also include a person who was very outgoing, may become very isolated or vice versa.

Shyness and not willing to speak to anyone due to difficulty in understanding what people are saying.

Have very childish behaviour.
Poor personal hygiene.
Mood swings and possible depression.
Repetitiveness behaviour and possible hording of other people things.
Have very inappropriate behaviour to others, such as inappropriate language or comments or even inappropriate sexual suggestions.
Become very aggressive.Become easily distracted.

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid Dementia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Mental Health First Aid Dementia

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

5 November 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid – Part 2

How can an individual’s schizophrenia may affect others?

Not only will schizophrenia affect the individual life it may also affect others around them. It will affect others, but mainly family and friends, even though friends and family will have the persons best interest at heart they may become frustrated after a period of time if the individual has not made any progress.

Some examples could be;

Sometimes family or friends may not be able to cope with the individual suffering schizophrenia due to the slow recovery time. This can become very frustrating for the family. The individual may be suspicious or aggressive to family and friends and they may feel they cannot offer the support for this condition, in some cases they may wish to cut ties with the person.
As previously mentioned, a person suffering with schizophrenia has delusions and hallucinations bringing a huge dysfunction to their normal daily routine, such as hygiene, eating, and exercise. This again can cause frustration and anger after time from friends and family.
Schizophrenia suffers will depend on alcohol and drugs to take away any self-relieve. This will affect the family by watching the person worsen and even develop further mental health issues such as paranoia

What are possible interventions and treatments for schizophrenia?

Medical interventions for schizophrenia are to help reduce they illness or even reduce the possibility of a relapse.

Some examples of possible interventions for an individual suffering from schizophrenia would be:

Antipsychotic medication

Antipsychotic medication is a prescription drug, but it will not cure schizophrenia. It can however, help relieve the symptoms of schizophrenia such as delusions and hallucinations.

Hospitalisation

Individuals who suffer with schizophrenia illness are mostly treated by specialist GP’s or mental health nurses as out patients. However, people who suffer with severe schizophrenia illnesses or those who may talk about self-harm or suicide will need specialist treatment in hospitals to help them recover and be kept under special observation

Electroconvulsive Therapy

This form of treatment was once known as electroshock therapy. This is mainly given under a general anaesthesia where seizures are electrically induced into the individual to help them with some relief from mental disorders

Psychological Treatment

Psychological Treatment can help with the behavioural, psychological, social and emotional problems with this condition, thought therapy would allow an individual to control their symptoms and realise the early warning signs and put an action plan in place to stop any relapse.

These types of therapy can include;

Training sessions of rehabilitation that will help the individual to improve confidence and social skills in order to help them live more independently and not rely on friends and family on a day to day basis
Individual psychotherapy activities to help build self-esteem and allow the person to understand their illness in a less stressful environment
Support group therapy – this will give ongoing support to the individual or more important to discuss with other sufferers just how they are feeling at times
Family support therapy will allow the whole family, as well as the person suffering with schizophrenia illnesses to understand more and be able to deal better with any situation they may encounter

How can an individual with schizophrenia can help manage their own illness?

Following on from Medical interventions and treatment for schizophrenia an individual can also help to manage their own illness. This self-help can be managed in a few different ways for example;

Self-help groups

By attending self-help groups, this would provide an opportunity for individuals moving forward to share experiences best practice and different ways of dealing with the illness, the groups will also help better understand the condition and other advice and support out there.

Avoid unnecessary stress

A person could also avoid undue stress where possible, if a person is working long hours at work then they could reduce this time by speaking with their line manager or employer. The equality act 2010 makes “reasonable adjustments” to facilitate the employment of a disabled person, this includes individuals diagnosed with a mental health illness

General good health

A Healthy life still is so important for self-help with an individual who is diagnosed with schizophrenia illness, especially if they are antipsychotic medication as this could cause high risk to the persons physical health. Nutrition and a healthy balanced diet are essential and it’s also advised for a more day to day healthy life style too, this could include; taken regular exercise such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming etc.. along with having a regular sleep pattern and avoiding doing stressful jobs or activities.

How can others help an individual with schizophrenia to manage their illness?

There are many different ways in which other people can help someone diagnosed with the illness schizophrenia. First and foremost, family and friends can have a pivotal role in helping an individual manage their condition.

People with schizophrenia need to feel loved and wanted and really need and benefit talking to someone so they can discuss their feeling and thoughts.

Here are some ways that friends, family and others can help someone with schizophrenia illness;

Know more about the schizophrenia illness.

People can conduct in-depth research in order to find out more about the illness and by knowing more about the illness, this will allow them to emphasis with the individual and notice any possible triggers. For example, it can be very difficult to understand and act if the person is disagreeing with you on something they believe in which is not actually true. So by understanding the illness and symptoms, will become more beneficial to focus on how the person is actually feeling instead of what they are actually experiencing

By understanding the illness more will also help to put planning in place and looking at different way in dealing with it.

Practical support

They could offer practical support such as helping them find accommodation or taking them to therapy groups if they lack the transport or if there are any barriers.

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

Keep a diary

It is very useful to keep a record of the person who has the illness and log everything down. This can include, any types of symptoms, old or new, any medication that the person is or had taken and if there have been any side effects from the types of mediation. By keeping this type of diary will help friends and family to look out for the various signs in the future.

Join support groups

Friends and family can play a major role in encouraging the person to attend and join support groups. This will help the individual talk to others who suffer with schizophrenia and share experiences and best practice on how they cope with different symptoms

Continued offer of help and support

Also let the person know you are there for them anytime of the day or night. This will help them feeling wanted and loved and can help reduce any stress levels. By offering strong emotional support will be huge for a person with schizophrenia, friends and family could also encourage the person to continue with their treatment and offer encouragement.

Provide emergency help

This is a vital part in the ways in which others can help the individual with schizophrenia. For example, we discussed earlier that a person who suffers from severe schizophrenia may have self-harm or suicidal thoughts. If this is the case then friend and family need to act fast and get the immediate help in order to get the person safe and the appropriate treatment

What resources are available to an individual experiencing schizophrenia?

Local resources would be GP’s

A GP is normally the first port of call – they can offer advice, make referrals and prescribe any appropriate medication.

The GP’s will also put in place the next stages for the person such as, mental health assessment, a care plan, appoint a social worker to work on a day to day basis with the person and monitor and review the person on a regular basis

What they offer

Medication that is prescribed could be a therapy in order to help control symptoms.

Community mental health teams

The community mental health team provide the day to day support for the individual and any treatment in order for them to make sure the person has as much independence as they can.

Other treatments and services involved could include taking therapy, counselling and cognitive behaviour therapy which will work with the individual to self-control their condition. An independent social worker can also be appointed

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid schizophrenia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia

28 October 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia Part 1

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a severe psychotic mental health disorder that affects how a person may be thinking, feeling, and behaving. Individuals suffering with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality and will not know what is real and what is unreal

Schizophrenia is a long-term condition that will also affect a number of psychological symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations

Even though schizophrenia may not be as common as other mental health disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.

How does media coverage cause fear and misunderstanding to schizophrenia?

The media tends to blow schizophrenia out of proportion and it is widely misinformed in the media, due to this a lot of the general public have a fear of this condition. For example, the media often use the term “schizophrenia” to portray someone as being totally out of control or having a split personality – but it’s not and this leads to high volumes of the general public to believe it is without understanding the disorder.

Media coverage can also portray an individual with this condition as violent and that the individual is only safe to society if they are locked away in an institute. Well this is not the case as most people who suffer schizophrenia do not tend to commit any violent crime – but studies have shown that individuals with drug or alcohol problems are twice more likely to commit violent crime

Stigmatisation of the media cover of is schizophrenia can be excessive. For example, the individual can be seen as being so disruptive that people with those conditions must be isolated from society. This can also cause fear for the person suffering and also their family

What are possible causes of schizophrenia?

With schizophrenia, there is no evidence or answers as to why some people will suffer with schizophrenia and some people won’t – but at the same time, its not easy to identify what caused it. Individuals who will be diagnosed with schizophrenia will have a few ongoing factors in their life which could possible trigger the causes,

The possible causes of schizophrenia could be:

A genetic inheritance can be a cause of this, as some families are more prone than others. By developing a certain gene can make someone more vulnerable but not necessarily develop schizophrenia however, someone is more likely to develop this condition if their parent has schizophrenia.
Drug abuse can be a possible cause of schizophrenia – for example, using excessive amounts of cannabis, an individual is six times more likely to develop this condition if they use cannabis or any other recreational drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, LSD or ketamine on a regular basis.
Brain damage can be a possible cause of schizophrenia – for example, either an infection during pregnancy or the possible lack of oxygen to the brain is reduced during birth.
A stressful life event may trigger schizophrenia, this could be things such as, being homeless or living in deprived areas where poverty is high, a job loss or loss of a family member.
Physical or verbal abuse may also be factors of the causes of schizophrenia.

What are the feelings an individual with schizophrenia may experience?

A person with schizophrenia may experience positive and negative feelings

Positive feelings with schizophrenia do not mean good, it actually refers to symptoms not present in an individual without schizophrenia – the positive symptoms help identify abnormal mental functions such as;

Delusions such as a false belief a person has even though there is over whelming evidence to suggest otherwise, such as believing they are being followed or spied on constantly. There is limited examples of delusions as it can be about anything.
Hallucinations are when a person is hearing, seeing, feeling or smelling things that are not real, most people with schizophrenia say they hear voices, these voices may give orders that they feel should be followed and can be often aggressive voices or of a sexual nature
Thought process, this can be things such as, thought insertion where a person belief their thoughts in their mind are not their own.
Another one could be thought broadcasting where the individual believes their thoughts are being read by others.
Thought withdrawal, this is where the individual thinks someone is removing their own thoughts from their own mind
Thought blocking, this is where the individual had a mind block where they cannot remember what they were actually talking about in a certain conversation

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia – Negative symptoms

Some negative feelings with schizophrenia are the absence of the mental function that should be present and these could be:
Lack of motivation where everything seems as an effort, tasks may not be complete and concentration levels are poor. This can include facial expressions and voice tone
Emotions may be flat and sometimes these emotions maybe odd, for example they mag giggle at something that is actually not funny or sad
A person experiencing negative feelings would also be more likely to self-neglect and show signs of poor personal hygiene, and may appear to be in their own zone of thoughts. Education can be difficult and this could have memory problems for the individual and also difficulty in planning and organising.

How can schizophrenia affect the individual and their life?

Schizophrenia can carry a vast negative impact with major affects to an individual’s life and normal day to day life and routine can become near impossible. Delusions and hallucinations will stop the individual focusing and they are more likely to neglect themselves such as personal care, dressing, eating and drinking and going shopping.

individuals suffering with schizophrenia often turn to alcohol and or drugs to take away any thoughts. This would have a huge effect as it will make the condition worse, especially if the individual is on medication as it would not work as effective.

An individual with schizophrenia may withdraw themselves and this would make it harder for them to have a healthy relationship with their friends and family, they may even become suspicious or hostile of them.

Individuals with schizophrenia often have suicidal thoughts. Any talk of suicide from someone suffering schizophrenia should be taken extremely serious and help should be sorted immediately

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid schizophrenia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

First Aid Mental Health Course

20 October 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

First Aid Mental Health Course – Bipolar is associated and influenced by daily demands, stress can trigger bipolar to peak.

This manic side of bipolar is triggered by pressure and the reaction to stressful daily demands or events. The depressive episodes can be brought on by relationship problems and financial pressures of problems. It is thought to believe that the manic episodes are an escape from the feelings of depression. Bipolar is associated and influenced by daily demands, stress can trigger bipolar to peak.

Examples of symptoms that may occur in a manic and depressive episode.

Manic

As previously discussed, manic will show signs that the individual is very active and feeling very high and creativity, and euphoria are common.

People suffering a manic episode will often talk more than usual with an increased speak in their speech. Symptoms of sleep deprivation are often experienced due to high energy and hyperactive. Manic episodes may also make the individual feel like they’re invincible or untouchable. This could be a dangerous episode as the individual also can be easily distracted from their daily routes or work activities.

Although this episode of mania makes the individual feel on a high it often tends to spiral out of control. This can make the person behave recklessly during a manic episode. First Aid Mental Health

And can lead to excessive gambling, engaging in inappropriate sexual activity, or making foolish business investments or decisions – for example, they may become angry, irritable, and aggressive- often leading to confrontation when others don’t agree with their plans and retaliating to anyone who challenges their behaviour.

Some people even become delusional, hallucinate or start hearing voices.

Depressive symptoms

Depressive symptoms will affect individuals in a variety of ways and a mixture of different symptoms and range from mild to severe

The more common symptoms of a person with depressive could be:

Feeling unhappy, worthless and empty. This can cause many physical affects for the person such as sleep problems, eating disorders low or no sex drive and show signs of anxiet.

Concentration levels and memory problems are very common with the individual not motivated in day to day life. This can make feelings of worthlessness or guilt. With more severe symptoms the person can also have thoughts of self-harm or even suicide

What are medical intervention for Bipolar Disorder?

Medical intervention for an individual who is suffering from bipolar disorder could include:

Medication can be prescribed by the individuals GP who’s suffering from the condition. Common drugs that are be subscribed can include, Anti-anxiety drugs, Antidepressants, Antipsychotics and Anticonvulsants

Drugs cannot cure Bipolar Disorder but it can help to control it.

An individual could be admitted to hospital if they are very distressed, this will allow for an assessment and provide relief for anyone supporting the individual with depression. The individual can volunteer to go or can be sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Electroconvulsive Therapy is given under general anaesthetic and involved passing current through the brain in order to cause a fit. It is given for cases of severe depression, it is not commonly used as much now but can be an effective treatment.

What are the different ways in which an individual with Bipolar Disorder can help to manage their illness when entering a manic and depressive episode?

An individual with Bipolar Disorder can man manage their own illness in a number of different ways

They can seek and ask for support from other people suffering with bipolar, it can reassure them they are not alone and talk about their feeling in compassion with others. Monitoring episodes and detecting worrying signs as early as possible can mean the individual is prepared.

They can avoid triggers which have set off the illness in the past and avoid stress where possible. Also having a daily / regular routine will keep the person in high moral and keep the mind relaxed and focused.

It would be wise to avoid stimulant drinks, alcohol and recreational drugs such as smoking cannabis or taking cocaine as this can trigger manic episodes.

A change in general life styles can also help manage the disorder such as, taking regular exercise to keep a positive mind. This can also be combined with a healthy diet and a good sleep pattern

Also, they should try and keep depression at bay by challenging negative thoughts and adopting a positive attitude where possible.

How can others help an individual with Bipolar Disorder to manage their illness?

Bipolar Disorder can be either mild or severe and there are many different ways in which friends, family and others can help a person manage their illness. Some common ways are;

By family and friends can educating themselves on the condition and its triggers, also how it affects the individual to be able to notice the warning signs. This can be a great way to communicate with the person and help them set daily routine tasks. This can also include helping them find appropriate support groups and the expert help that is available to them.

People can be supportive and try and understand the individual’s illness so that the person with bipolar can open up about their feelings without the worry of being judged.

They can encourage the individual to seek help and intervention to control illness. They can help individual with certain jobs and roles to reduce the pressure at times.

Give the person some practical and motivational support – this could be things like encouraging them or even take part with them in regular exercise, help set daily goals with them including a healthy diet and sleep pattern

Try to be patient with the person suffering with bipolar and try to understand and respect their decision making, but also monitor the persons behaviour and contact support lines if the person is feeling very low and thinking self-harm thoughts or suicide thoughts.

What local resources and treatments are available to an individual experiencing Bipolar Disorder?

Care programme

This resource is where the person can have their needs assessed and their care planned, a thorough assessment will be completed and action plan put in place. As with all mental health conditions the community mental health team (CMHT) maybe involved in this process, they can work with the individual to sort out any issues such as housing, benefits and day centres.

Local day centres

There are many different day centres which included, local community centres, day hospitals and drop in centres to support people with bipolar disorder illness. These types of centres can provide some excellent help and support such as therapy, counselling and further information advice and guidance on other support available. First Aid Mental Health This type of service is provided by professional mental health experts.

Other types of drop in services may offer a different range of support, for example mindfulness activities such as arts and crafts, music lessons or even just to pop in for a chat with other people in the centre

First Aid Mental Health Course

Treatments

Local treatments could include supported accommodation. This would entail the individual suffering with bipolar lives in a supported environment until they have the confidence to live on their own, The community care service can also make an assessment of the individuals needs which will cover everything from housing to day centres.

Day centres themselves may offer therapy groups, counselling and information. They can be a place for the individual to gain new skills and increase their confidence, they may also use it for a social activity.

mood stabilisers

Psychological Treatment

First Aid Mental Health Course – Psychological Treatment can help with depression, such as cognitive behavioural therapy. It’s a form of talking treatment which makes a speciality focus of how your thoughts, ideals and attitudes have an effect on your feelings and behaviour, and teaches you coping abilities for managing unique troubles.

It combines cognitive remedy inspecting the things you believe in and behaviour therapy, examining the stuff you do

is a type of which focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviour, and teaches you coping skills for dealing with different problems.

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

First Aid Mental Health Course

Mental Health First Aid Bipolar

13 October 2020 By SMARTT Leave a Comment

Mental Health First Aid Bipolar – What is meant by the term Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is when an individual behaves in two opposite ways, it is an extreme mental illness, it provokes sudden mood swings and the individual will have times of feeling very high and then times of feeling very depressed and may experience strange hallucinations or delusions

What are the possible causes of bipolar disorder?

Science has shown that bipolar disorder is not fully understood, however, like many mental health illnesses there is different range of causes for bipolar disorder, such as the following

Genetic

It can be inherited and more likely it may run in the family, however no gene within the family maybe responsible for bipolar disorder

Everyday events

Bipolar disorder can be triggered by everyday life and stress, these may include
Stress at work or home
Relationships problems or breakdown in marriage
A tragic event such as a loss of life to family or friends
Emotional, violent or sexual abuse
Any type of physical illness

Chemical imbalance

A traumatic event of situation can cause bipolar due to the disturbance of chemicals in the brain. Example could be norepinephrine or dopamine – an imbalance of these levels can cause bipolar disorder

What is a person with Bipolar like?

The feelings of bipolar disorder will vary depending on the individual, for example when an individual suffering with bipolar disorder is feeling high, or known as mania, it can seem like the best feeling and they will have a lot of energy and feel positive. It can make the person feel more productive whilst others may feel angry and restless.

When an individual suffering with Mental Health First Aid Bipolar feels low with depression they may have very low self-esteem and self-worth. It can restrict a person’s life as it can occur for a long duration. Some may suffer from hallucinations or believe they are untouchable. Some describe the manic bipolar as a buzz and exciting.

With both cases of individuals suffering with extreme bipolar disorder, these can last for weeks or in some cases even longer

How does Bipolar Disorder affects the individual and their life?

It can contribute to the individual having a negative outlook on life and thinking negatively, for example, the person cannot function or communicate well. It can affect judgement which can result in serious repercussions or regret.

People with bipolar may experience their life as a roller coaster of high and low emotions and this affects their daily route and life in general. Examples could be relationship breakdowns and affect work, the individual may have to take a lot of time of work due to depression, it may also make it harder for the individual to hold employment and this could lead and financial problems.

Mental Health First Aid Bipolar

The manic phase can challenge the individual to become aggressive and could lead to further problems like the unnecessary use of alcohol and or recreational drugs and in some cases leading to inappropriate sexual behaviour

With some severe cases of depression, some individuals with bipolar disorder maybe affected with their ability to deal with everyday life. This can be either physical, emotional, or social functioning, which can lead the individual to experience psychotic symptoms for example, hallucinations, paranoia, or even hearing of voices in their head.

The individual may also be much unaware of the help and support they need to help combat the illness.

How can an individual’s Bipolar Disorder may affect others?

Bipolar disorder is a serious illness that not only affects the individual but those around them, such as family and friends – they could be affected in the following ways;

Emotional distress – This can be things such as grief, guilt or worry and will cause disruption in the regular daily routines.
Relationship breakdowns – this will cause tension if the individual is irritable as friends and family may become an easy target for their mood swing outbursts.
The family and friends may feel on edge and worried on what mood they are in and whether they are approachable to have discussions or even accept any help that can be offered. It can also cause finance problems which affect the family and home, resulting in a breakdown.
It can lead to disagreements where the individual suffering with bipolar disorder makes bad choices during their episodes and they are impossible to reason with.

Another factor in the way bipolar disorder may affect others is the lack of understanding of the illness. If family and friends have minimum understanding of the illness then they are going to become frustrated with the person and this could cause risky behaviour

What are the demands of daily life that may influence symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?

Individual suffering with bipolar disorder will experience different demands of normal daily life due to the different mood swings they may encounter.

Some demands of daily life that can influence symptoms could be:

Health problems;

This could influence bipolar and could also affect sleeping problems.

Stress or work problems;

Work demands and financial worries could influence this condition. Such as unemployment leading to debt problems and security such as housing poverty etc.

Problems in relationships;

This can be things such as, break down in marriage, bereavement or conflict and abuse

Domestic issues;

This can be community and social groups could encourage symptoms. Also, been in overcrowded groups or in poor environments. The daily life influence symptoms may also be having to care for elderly family members or even the stress of given birth

Mental Health First Aid Bipolar

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid Bipolar courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here