Mental health support over the 2020 festive period
December 23, 2020 at 10:06 am
The Independent Mental Health Network (IMHN) has published the annual Christmas mental health guide for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Each year, IMHN produces a written guide about changes to the operating hours of local mental health support during the festive period. The guide includes information about services operating over the seasonal period, making note of any changes to opening or operating times, and contact details. It brings together information about mental health support from both NHS and voluntary & community sector partners that can be accessed. Also included are details of national crisis and helplines.
The resource has been written for both members of the public and mental health professionals alike. We are encouraging people to share this with others who might find it useful.
Click here to read the guide: www.imhn.org/christmas2020
December 23, 2020 at 10:06 am | News | No comment
Time to Talk about Mental Health : OCD & Pure OCD
September 12, 2019 at 3:06 pm
One in four people are affected by mental health problems every year. But not everyone feels comfortable discussing their mental health with their doctor, or even family and friends. Many struggle on alone and find it hard to access the help they need. The Time to Change campaign aims to change this, by reducing the stigma around talking about mental health conditions, helping people to share their experiences, and finding the most appropriate support.
Members of the public, including Lockleaze & Horfield Councillor Gill Kirk, attended an event at the Old Library on Muller Road on Monday 29th July. Lifting the Myth of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) was organised by Tracy Tainton, herself living with an OCD diagnosis, and was supported by the local Time to Change Champions Fund in partnership with OCD Action and the Independent Mental Health Network (IMHN).
The event was an initial discussion workshop looking at what it’s like to live with OCD and how this condition can be mis-portrayed in the media. A type of anxiety disorder, OCD is experienced in the form of obsession with intensely negative, repetitive and intrusive thoughts, fear of harm, and/or compulsive patterns of behaviour to reduce the anxiety caused by these thoughts. It is not just about cleanliness or neatness, and many people tend to over-use the term ‘OCD-ish’ without understanding the distressing and debilitating nature of the disorder in its severest form.
This workshop was a relaxed opportunity to chat in small groups, listen to people with lived experience of OCD with family members and friends who support them. Tracy Tainton, who is also a trustee of IMHN, said:
Thank you to everyone who contributed to a frank and open discussion around OCD, especially those who were very open about their diagnosis. Being candid can be so hard and fearful for sufferers: a big well done. Next step is to look at setting up a peer-support / social group in Bristol specifically for those with lived experience of OCD.
The Independent Mental Health Network also campaigns to ensure that local mental health services provide the best possible care and access for patients, with input from service users themselves, and for there to be greater parity of esteem between mental and physical health. If you would like to know more about the Independent Mental Health Network, or the work of their Bristol branch, BIMHN, then please email engagement[@]imhn.org (taking out the brackets in the email address).
The aim of this event was to gauge interest in an OCD support / social group. Tracy is delighted to report that there has been an initial session of this organised for Tuesday 24th September at 7.30pm on the Gloucester Road (exact location to be confirmed). If you are interested in attending, or would like more information, please email Tracy at tracy_tainton[@]yahoo.co.uk (taking out the brackets from the email address) .
September 12, 2019 at 3:06 pm | News | No comment
Help and Support – updated!
March 22, 2019 at 7:50 pm
We have recently updated our help & support pages. The support page provides a condensed list of services relating to mental health, in order to help signpost someone to the help they need. The information listed includes crisis services, helplines, and student-specific support information.
The former useful links section has been separated into its own page, and is intended to be a non-exhaustive yet comprehensive list of groups, bodies and agencies relevant to the local mental health landscape.
Have we missed anything? Do you have any suggestions on how the information could be presented differently? Get in touch!
March 22, 2019 at 7:50 pm | News | No comment
Bristol mental health support – Christmas opening times 2018
December 19, 2018 at 12:13 pm
Please note: this item was published ahead of the Christmas 2018 period. The information contained in the below mentioned guide is therefore out of date.
The Independent Mental Health Network (IMHN) have produced a short guide to mental health support available to people in the Bristol area over the Christmas and New Year period.
This follows on from the success of last year’s guide in helping communities navigate what is available at this time of this year and requests from many people and organisations across Bristol.
About the guide
The guide, produced in partnership with Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and Bristol Mental Health, lists relevant mental health and wellbeing support available over the holiday period. It brings together information about mental health support from both NHS and voluntary & community sector partners that can be accessed. This also includes some national helplines.
IMHN Project Manager, Tom Renhard said:
“Whilst for many the Christmas period can be a time of joy, celebration and relaxation, it is vital we remember that this can also be an especially difficult time of year for some.
In particular, this could be the case for people who may feel increasingly isolated during this time or who may be struggling with their mental health and well being for a variety of reasons.
The aim of this guide is to assist in helping people to access the right support at the right time, should they need to. We have also shared the guide with GP’s, existing services and local groups to help it to reach as many people as possible.
I would encourage everyone to make use of this guide in a way they feel is helpful and share with work colleagues, family and friends.”
If you have anything you would like to add about what you know is available over the Christmas period then please comment at the bottom of this web page so the information can be shared with others.
You can find a copy of the guide here.
December 19, 2018 at 12:13 pm | News | No comment