Local Associate Working Nationally to Raise

the
A S S O C IA TES
Mind News / Mind Manifesto / Layla Dickerson
Local Associate Working
Nationally to Raise Awareness
“The reason I’m doing this is because, yes we need to sort
things out now, but I want us to get things right for young
people in future.”
John Lucas is 51 and has multiple mental and physical
health diagnoses but that hasn’t stopped him from working
tirelessly to campaign for better mental health services.
John explains that after forty years of living with mental
MENTAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING MAGAZINE
www.norwichmind.org.uk
January 2015
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read the
illness he wants to make a change so that young people
manifesto!
today do not have to suffer the same experience that he
did and he believes that proper funding in the right areas
will help. “Beds are expensive, the last ditch, but if you do
The Mind manifesto appoints two key areas for each Voice
preventative stuff, it’s cheaper, you can spend less on
to prioritise and John is pleased to have been given
beds.” John has a point. The Centre for Mental Health
funding and crisis care. As someone who has a multiple
recently calculated that for every £1 spent on preventative
physical illnesses, including cancer, John has noticed that
care with psychosis, you could save £15 in the long run.
“funding mechanisms are different for mental and physical
health”.
Mind has recently nominated 10 “Voices” to champion its
manifesto for the 2015 General Election, ‘Take action for
John has found that funding into physical health can be
better mental health’ and John is our very own “Voice of
more popular because there is a speedier return.
Mind for the East of England.” Since his appointment he
Supporting someone to recover from a mental health
has attended political conferences, invited politicians to his
disorder can be a lengthier process. This is why there
home in supported housing, and taken every opportunity
needs to be more funding in “preventative and initial
to fight against the “stigma and discrimination” which
intervention” work.
affects the “lack of funding in mental health services such
as crisis care.”
John sees this role as the opportunity to “tell politicians
individual’s stories.” “You can say 1 in 4 people each year
“Just as the Big C works to reduce the stigma of talking
will experience a mental health problem,” says John, “but
about cancer, we need to have a Big M so that people with
that’s meaningless. To be able to go to a politician and say
mental health problems can go and have a chat with
‘this is my life, these are the things that affect my life and
somebody. With cancer I understand it, other people
this is what it is like,’ it humanises the statistics.”
understand it, and it’s more easily approached than
something like bipolar.”
“Far too much of politics is based on generalisations. But
the things that happened to me, the things that happened
to Ann-Marie (Voice for London), the things that happened
to Andy (Voice for Yorkshire and the Humber), aren’t
unique, if they happened to us, they are happening to
other people.”
John believes that talking about his illness will help others
get the help they need but he also wants to change the
John will be helping Norwich Mind interview our local
parliamentary candidates for Norwich North and Norwich
South as well as taking part in a question panel event in
early March. Keep an eye on the magazine to see what
candidates have to say and all the latest local news
leading up to the election!
John Lucas
way that discriminatory language is used regarding those
that suffer poor mental health. “People need to be more
open, we need to change the language we use in society.
Even in politics you talk about the loony left and the lunatic
fringe… why are you using words describing my diagnosis
for something you disagree with?”
Layla Dickerson
From June 2014, the voter registration system changed
paper copy application form and sending to your local
meaning that people must make sure they are on the new
electoral registration office. You should then receive a
electoral register in order to vote in the 2015 General
confirmation to say that you have been registered.
Election. Under the old system of registration, the ‘head of
the household’ was able to register everyone who lived at
Local councils have the power to administer an £80 fine
their current address. The new procedure, named Individual
unless you have a valid Ass for not registering. Extenuating
Electoral Registration (IER) requires each person to register
circumstances can include a long hospital stay or severe
for themselves. If you have not registered since 10 June
learning difficulties. Norwich City Council has stated that it
2014, or have not received a letter saying you have been put
would “not readily resort to these [penalties] as they
on the electoral register automatically, you need to register.
usually find that they are able to get people registered by
sending letters or having a canvasser visit the home.” You
In order to make the electoral register safer against fraud,
can check if you are on the register by contacting your local
you will need to provide a few extra details such as your
Electoral Registration Office. For those who live within
national insurance number and date of birth. You can do this
Norwich City Council please call 01603 212053 or
online by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and following
email elections@norwich.gov.uk.
the instructions on screen. You are also able to register by
post by visiting www.gov.uk/government/publications/
voter-registration-forms-paper-versions, downloading a
For more information please visit www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
International, National and Local news
News
Mentally ill teenagers will no longer be
One woman in two will take a prescription
held in police cells
drug this week
The Guardian / 15 December / Alan Travis
Daily Telegraph / 11 December / Rosa Silverman
Mentally ill teenagers will no longer be
The comprehensive Health Survey for
taken to police stations and detained in
England has found that 50% of women
cells under reforms to be announced by
and 43% of men take doctor-prescribed
the home secretary, Theresa May, this
drugs; with antidepressants and pain
week. An overhaul of the mental health
relief medication being the most common.
laws in England and Wales will also
Antidepressants were taken by twice as
ensure that police cells are used only as a
many women as men, with middle aged
place of safety for adults when their
women the most likely to be on the drugs.
behaviour is so extreme they cannot be
It also found a third of women and almost
managed elsewhere. The joint Home
a quarter of men needed help with at
Office and Department of Health review
least one aspect of their daily life
of sections 135 and 136 of the Mental
important to daily living, such as personal
Health Act will also recommend reducing
care or mobility around the home.
the maximum length of detention of
someone in mental distress
from 72 to 24 hours.
Read More
Read More
Why should I be scared to speak out
DWP urged to reveal inquiries on benefit
Playing musical instrument could help
about my OCD?
claimant suicides
children with anxiety
Metro / 11 December / Unattributed
The Guardian / 15 December / Karen McVeigh
Classic FM / 02 January / Elizabeth Davis
Ellen White has won the Mind Media
The Department for Work and Pensions
The largest study of its kind has shown a
Award for Blogging for talking about her
has been urged by mental health and
link between musical training and brain
OCD and what motivated her to start
disability charities to publish its secret
development. The study was published by
Ellen’s OCD Blog. Ellen said “Recently
investigations into suicides that may have
the Journal of the American Academy of
Mind hosted their annual media awards
some link to benefit changes, following
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the
and I was so privileged to have been
revelations that it has carried out internal
authors analysed brain scans of 232
chosen as the winner of the blogger
reviews into 60 such cases. A Freedom of
children aged 6-18. These statistics, when
award. As a teenager, to have been
Information request by the Disability News
taken in the context of present
presented with this award for the work
Service has revealed that the DWP has
neuroimaging results underscore the vital
that I do surrounding mental health was
carried out “60 peer reviews following the
importance of finding new and innovative
surreal. I can tell you it was the best few
death of a customer” since February
ways to make music training more widely
moments of my entire life.
2012.
available to young people, beginning in
childhood.
Read More
Read More
Read More
Why Do Experiences Fare Better Than Possessions?
It seems that at some level we understand that our
having other people earn $200,000 (Solnic k &
experiential purchases give us more pleasure than our
Hemenway, 1998). In other words it's not about how much
material purchases. But why is that? Van Boven (2005)
we earn, it's about how much we earn in comparison to
suggests three reasons:
other people. It's the social comparison, then, not the
actual amount of money, that affects how we feel about our
1. Experiences improve with time (possessions don't). earnings.
The reason why experiences improve with time may be
because it is possible to think about experiences in a more
A similar effect is seen for possessions. When there's so
abstract manner than possessions. For example if you think
many flatscreen HD TVs to choose from, it's easy to make
back to a fantastic summer from your youth, you might
unfavourable comparisons between our choice and the
easily remember an abstract sense of warm sunshine and
others available. Experience, however, seems to be more
exuberance, but you're less likely to remember exactly
resistant to these sorts of unfavourable comparisons. To
what you did day-by-day. On a moment-by-moment basis
explain this phenomenon, Van Boven puts forward the idea
you might have been quite bored, although you'll tend not
that it is because of the unique nature of experience. It's
to remember that.
more difficult to make an unfavourable comparison when
there is nothing directly comparable. After all, each of our
Material possessions are harder to think about in an
youthful summers is different (even if only a little).
abstract sense. The car you bought is still a car, that great
new jacket you picked up cheap is still just a jacket. It's
I also think it's hard to really compare our own experiences
more likely the experience of that summer has taken on a
with those of other people. Comparing possessions,
symbolic meaning that can live longer in your memory than
however, is generally easy.
a possession.
3. Experiences have more social value.
2. Experiences are resistant to unfavourable comparisons.
There are two reasons experiences have more social value
It's well established that social comparisons can have a
than possessions. First, experiences tend to encourage
huge effect on how we view what might seem like positive
social relationships and increased social relationships are
events. One striking example is the finding that people
good for our happiness. Second, it is more socially
prefer to earn $50,000 a year while everyone else earns
acceptable to discuss our experiences with others. People
$25,000, instead of earning $100,000 themselves and
who bang on about their possessions are considered much
continued on back page
Spotlight on:
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
ECT is a treatment for a small number of severe
mental illnesses. It was developed in the 1930s and
was used widely during the 1950s and 1960s for a
variety of conditions. It is now only used for fewer,
more serious conditions.
An electrical current is passed through the brain to
produce an epileptic fit – hence the name, electroconvulsive. The idea developed in the days before
effective medication. Doctors noticed that some
people with depression or schizophrenia, who also
had epilepsy, seemed to feel better after having a
fit. More recent research suggests that the effect is
due to the fit rather than the electrical current. It is
now used less often. Between 1985 and 2002, its
use in England more than halved, possibly because
of better psychological and drug treatments for
depression.
No-one is certain how ECT works. We do know that
it can change patterns of blood flow through the
brain and change the metabolism of areas of the
brain which may be affected by depression. There
is evidence that severe depression is caused by
problems with certain brain chemicals. It is thought
that ECT causes the release of these chemicals and,
probably more importantly, makes the chemicals
more likely to work and so help recovery. Recent
research has also suggested that ECT can help the
growth of new cells and nerve pathways in certain
areas of the brain.
It has been suggested that ECT works not because
of the fit, but because of all the other things – like
the extra attention, support and the anaesthetic –
that happen to someone who has it. Several studies
have compared standard ECT with "sham" or
placebo ECT. In placebo ECT, the patient has
exactly the same things done to them – including
going to the ECT rooms and having the anaesthetic
and muscle relaxant – but no electrical current is
passed and there is no fit. In these studies, the
patients who had standard ECT were much more
likely to recover, and did so more quickly than
those who had the placebo treatment. Those who
didn't have adequate fits did less well than those
who did. Some of the patients who had "sham"
treatment recovered too, even though they were
very unwell; it's clear that the extra support does
help. However, ECT has been shown to have an
extra effect in severe depression – it seems, in the
short term, to be more helpful than medication.
Someone who has severe depression, resistant
mania or catatonia can be offered ECT. ECT should
be considered for the rapid treatment of severe
depression that is life-threatening, or when other
treatments have failed. It should not be used
routinely in moderate depression. It can be helpful
for someone with moderate depression if they have
not responded to several different drug treatments
and psychological treatment. ECT is unlikely to help
someone with mild to moderate depression or most
other psychiatric conditions. It is not used in
schizophrenia.
ECT has been shown to be the most effective
treatment for severe depression. It would normally
be offered if several different medications have
been tried, but have not helped, the side-effects of
antidepressants are too severe, you have found ECT
helpful in the past, your life is in danger because
you are not eating or drinking enough and you are
seriously considering suicide.
ECT involves several treatments spread over a few
weeks. As with any treatment, ECT can cause a
number of side-effects. Some of these are mild and
some are more severe. Immediately after ECT, many
people have a headache and some aching in their
muscles. They may feel muzzy-headed and
generally out of sorts, or even a bit sick. Some
become distressed after the treatment and may be
tearful or frightened during recovery. For most
people, however, these effects settle within a few
hours, particularly with help and support from
nursing staff, simple pain killers and some light
refreshment. There may be some temporary loss of
memory for the time immediately before and after
the ECT.
There are many areas in which people disagree
over ECT, including whether it should even be done
at all. People tend to have very strong feelings
about ECT, often based on their own experiences.
The main areas of disagreement are over whether it
works, how it works and what the side-effects are.
To read the complete article by the Royal College
of Psychiatry click here
Picture: Mr Grumble - R Hargreaves
Mustn’t Grumble!
Every time I go to the gym I am struck by the social niceties
mind.
that occur in the changing room.
following:
Someone comes through
Perhaps you may have come across some of the
the door and greets us with a version of ‘how’s it going?’ He
will be met by traditional and even ingenious responses,
- Maybe a blankness and frustration, a shrug of the shoulders
sometimes mentioning problems at Carrow Road, but none
and ‘nothing much’.
that give any trustworthy information about anyone in the
- Perhaps a feeling that introspection is not quite right,
room. Somehow to open up about anything personal would
associated with responses that deflect attention – ‘fine’, ‘just
be impolite or weak - even the stoical ‘mustn’t grumble’ will
a bit tired’.
be said in a tone that rules out further enquiry.
I am
- Explanations and plans can bubble up, full of judgements
reminded of my late father’s definition of a bore – someone
on the situation and how you and others act in it – plenty of
who, when you ask them how they are, tells you.
‘must do’s’, ‘shouldn’t have’s’, ‘if only’s’.
- Something particular may have struck you and led you to
It is as if our society does not encourage the ability to
fasten upon a standard emotion (‘angry’, ‘sad’) or modern
express how things are for us, or perhaps does not readily
explanations (‘depression’, ‘anxiety’).
teach us to have a clear sense of it ourselves. Yet to be able
rather impersonal and disconnected.
to touch a sense of what it’s like to be me just now could
- If words come quickly to express how you are, do you
offer a valuable feedback about what is going on and a
notice a practiced familiarity about them.
compass for the direction to take. It could offer a way in to
the standard response resonate with this moment, just now?
some otherwise intractable problems.
- Maybe as you listen to yourself there will be a familiar
Yet these may seem
How much does
headline feeling, yet also there could be a nagging sense of
So I would like to invite you to pause for a few minutes (yes I
other things there that are less easy to grasp, ones that can
mean right now!) and notice what being-in-the-world is like
easily be ignored or drowned out.
for you just now.
Don’t try too much, there is no ‘right’
- Perhaps an old familiar unresolved sense occurs, a
answer, just see if you can open up a little ‘space’ to see
background feeling that may have provided a quiet
what is there. It may be helpful to give yourself a good sized
accompaniment to your life for as long as you can
pause, to allow the landscape to settle itself, before trying to
remember – like the wallpaper in the room of your life.
lay hands on whatever is there.
To get a real sense of how you are you might need to spend
I wonder what happened for you! If this is unfamiliar to you,
a fair time listening first, before trying to say anything,
the whole thing may have seemed silly or clumsy.
listening perhaps to your physical, gut sense of things.
Never
It
may be necessary to suppress a desire to leap into problem-
-solution mode and just acknowledge the validity of a variety of
senses that come up.
You might need to tolerate an
uncomfortable feeling, or perhaps that there is a significant
‘something’ there, but one that resists definition or naming just
now.
Norwich Mind Focus Group
January 2015
There may be senses of a number of ‘somethings’ or
facets or layers in what you touch. Probably it would help to
have a quiet and sensitive friend to accompany your listening
to yourself, to help provide an open and uncritical space to
welcome whatever is there.
Some years ago I came across a tradition that directs attention
to this immediate, constantly fluctuating, implicit felt sense of
being-in-the-world. It is known as Focusing. A variety of ways
of going about it are used, with people being encouraged to
trust their own sense of what is right for them. A common way
is to sit with a focusing partner for say 15 – 40 minutes at a
time, pausing and allowing a series of steps to take place in a
kind of reflective exploration. Those who know mindfulness will
recognise much that is familiar here, yet there is a further
emphasis in focusing, not just to note the passing phenomena of
experiencing, but to relate to it, encouraging its implicit
meaning to unfold.
I find it allows me to relate better to myself, to connect to an
Although we have run service user feedback groups in
the past we wanted to find simpler ways for people
who have come into contact with Norwich Mind to
feedback their experiences and for us to explore new
ideas you may have around how we could develop our
services. From February you will be able to join our
Focus Group and do just that.
immediate sense of what is important and find ways for
situations to naturally carry forward constructively. Particularly
where there is a knotty issue, an inner or external conflict, or
blockage that seems stuck, then this provides a way to find a
life forward direction. Focusing is used in:
- Mental Health – A means of relating to issues in everyday life.
We want to keep these meetings informal and open, a
place where any idea or feedback is warmly received.
The aim is that we get fresh eyes on what we do and
how we do it and from here improve the experiences
of staff and those using Norwich Mind.
- Creativity – To open up formal research and also the
expressive arts.
- Spirituality - Relating to a variety of spiritual traditions.
- Therapy – I personally use it in counselling for drug and
alcohol issues.
- Community Wellness – Conflict resolution and community
building.
- Education – Providing exciting ways for children to develop
Over the coming months you will be introduced to
every service and project we are currently providing.
You will hear all about what they do and how they do
it. You will have an opportunity to help sculpt services
and even volunteer with them if you wish. The key
things to remember are:
and grow.
Early in 2015 I hope to be able to provide a greater
introduction to focusing and the
opportunity to experiment a little
with it.
Maybe this could provide
•
•
•
•
You attend as often as you want
All ideas and feedback are welcome
No one person is in charge
You can feedback anonymously
space for some ‘mustn’t grumbles’ to
be recognised, welcomed and, for a
few moments, warmly accompanied.
Alan Tidmarsh
To get involved just look out for the dates coming up in
the February edition of the Associates and let us know
you’ll be joining us. We look forward to seeing you there!
continued from page 5
Associate’s Workshop : Focusing Therapy
much less likeable than those who talk about their holiday
adventures.
Of course, it has to be acknowledged that this type of
research is at an early stage. Van Boven points to a couple of
potential problems yet to be investigated:
1. The experiments examined here looked at short-term
emotions - will these short-term emotions add up to long-term
happiness?
2. Highly materialistic people might actually get more
pleasure out of material purchases than experiences.
Despite these limitations, it seems that along with
experimental evidence, there are also some good
psychological reasons why experiences are more likely to
make us happy than material possessions. On top of this, at
some level we do seem to understand that experiences
probably beat possessions in terms of happiness.
Set against this is the fact that we clearly live in a society
awash with materialism, where objects are valued way
beyond their possible contribution to our happiness. So how
can this conflict possibly be resolved?
One answer to this question is that while we're likely to think
that other people are materialist, we defend our own
purchases as necessary and at worst, indulgent. After all,
To kick off 2015’s series of Associate’s Workshops we are
delighted to be running a session about focusing which
will be led by Alan Tidmarsh and Sarah Bean,
both focusing-oriented therapists who have met regularly
as focusing partners for the last five years. Alan also
offers counselling to drug and alcohol clients. Recently he
has completed a PhD at UEA researching the application
of focusing to therapy for addiction. His academic papers
can be found here and his thesis here. Sarah has a
general counselling practice and works particularly with
those dealing with the impact of cancer. The session in January will introduce the theory and
practice of focusing with particular reference to the Six
Steps, namely clearing a space, felt sense, handling,
resonating, asking and receiving (see here for more
details). Participants will then be given the opportunity to
practice focusing for themselves and reflect a little about
the experience. Focusing is used in the treatment of
trauma, addiction as well as cultivating creativity and
concentration
Please book early
to avoid
disappointment!
To book call :
01603 432457
ext 219
Date: 23rd
January
Location: Norwich
Time: 1830 - 2030
materialism is a dirty word. A dirty word that's on everyone's
minds.
Jeremy Dean
To read the complete article click here to visit Psyblog
from
Associate Social
Date: 23rd January
Location: Cafe Bar Marzano - The Forum Norwich
Time: 1700 - 1830
There’s no need to book for the social
and feel free to bring people along if
you’d like. To find us on the day look
for the MFA cap or give us a ring
beforehand and we’ll meet you by the
entrance to the forum.