What do I do now?
ONEinFOUR Magazine (London, UK)
Summer 2007 Issue
Change is always a part of life. An ongoing mental health difficulty or a serious period of being mentally unwell or in distress is no exception. Mark Brown explores different ways of moving on
Whether it’s a new child, a different job or something more unpleasant like illness or bereavement, events often give us cause to think about what we want out of life and reconsider our aims and ambitions. For many people, receiving a diagnosis that explains their condition or experiencing a period of extended or severe mental distress makes them wonder about where they are with their life and where it might go in future.
Sometimes, having a mental health difficulty will change our lives by making some things harder, or limit us in what we feel capable of doing, or in some cases, makes it more sensible to avoiding doing some things altogether. If a period of severe distress comes after a much longer period of being well or if it happens for the first time it can be a really shocking, worrying and undermining experience.
It may not seem like it but this is a good time to make changes and rethink what we do with our time to make sure that we get the best out of life.
Progress gradually…Keep trying!
For many people, it’s a struggle at first to accept having a condition, because it can be hard to think of ourselves as people with an ongoing difficulty that will influence our life choices. Once we’ve accepted our situation enough to receive treatment and help, the next challenge is to move beyond that diagnosis and find new ways of defining what we want out of life and how we’re going to get it.
“I found if I made sudden changes to my life then they backfired in one way or another” advises Guy Hill, a member of Hear Us South Croydon. “Simply setting goals from getting out of bed to eventually doing voluntary work or going back to work can be achieved if done in stages. Don't worry if you have a relapse, it's not a disaster, it’s just your body's way of saying you aren't quite ready yet, keep trying!”
The simplest piece of advice from anyone who has successfully become involved in new things, whether social, voluntary or job-related after a period of inactivity due to their illness, is to take things slowly. We all have limitations, whether we have a mental health difficulty or not. Too much change, too quickly, is stressful for anyone. Setting realistic goals, remaining hopeful and finding the help or support that you need are vital.
It’s really important that you aspire to have the best life that you can, but don’t expect it to happen overnight, or all at once. The path through life is one that is made of many stages. If you make each stage too hard, you’ll end up becoming disillusioned or you’ll stop paying attention to the things that help you to feel better.
Be kind and supportive to yourself. Don’t judge yourself too harshly but keep positive and cheer yourself on!
Getting back in touch with the world
One of the problems of mental health difficulty is that it can lead to period of feeling cut off from the world, or periods of loneliness. It can be a hugely positive step to get out there and meet new people, because new people mean new opportunities, new ideas and the possibility of new things happening: all positive changes.
Supporting yourself to get out and about socially can be important, as can finding new hobbies or interests. Some people find it useful to join organised activities, and find that joining new services can lead to exciting new developments.
Phil Jones, a service user from Beckenham, was glad that he made that step: “I was lucky enough to join a local group, Horizon House in Bromley. My membership gave me a structure to my day and contact with local people. It gave me a reason to get up in the mornings and to get washed and dressed, I perceived my involvement as my work, so going there became my job. As I recovered, I undertook one of their work placements at a local college library. I found that being busy eased my symptoms as I didn't have so much time to sit, think and worry. As time went by, I began to believe in a future for myself.”
Working - the biggest step?
The old image of mental health difficulty suggests that once diagnosed, a lifetime of unemployment will follow. While some people to find it necessary to leave their jobs, a lot of employers are willing to work with someone who lives with a mental health difficulty to help them to stay in post.
Other employers consider mental health difficulty as an ongoing disability. These employers will display the ‘Positive about Disabled People’ logo in job adverts and other material, meaning that they have active policies about recruiting and retaining people with disabilities, including people with mental health difficulties. This is regulated and monitored by Jobcentre Plus.
Katherine Quilty currently works for South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and has an ongoing mental health difficulty. For her, getting back into work and staying there is a hugely important aspect of her life: “It's always a difficult step to take to move on with your life. It's scary and anxiety provoking - but, for me, necessary. Getting back to work after a lengthy absence was hard but I'm so glad that I did it. I love my job and the people that I work with, without both I would be lost.”
Volunteering
It can be a massive step to go from considering yourself as someone who is ill to accepting yourself as someone who can overcome your limitations and connect with others, meet challenges and responsibilities and contribute to the wider world.
If you don’t feel ready to jump straight back into the employment market, or have been away from the world of work for a long time, volunteering can be a positive and enjoyable experience with many spin-off benefits.
Tim Oldham, a coordinator for Hear Us South Croydon, says that voluntary work was essential in getting him back in touch with people and the wider world: “I spent three years with my curtains closed in darkness being miserable. My Community Psychiatric Nurse suggested that I do voluntary work. Getting out doing voluntary work enabled me to meet other people like me. This enabled me to laugh for the first time, those first laughs enabled me to change the way I chose to live my life. If I hadn’t met and listened to other people who were also down in the mouth but had looked for another way of living with mental health problems then I wouldn’t have been inspired to fight back.”
Bee Harries, a service user from Sydenham, prefers to organise her own voluntary work and makes the point that volunteer opportunities stretch far wider than those directly concerned with mental health: “I’ve always tried to get involved with agencies that don’t fall under the mental health services umbrella, like local support teams.”
The key to successful volunteering is knowing what you’d like to do and finding appropriateopportunities. When you volunteer you should have the same rights to training, supervision and support as full-time employees, and should find an organisation or opportunity that reflects what you want.
Some people see volunteering as a stepping stone into work, while others see it as a worthwhile opportunity to meet people, contribute to the community and to make things happen based on conviction, belief and selflessness rather than money. Michael John Watkins finds editing a monthly newsletter rewarding: “After having mental health problems for quite a few years, I found a part-time job working 10 hours a week being an editor of a service users magazine.”
Work placements and support
Adrian Godfrey, a service user in Lewisham, made the decision that getting back to work was the right thing for him, but felt uncertain about his prospects and readiness: “I came off antidepressants at Christmas last year and the time felt right to retrain and return to work. This was going to be difficult because I had not worked for four years and my long term prospects were not all that. My dream job was to work in an office environment, I am a stickler for paperwork and do enjoy word-processing. In January this year, I joined a gateway project at Lewisham Hospital where I began a six month work placement in the offices at the hospital. This has been the making of me, has given me a lot of much needed confidence and self-esteem, both up until this point sadly lacking. During my placement I have undertaken a whole range of duties and the feedback on my performance has been encouraging, so much so I have been encouraged to apply for several internal vacancies.”
It is usually possible to make arrangements with Jobcentre or Jobcentre Plus to see a Disability Employment Advisor who can advise you of available options.
Overcome self-doubt
Moving on from the worst aspects of mental health difficulty and finding purpose and fulfillment is about accepting that there can always be more to life and not settling for a life completely defined by your condition. Adrian Godfrey thinks so: “No matter how bad or hard it may seem when you are living through your darkest period, there is always light at the end of the tunnel”.
Maki Spandoulis, a service user in London, sums up the positive approach to making changes and moving beyond being a person defined by mental health difficulty to being a person getting the best out of life: “Don’t lose hope – hard work will get you there, even if your life is not ideal it can still be good."
----------------------------------
UK Employment & Volunteering Resources:
Jobcentre Plus
Your local Jobcentre plus has disability advisers and careers advisers who are specially trained to help you find employment and they also provide courses which are free if you are a unemployed which will help you refresh your skills or learn new ones
Tel: 0845 6060 234
Shaw Trust
Shaw Trust is a national charity that provides training and work opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability, ill health or other social circumstances. The website has information on supported employment, creating your own social enterprise, accredited training and government-funded services to support people moving from benefits to work
Tel: 0800 085 1001
Capital Volunteering
Capital Volunteering is a pan-London programme which aims to tackle issues of mental health and social inclusion, through volunteering. The lead partners are Community Service Volunteers and the London Development Centre
Tel: 020 7833 0057
TimeBank UK
Timebank is a national charity inspiring and connecting a new generation of people to volunteer in their communities and enabling charitable organisations and businesses to develop innovative and effective volunteer recruitment programmes
Tel: 0845 456 1668
ONEinFOUR Magazine (London, UK)
Summer 2007 Issue
Change is always a part of life. An ongoing mental health difficulty or a serious period of being mentally unwell or in distress is no exception. Mark Brown explores different ways of moving on
Whether it’s a new child, a different job or something more unpleasant like illness or bereavement, events often give us cause to think about what we want out of life and reconsider our aims and ambitions. For many people, receiving a diagnosis that explains their condition or experiencing a period of extended or severe mental distress makes them wonder about where they are with their life and where it might go in future.
Sometimes, having a mental health difficulty will change our lives by making some things harder, or limit us in what we feel capable of doing, or in some cases, makes it more sensible to avoiding doing some things altogether. If a period of severe distress comes after a much longer period of being well or if it happens for the first time it can be a really shocking, worrying and undermining experience.
It may not seem like it but this is a good time to make changes and rethink what we do with our time to make sure that we get the best out of life.
Progress gradually…Keep trying!
For many people, it’s a struggle at first to accept having a condition, because it can be hard to think of ourselves as people with an ongoing difficulty that will influence our life choices. Once we’ve accepted our situation enough to receive treatment and help, the next challenge is to move beyond that diagnosis and find new ways of defining what we want out of life and how we’re going to get it.
“I found if I made sudden changes to my life then they backfired in one way or another” advises Guy Hill, a member of Hear Us South Croydon. “Simply setting goals from getting out of bed to eventually doing voluntary work or going back to work can be achieved if done in stages. Don't worry if you have a relapse, it's not a disaster, it’s just your body's way of saying you aren't quite ready yet, keep trying!”
The simplest piece of advice from anyone who has successfully become involved in new things, whether social, voluntary or job-related after a period of inactivity due to their illness, is to take things slowly. We all have limitations, whether we have a mental health difficulty or not. Too much change, too quickly, is stressful for anyone. Setting realistic goals, remaining hopeful and finding the help or support that you need are vital.
It’s really important that you aspire to have the best life that you can, but don’t expect it to happen overnight, or all at once. The path through life is one that is made of many stages. If you make each stage too hard, you’ll end up becoming disillusioned or you’ll stop paying attention to the things that help you to feel better.
Be kind and supportive to yourself. Don’t judge yourself too harshly but keep positive and cheer yourself on!
Getting back in touch with the world
One of the problems of mental health difficulty is that it can lead to period of feeling cut off from the world, or periods of loneliness. It can be a hugely positive step to get out there and meet new people, because new people mean new opportunities, new ideas and the possibility of new things happening: all positive changes.
Supporting yourself to get out and about socially can be important, as can finding new hobbies or interests. Some people find it useful to join organised activities, and find that joining new services can lead to exciting new developments.
Phil Jones, a service user from Beckenham, was glad that he made that step: “I was lucky enough to join a local group, Horizon House in Bromley. My membership gave me a structure to my day and contact with local people. It gave me a reason to get up in the mornings and to get washed and dressed, I perceived my involvement as my work, so going there became my job. As I recovered, I undertook one of their work placements at a local college library. I found that being busy eased my symptoms as I didn't have so much time to sit, think and worry. As time went by, I began to believe in a future for myself.”
Working - the biggest step?
The old image of mental health difficulty suggests that once diagnosed, a lifetime of unemployment will follow. While some people to find it necessary to leave their jobs, a lot of employers are willing to work with someone who lives with a mental health difficulty to help them to stay in post.
Other employers consider mental health difficulty as an ongoing disability. These employers will display the ‘Positive about Disabled People’ logo in job adverts and other material, meaning that they have active policies about recruiting and retaining people with disabilities, including people with mental health difficulties. This is regulated and monitored by Jobcentre Plus.
Katherine Quilty currently works for South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and has an ongoing mental health difficulty. For her, getting back into work and staying there is a hugely important aspect of her life: “It's always a difficult step to take to move on with your life. It's scary and anxiety provoking - but, for me, necessary. Getting back to work after a lengthy absence was hard but I'm so glad that I did it. I love my job and the people that I work with, without both I would be lost.”
Volunteering
It can be a massive step to go from considering yourself as someone who is ill to accepting yourself as someone who can overcome your limitations and connect with others, meet challenges and responsibilities and contribute to the wider world.
If you don’t feel ready to jump straight back into the employment market, or have been away from the world of work for a long time, volunteering can be a positive and enjoyable experience with many spin-off benefits.
Tim Oldham, a coordinator for Hear Us South Croydon, says that voluntary work was essential in getting him back in touch with people and the wider world: “I spent three years with my curtains closed in darkness being miserable. My Community Psychiatric Nurse suggested that I do voluntary work. Getting out doing voluntary work enabled me to meet other people like me. This enabled me to laugh for the first time, those first laughs enabled me to change the way I chose to live my life. If I hadn’t met and listened to other people who were also down in the mouth but had looked for another way of living with mental health problems then I wouldn’t have been inspired to fight back.”
Bee Harries, a service user from Sydenham, prefers to organise her own voluntary work and makes the point that volunteer opportunities stretch far wider than those directly concerned with mental health: “I’ve always tried to get involved with agencies that don’t fall under the mental health services umbrella, like local support teams.”
The key to successful volunteering is knowing what you’d like to do and finding appropriateopportunities. When you volunteer you should have the same rights to training, supervision and support as full-time employees, and should find an organisation or opportunity that reflects what you want.
Some people see volunteering as a stepping stone into work, while others see it as a worthwhile opportunity to meet people, contribute to the community and to make things happen based on conviction, belief and selflessness rather than money. Michael John Watkins finds editing a monthly newsletter rewarding: “After having mental health problems for quite a few years, I found a part-time job working 10 hours a week being an editor of a service users magazine.”
Work placements and support
Adrian Godfrey, a service user in Lewisham, made the decision that getting back to work was the right thing for him, but felt uncertain about his prospects and readiness: “I came off antidepressants at Christmas last year and the time felt right to retrain and return to work. This was going to be difficult because I had not worked for four years and my long term prospects were not all that. My dream job was to work in an office environment, I am a stickler for paperwork and do enjoy word-processing. In January this year, I joined a gateway project at Lewisham Hospital where I began a six month work placement in the offices at the hospital. This has been the making of me, has given me a lot of much needed confidence and self-esteem, both up until this point sadly lacking. During my placement I have undertaken a whole range of duties and the feedback on my performance has been encouraging, so much so I have been encouraged to apply for several internal vacancies.”
It is usually possible to make arrangements with Jobcentre or Jobcentre Plus to see a Disability Employment Advisor who can advise you of available options.
Overcome self-doubt
Moving on from the worst aspects of mental health difficulty and finding purpose and fulfillment is about accepting that there can always be more to life and not settling for a life completely defined by your condition. Adrian Godfrey thinks so: “No matter how bad or hard it may seem when you are living through your darkest period, there is always light at the end of the tunnel”.
Maki Spandoulis, a service user in London, sums up the positive approach to making changes and moving beyond being a person defined by mental health difficulty to being a person getting the best out of life: “Don’t lose hope – hard work will get you there, even if your life is not ideal it can still be good."
----------------------------------
UK Employment & Volunteering Resources:
Jobcentre Plus
Your local Jobcentre plus has disability advisers and careers advisers who are specially trained to help you find employment and they also provide courses which are free if you are a unemployed which will help you refresh your skills or learn new ones
Tel: 0845 6060 234
Shaw Trust
Shaw Trust is a national charity that provides training and work opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability, ill health or other social circumstances. The website has information on supported employment, creating your own social enterprise, accredited training and government-funded services to support people moving from benefits to work
Tel: 0800 085 1001
Capital Volunteering
Capital Volunteering is a pan-London programme which aims to tackle issues of mental health and social inclusion, through volunteering. The lead partners are Community Service Volunteers and the London Development Centre
Tel: 020 7833 0057
TimeBank UK
Timebank is a national charity inspiring and connecting a new generation of people to volunteer in their communities and enabling charitable organisations and businesses to develop innovative and effective volunteer recruitment programmes
Tel: 0845 456 1668
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