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Wellbeing and Mental Health During Covid

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Wellbeing and Mental Health During Covid

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Wellbeing & Mental Health During Covid-19

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Great Manchester HSCP Wellbeing Toolkit for Healthcare staff

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Great Manchester HSCP Wellbeing Toolkit for Healthcare staff

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Free workouts for all abilities

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Exercise Videos in Collaboration With InstructorLive

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Introducing workout videos that have been created in collaboration with fitness experts InstructorLive and range from 10 to 45 minutes. We will be releasing ...

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Covid 19 update Nov 2020: Adur & Worthing Wellbeing is still here, providing online and phone service to support people with: Smoking cessation support, Alcohol reduction, Falls prevention activities, Physical activity options, Cookery skills, Intuitive Thinking lifestyle courses, Healthy weight tips & Pre Diabetes information. We welcome new referrals and have a short waiting list in operation. If you were receiving support from the team prior to Covid 19 you will be contacted by a Wellbeing Advisor. If you would like more information, please call us on our usual number: 01903 221450 or email info.wellbeing@adur-worthing.gov.uk and leave a message; our support team will call you back. Further updates will be posted - please watch this space.

Find local Stop Smoking or NHS Health Check services

What's going on

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Covid 19 update Nov 2020: Adur & Worthing Wellbeing is still here, providing online and phone service to support people with: Smoking cessation support, Alcohol reduction, Falls prevention activities, Physical activity options, Cookery skills, Intuitive Thinking lifestyle courses, Healthy weight tips & Pre Diabetes information.

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This free online training course is for use by anyone who talks to insurance customers. It will help your staff improve their confidence in talking about mental health.

Free Sign up for free to access

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This free online training course is for use by anyone who talks to insurance customers. It will help your staff improve their confidence in talking about mental health. Free Sign up for free to access

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Take care of your mind

Looking after your mind is just as important as looking after your body, but it can be easily overlooked.

Every Mind Matters has lots of expert advice and practical tips to help you stay on top of your mental wellbeing.

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Take steps to improve your health. Lose weight, boost your mood, get active and quit smoking with Better Health. Try our free NHS tools and tips to get you started.

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Improve and maintain your mental health

If you're struggling with your mental health and wellbeing, this simple mental health quiz can help. It generates a personalised plan based on the information you provide.

If you want help to deal with anxiety or low mood, tips to reduce stress or advice on how to fall asleep faster and sleep better, start the quiz above.

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Take our quick, 5-question quiz for personalised tips and advice on looking after your mental health and wellbeing. Update your plan any time for new tips.

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On this page, you’ll find free resources to help support your staff’s mental wellbeing.

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Use this form to get support for yourself or someone else with:

healthy eating

increasing physical activity

reducing alcohol

stopping and cutting down smoking

losing weight

general wellbeing

Please start by entering your address, then you'll need to tell us:

your contact details

what you'd like support with

If you need help to fill in this form, you can:

We process, analyse and use your data in a range of ways to better understand what our customers need and to improve the way in which the council delivers your services.

Information provided in this form will be shared with healthy lifestyle services provided by or commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council in order to offer appropriate support.

Find more information about how we use your data, and the organisations we work with to offer support, in our privacy and data notice.

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Sign up for support from the Healthy Lifestyles Team

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Sign up for support from the Healthy Lifestyles Team

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Work through a mental health self-help guide for anxiety that uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

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This guide provides you with tips on how to look after your mental health at work. After reading this guide you should have an idea of: how to manage your own mental health at work; how to reach out to a colleague in distress; how you can work with others to make your workplace more mentally healthy for everyone.

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Podcast from Dr Chatterjee

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"Health has become overcomplicated. I aim to simplify it" In this podcast, we hear stories from leading health experts and exciting personalities who offer e...

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Welcome to the Body Coach TV where I post weekly home workouts to help you get, stronger, healthier and happier.

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Join Brighton and Hove City Council's Healthy Lifestyles team for information and advice on keeping active, being healthy and looking after our wellbeing during the lockdown period. The team will be hosting and posting lots of physical activity and other healthy lifestyles bite size clips to help you and your family's health and wellbeing.

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Adriene hosts the YouTube channel, Yoga with Adriene, an online community of over 9 million subscribers. She publishes free Yoga Videos and has a library of over 500 free videos and growing.

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Do yoga at home with our library of free yoga videos hosted by Austin TX yoga teacher Adriene Mishler!

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It continues to be an extremely difficult and challenging time for many people and this is having a severe impact on many people's health and wellbeing.

We've produced the following guidance to help you look after yourself and your friends and family.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

COVID-19 impacted on many of the normal coping strategies we use to deal with stress, and on the everyday activity that supports our emotional wellbeing.

You might find the following resources helpful:

Try mindfulness and meditation

Mindfulness and meditation can be really helpful tools for managing stress, anxiety and other mental health issues. If you've never tried them before, it's easier than ever to get started. There are lots of resources available online:

If you find it more peaceful to be away from technology, try sitting comfortably in a quiet space for 5 to 10 minutes with your eyes closed, focusing on your breath and breathing slowly.

Keep your mind active

Keeping your mind active and learning new things is good for your wellbeing. It can be a good idea to:

get creative - draw, colour, make a playlist, bake, write a song

get a new hobby - play guitar, learn to cook, try a new exercise

home school - there are thousands of online courses waiting for you

pay attention - take time to look at what's going on around you

Manage your 'stress bucket'

Stress is a part of everyday life. It can help us take action and work productively. But if our stress bucket becomes full, it can overwhelm us and impact negatively on our mental health.

Everyday stressors (like work, money and family) flow into that stress bucket like rain. But we also have ways of coping that allow this stress to flow out, like holes in the bucket.

But right now:

Challenge

Draw your own stress bucket. What are some of the 'rain clouds'? And what are some of the 'holes'?

Set a routine

Having a routine is very effective at warding off anxiety and worry. You could:

write a timetable for your week

pick regular times to exercise, eat, watch TV, read, do a crossword and so on

maintain normal sleep patterns

set regular hours, if you work from home

build in regular time to keep in contact with people

set yourself goals and build in new activity to your weekly plan

Connect with people

Connections with other people are the bedrock of our mental wellbeing.

Share your worries

It's normal to feel worried or helpless about the current situation and how its impacting on you. Share your concerns with people you trust. It may also help them to talk about it.

Help others

Helping others is a great way of boosting your wellbeing and can make a real difference to those you help. Make contact with others, reach out, check-in to show you care.

Get help if you're struggling

While it's normal to feel afraid and lonely at times, worsening mental health could indicate the need for outside help. It's okay to ask for more support to see you through this difficult time.

If you find yourself with very poor mental health and aren't able to pull yourself out of feelings of anxiety, depression, or fear, it's important to reach out for help:

Sussex Mental Healthline - freephone 0300 5000 101 - provides 24/7 support from registered clinicians and as well as crisis support, it provides psychological support to anyone with general concerns about their mental health, and if needed they can refer you for local assessment and treatment

Samaritans - call 116 123 - 24hrs a day, 365 days a year - you can talk to them about whatever's getting to you, in your own way, and they can also help you explore the range of help available

Community Roots - online or freephone 0808 196 1768 - a network of local services committed to supporting good mental health and wellbeing in Brighton & Hove

contact your GP or phone NHS 111 - be open about how you are feeling, talk to a friend and plan what you want to say, and if possible get someone you live with to accompany you

SHOUT - text Shout to 85258 - crisis text service for support with any mental health concern 24/7

CALM Campaign Against Living Miserably - phone 0800 58 58 58 - helpline for men of all ages, open from 5pm to midnight

Silverline - phone 0800 470 80 90 for information, friendship and advice for older people 24/7

Plan how you will continue accessing treatment and support for any existing physical or mental health problems, if possible.

Thoughts of suicide

Thoughts of suicide are not uncommon - a lot of people will have them - around 1 in 5 of us during our lifetime. Having these thoughts doesn't make it inevitable that you are going to take your own life. Thoughts of suicide do pass and there are things that you and other people can do to make your situation better.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, focus on what you need to do to keep yourself safe for now. Visit Preventing Suicide in Sussex to learn more about what practical steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

This can include:

finding ways to distract yourself that allow the feelings to pass

phoning a helpline or someone you can trust

avoiding using alcohol and drugs

removing things from your house that you could use to harm yourself

going somewhere you feel safe, if you can

knowing who you can contact if you need professional support - this might be your key worker, your GP, NHS 111 or others

making a Hopebox - a list, or photos, or objects that remind you of why you want to live

If you feel you can't keep yourself safe any longer, or if you have done something to harm yourself - call 999 now. The number is free.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

While it's natural to focus on managing your mental wellbeing during a crisis, we sometimes forget that our physical and mental health are closely related.

Whether it's a few star jumps in your bedroom, yoga, dancing or walking, exercise helps get the adrenaline out of your system and channels any stress or anxiety you may feel.

Very importantly, it will also keep the body well in terms of heart and lung, bone and muscle health. This can:

Evidence tells us that prolonged periods of sitting are not good for our health. So it's important to try to move around and be active as much as possible.

Can you stand up each time a TV advert break comes on? Can you walk up and down the stairs for a few minutes before sitting down for lunch?

Exercises you can do you at home

Our Healthy Lifestyles team shares a lot of useful online content which can help people of all ages keep moving.

Check the Brighton & Hove Healthy Lifestyles Facebook for updates on activities.

To help you stay fit while at home, you can follow:

Walking

Getting outdoors for some fresh air can really help with your wellbeing and green spaces, especially boost our wellbeing. Go out for a walk or run, spend time in your garden.

We've also produced a series of walking challenges designed for children and people with learning disabilities. From front door colour bingo to nature spotting, you can find the walking challenges on Facebook.

Or if you don't have Facebook, you can send an email to healthylifestyles@brighton-hove.gov.uk and we'll send them to you in a printable format.

Staying safe while exercising

Whenever you're exercising, please do so with caution and only if you feel well enough.

Read advice from the NHS on warming up before exercise and cooling down (stretching) after exercise.

Cycling

The council's online cycle map will show you the fastest, quietest and balanced routes using a way-finding function.

Ride Healthy has hints, tips and advice on getting back on your bike so you can ride safely and confidently.

Love to Ride is an online platform and mobile app that encourages cycling.

Use the Highway Code rules for cyclists for guidance on road junctions, roundabouts, crossing the road and more.

Sustrans is a charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle.

Cycling UK is a national cycling charity. Its mission is to enable more people to cycle. Visit the website here and use their resources to plan cycle and walking routes.

Zedify is a Brighton based zero-emissions delivery company that uses e-cargo bikes for first and last mile deliveries and local deliveries in Brighton & Hove.

Bicycle M-check and Learn to Ride - learn how to look after your bicycle by following the M-check system. There is also a useful video showing you how to do this.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

What is good sleep and why is it important?

Sleep is crucial to our overall health and wellbeing - we spend up to a third of our lives sleeping.

A continuous stretch of 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night is recommended, although studies suggest that sleep quality (continuity and depth of sleep) has a greater impact on good daytime functioning than overall length of sleep. Just one night of poor quality sleep can negatively affect your attention span, memory recall and learning ability.

Lack of sleep in the longer term can increase the risk of stress, anxiety and depression, while physical effects include an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses.

Sleep problems often resolve themselves within a few weeks, but longer stretches of bad sleep can start to affect our lives and work, and impact on our health in the short and longer term.

What are the signs of poor sleep?

Waking up several times during the night

waking up earlier than anticipated

waking up tired

feeling constantly tired

having a low mood or feeling irritable

lack of concentration and alertness.

...and what can cause it?

Pregnancy, breastfeeding and childcare

stressful life events such as divorce or bereavement

getting older, menopause and perimenopause

caring responsibilities

physical or mental health problems

existing medical conditions

prescribed drugs or medication

alcohol and substance misuse

too much screen time on your mobile device, computer, TV or games console

studying or working hours, being a commuter or a shift worker.

Top tips for better sleep

Stick to a sleep schedule - going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day helps regulate your body clock. Avoid napping in the afternoon if you have problems sleeping.

Get active - being physically active can help you sleep better, and doing gentle exercise before bed may also help.

Watch what you eat and drink - alcohol, caffeine, some soft drinks and foods such as chocolate can affect sleep. Cut down on caffeine after 2pm and avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary meals before bedtime.

Cut down or quit smoking - nicotine is a stimulant so it may take longer to fall asleep or your sleep may be disrupted.

Reduce screen time - avoid bright lights and any electronic devices for an hour or two before bed to help separate your sleep time from too much stimulation.

Establish a bedtime routine - help your body shift into sleep mode before bed with calming activities like having a warm (not hot) bath, reading, listening to the radio or quiet music.
Create a restful sleeping environment

Block out distracting noise and eliminate as much light as possible

keep the room cool, between 16 and 20°C, and well ventilated

use comfortable, inviting bedding with a good mattress

remove work, computers, televisions and phones from the bedroom.

Are you a night or shift worker?

If you often need sleep during the day, remember:

Still having trouble sleeping?

Don't lie awake in bed for hours feeling stressed. Try getting up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then go back to bed.

Write down your thoughts - set aside time before bed to make a list for the next day, which can help. If you have work-related worries you could chat to a colleague or your manager.

If problems with sleep are persisting and affecting your daily life and health, talk to your GP.

Getting support

Here's a few simple ways you can focus on improving your wellbeing, while still being productive, while working from home.

It's helpful to:

get work ready - shift your mindset, set a designated space in your house to work from and try dressing as if you were going into work

set schedules and goals - set yourself some simple goals for the day and break your work down into bite sized portions - schedule regular breaks and leave your workspace

get fresh air - make sure you get time to leave the house, even if it's your garden, or leaning out a window - go for a walk, run or ride if you can

balance work and home life -let your line manager know what kind of flexibility you need to manage commitments at home around your work schedule - would it be helpful to alter your working pattern?

manage expectations with colleagues and those you live with - not everyone has a dedicated home office space, so it's a good idea to be clear with both colleagues and your family or housemates about when you're in 'do not disturb' mode

offer and ask for help - show your support to colleagues during this difficult time, and similarly, don't hesitate to reach out when you need help - stay connected and make time for small talk

look after your mental and physical health - don't stay glued to your screen all day - take regular breaks and get up to move around. Be kind to yourself and remember we're all working through extraordinary circumstances

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

This is a challenging time. Show interest in the people around you. Show you care, through asking questions about how they're thinking and feeling. Don't be afraid to ask twice if you are worried. Check in, and continue to check in.

We can all play a role in helping people whose mental health is at risk. Showing you care, offering support and a listening ear can all go a long way.

As well as offering practical and emotional support we can help others by making them aware of the range of services and support still available: request help for yourself or someone else.

5 steps to helping others

1. Be aware - watch for the warning signs that someone might be struggling

2. Ask - trust your instincts and ask the person directly how they are doing and if necessary, ask again "Are you really OK?" - if you feel they may be struggling, let them know that you're worried about them and that you care

3. Listen - give them time and space to talk and be helpfully nosy - have a look at our listening tips on this page

4. Build support - explore what help they might need, build a circle of support through family and friends, have a look together at the resources on our website and set goals about what they can do next

5. Check in - keep checking in and letting the person know you are there for them - knowing someone cares can make all the difference

Look for the signs

The current situation will lead to heightened levels of anxiety for many people, and potentially in the longer term to a range of mental health problems if people don't get the early support they need.

How someone might behave

You might see:

changes in appetite or sleeping patterns

withdrawal from, or avoidance of friends and family

a stop in phone or social media contact

loss of interest in things, including their appearance

risky behaviour or increased use of alcohol and drugs

carelessness or lack of interest in work

evidence of starting or increasing self-harming behaviour

an increase in coping behaviour, like hand washing

difficulty making decisions and concentrating

How they may be thinking or feeling

They may experience:

sadness or anxiety that does not go away

a loss of enjoyment and interest in people and activities

a lack of energy, lethargy and tiredness

extreme mood swings, ongoing irritability or anger

developing unrealistic or excessive fears and worries

increased anxiety about their health

chest pains, shortness of breath

Thoughts of suicide

Being there to listen and to provide emotional support can be a lifesaver.

If you're worried that someone you care for may be feeling suicidal, it can be really hard to know what to say to them, or how to help. But thinking about suicide does not make it inevitable that someone is going to take their own life.

All of us have the ability to support someone who is experiencing thoughts of suicide, and to save lives.

Trust your gut instincts. If you are at all concerned that someone is having thoughts of suicide:

In addition to the general signs of mental health problems listed earlier someone having thoughts of suicide might:

Talking about suicide with someone can feel nerve-wracking but the best thing to do is ask directly. "Are you thinking about suicide?"

This will not put ideas in their head and will show them they don't have to struggle alone with these overwhelming thoughts.

Preventing Suicide in Sussex has more information on how to help someone with thoughts of suicide.

Download the Stay Alive app. This app is a pocket suicide prevention resource, packed full of useful information to help you stay safe.

You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.

It also includes a safety plan, customisable reasons for living, and a life box where you can store photos that are important to you.

Listening tips

The smallest displays of kindness, like picking up the phone to check in on someone, and the conversation that follows, could make the difference.

When you're listening:

avoid offering solutions - listening to someone's problems is not always easy and most of us want to make things better, but this not usually helpful - avoid fixes such as 'Have you thought of doing this?' or 'You should try that'

ask open questions - these are questions that invite someone to say more than 'yes' or 'no', like 'How have you been feeling?' or 'What happened next?'

offer prompts - encourage someone to talk more by saying things like 'Tell me more' or 'Can you say more about that?', or by repeating back important words they've said

give them time - it helps if you let them take the time they need to describe where they are at - make sure you have time to listen

take their feelings seriously - take whatever they say seriously and without judgment - don't offer platitudes or minimalise their feelings

avoid judgements - you might feel shocked or upset by what someone says, but it's important not to blame the person for how they are feeling - it may have been a big step to talk to you, and to place their trust in you

it's okay if you don't have all the answers - you're a human being too and what you're hearing might be upsetting or confusing - if you don't know what to say, be honest and tell them

give re-assurance - let the person know there is help available and that you care about them

There are lots of things we can do to look after children's mental health and wellbeing.

Mental and emotional wellbeing support for children still at school

If you have any concerns about your child's emotional or mental wellbeing, you're invited to talk to a Primary Mental Health Worker from the Schools Wellbeing Service.

Send an email to SWSConsultationLine@brighton-hove.gov.uk or phone 01273 293 481.

You'll need to give details of your name and phone number and a Primary Mental Health Worker will call you back. While we aim to call back within 2 days, we may have a high demand, so your patience is appreciated.

This is not a crisis number. If you need immediate support:

For other sources of support, please visit Find Get Give - mental health and wellbeing services for young people, parents and carers.

Support and advice for young people

Young people can use:

Young Minds Crisis Messenger - crisis text support for under 25s, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - text YM to 85258

Papyrus Hopeline - support and advice for young people - phone 0800 068 4141 between 9am and 10pm Monday to Friday, and 2pm and 10pm on weekends

The Mix - advice and support for under 25s - phone 0808 808 4994 between 4pm and 11pm

Childline - phone 0800 11 11 between 9am and midnight or use Childine's online 1-2-1 chat

Kooth provides free online counselling for young people over 11 years old

YMCA offers digital wellbeing resources

And if you're worried about a young person, you can use Young Minds Parent Line which provides advice for parents and carers worried about a young person. To get in touch, phone 0808 802 5544 between 9.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

Are you looking after someone, without being paid, who due to their health condition, disability, substance misuse, or mental ill health, needs regular practical, personal, physical or emotional support?

If so, then we'd consider you to be an unpaid carer.

Caring for someone while trying to maintain a life of your own can be challenging as well as rewarding. We understand the importance of the role you're providing and want to support you.

Around 1 in 6 people living in Brighton & Hove provide regular unpaid support to family or friends who need help. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is estimated that 1 in 3 people nationally provided essential care and support.

Carers can be of any age, including children, adults and older people.

Local support for carers

The Carers Hub is a local service created for all unpaid carers.

They provide a range of services including information, advice, peer support, the carers card (a discount card which entitles you to cheaper travel, shopping and more), and specialist assessments which can potentially lead to accessing respite options or carers' personal budgets.

Please contact them and find out how they can support you:
Get further information on local support available to carers
Additional support for young carers

If you're under 18 years old and providing regular care to another child or adult, please contact the Young Carers Project, as they have a range of specialist support for you - no one should be caring alone.

Backup care in an emergency

Do you have a backup, contingency or emergency plan for if you're unable to provide care?

Locally we have a carers emergency backup scheme, which supports carers to develop contingency plans. Additionally there is national guidance from Carers UK.

You can also access the Carers UK Digital Offer which has information, e-learning opportunities and give you use of the Jointly App.

Jointly combines group messaging and to-do lists with other useful features including medication lists, calendars and more, enabling you to communicate and coordinate with those with whom you may be sharing caring responsibilities. The Brighton & Hove code is BHCC_JT75.

Balancing caring with work

If you're juggling caring with work, both the local Carers Hub and the national organisation Employers for Carers offer support to both employees and employers to help unpaid carers.

Our local access code, which you will need to set up an account, is #EFC1769.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

If you have been affected by domestic or sexual abuse and violence you can talk to someone and get support from:

The Portal freephone 0300 323 9985

National Domestic Abuse 24hr helpline freephone 0808 2000 247

In an emergency call 999

If it is not safe for you to speak you can use the Silent Solution system - call 999, and if the operator hears no response, you will be directed to press '55' if you need help. The conversation will then continue in a way that allows the caller to communicate by using yes/no to answer questions.

The Respect Phoneline is an anonymous and confidential helpline for men and women who are harming their partners and families.

Additional resources

Further advice and support options relating to domestic violence and abuse.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

The council's Health Trainers offer behavioural support to smokers (including pregnant smokers) via telephone sessions. Medication to help you stop smoking will continue to be available.

To make a referral for yourself or someone else, please complete our online referral form. We aim to respond to all general enquiries within three working days and all referral enquiries within 10 working days.

Further advice

If you need to talk to us sooner or would like to discuss the service with the Healthy Lifestyles Team, please call us on 01273 294 589. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Get further inspiration and resources to help you quit smoking from Today is the Day.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

The National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) defines distinct phases Covid-19 patients may experience after infection:

acute Covid-19 - signs and symptoms of Covid‑19 for up to four weeks

ongoing symptomatic Covid-19 - signs and symptoms of Covid‑19 from four weeks up to 12 weeks

post Covid-19 syndrome - signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with Covid‑19, continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis. It usually presents with clusters of symptoms, often overlapping, which can fluctuate and change over time and can affect any system in the body. Post‑Covid‑19 syndrome may be considered before 12 weeks while the possibility of an alternative underlying disease is also being assessed

NICE defines 'Long Covid' as follows:

Long Covid - in addition to the clinical case definitions above, the term 'long Covid' is commonly used to describe signs and symptoms that continue or develop after acute Covid‑19. It includes both ongoing symptomatic Covid‑19 (from four to 12 weeks) and post‑Covid‑19 syndrome (12 weeks or more).

Your Covid Recovery

Your Covid Recovery is an online rehab service from the NHS offering general information and advice on recovering from Covid-19.

The service has been developed by experts representing a wide range of professional bodies and societies alongside people who have experienced Covid. It will support you to restore your physical and emotional well-being.

View our coronavirus information web pages.

Guidance on returning to work after Covid

The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) has published guidance on returning to work after recovery from Covid:

Bereavement support

These resources cover some of the different situations and emotions bereaved people may have to deal with.

Information for employers - supporting an employee through bereavement

Employers should consider that everyone deals with death differently, and each employee's needs will be different. Supporting an employee can help them feel valued and reduce their stress or anxiety.

When an employee tells you about a death

It's good practice to:

offer your condolences

assure them they don't need to work if they don't want to, and make it clear that work should come second to looking after their wellbeing

ask how they'd like to keep in touch

ask if there's any important work they need someone else to cover, if appropriate.

If someone is upset they might not be able to talk for long, or someone else might contact you on their behalf. If this happens, it can help to follow up with an email, or call them a few days later.

Communicating in a calm, empathetic way can help employees feel supported, valued, and help ease their anxiety about work.

Keeping in touch while an employee is off

In the first few days after a death it's important to communicate with the employee.

When you get in touch, it's good practice to ask:

how they are

how they'd like to be in contact while they're off, for example by phone or email, and how often

if they want you to let others know about the death

if they want to be contacted by others from work, for example to offer their support or condolences

if they need any information or support from you, and signpost to any support that's available to them

if they've thought about returning to work, if appropriate.

Be careful not to pressure them into making any decisions before they're ready.

ACAS have some helpful resources on managing bereavement in the workplace and keeping in touch with an employee during absence.

Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

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It continues to be an extremely difficult and challenging time for many people and this is having a severe impact on many people's health and wellbeing. We've produced the following guidance to help you look after yourself and your friends and family. Return to the main coronavirus information web pages.

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Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
1. Connect with other people

Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can:

help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth

give you an opportunity to share positive experiences

provide emotional support and allow you to support others

There are lots of things you could try to help build stronger and closer relationships:

2. Be physically active

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

raising your self-esteem

helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them

causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood

Read about exercise guidelines and workouts to help improve your fitness and wellbeing

3. Learn new skills

Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem

helping you to build a sense of purpose

helping you to connect with others

Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.

Some of the things you could try include:

4. Give to others

Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by:

creating positive feelings and a sense of reward

giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth

helping you connect with other people

It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.

Some examples of the things you could try include:

saying thank you to someone for something they have done for you

asking friends, family or colleagues how they are and really listening to their answer

spending time with friends or relatives who need support or company

offering to help someone you know with DIY or a work project

volunteering in your community, such as helping at a school, hospital or care home

5. Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)

Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.

Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Read more about mindfulness, including steps you can take to be more mindful in your everyday life.

Further information

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Read about 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

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DISCLAIMER: It's important to note that people dealing with eating disorders should first consult with a certified health care professional before incorporating mindful eating as part of a broader strategy or treatment.

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DISCLAIMER: It's important to note that people dealing with eating disorders should first consult with a certified health care professional before incorporating mindful eating as part of a broader strategy or treatment.

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The Sussex Staff in Mind hub is a confidential support service for health and social care staff (both clinical and non-clinical) in Sussex. You do not need to inform your manager or GP when accessing the service.

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How Can We Help?

Brighton & Hove Sexual Health & Contraception Service (SHAC) is free, confidential & open to everyone.

Keep it or cancel it

If you don't need your appointment, there are 3 easy ways to cancel it. Text CANCEL to your SMS appointment reminder. If you booked online, log-in, click 'appointments' and 'cancel'. Or, call us on 01273 523 388. Keep it or cancel it, but don't forget it.

Find Out More

Where to find us

We offer a range of Sexual Health & Contraception clinics at 3 sites across Brighton & Hove. Our HIV Outpatients clinic is based at the Lawson Unit

Clinics

We offer a mix of on the day and pre-booked appointments

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Brighton & Hove Sexual Health and Contraception Service

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How Can We Help? Brighton & Hove Sexual Health & Contraception Service (SHAC) is free, confidential & open to everyone. Keep it or cancel it If you don't need your appointment, there are 3 easy ways to cancel it. Text CANCEL to your SMS appointment reminder.

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24/7 mental health telephone support and information service

Call and select option 2 or dial 0800 0309 500

The Sussex Mental Healthline offers listening support, advice, information and signposting to anyone experiencing difficulties, or who may be in crisis and in urgent need of help, with their mental health.

The service is free and is available to anyone of any age who is concerned about their own mental health or that of a relative or friend. This includes carers and healthcare professionals.

See below to find out more about this service or see our urgent help in a crisis page for additional support and information.

We welcome Text Relay calls and New Generation Text calls from hearing and speech impaired callers, on 0300 5000 101.

If you require support with physical health symptoms please call 111 and select option 1, and if your situation is a health emergency, please call 999.

What does Sussex Mental Healthline do?

Mental illness and distress can occur at any time and our service aims to support people when they need us. Through the Healthline we can provide advice, help and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Who will answer the telephone?

The Sussex Mental Healthline is staffed by a team of experienced operators. Although we are not a counselling service, all our operators will listen and help callers to identify and clarify their immediate problems and to explore ways of coping or suggest alternative avenues of help.

What sort of help do we offer?

Our operators can offer general advice regarding managing mental health issues and suggest tools and coping strategies.

We can give information about available mental health services, how to access them and details about a wide range of support and voluntary organisations, both local and national.

Will my call be confidential?

Calls will remain confidential within the services provided by Sussex Partnership. Electronic records are kept of all calls and calls are audio recorded.

In circumstances where a caller is expressing an immediate intent to commit a serious criminal act, endanger themselves or others, or when a child or adult is at risk, the Sussex Mental Health line will inform emergency services and local authorities as appropriate.

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Call and select option 2 or dial 0800 0309 500 The Sussex Mental Healthline offers listening support, advice, information and signposting to anyone experiencing difficulties, or who may be in crisis and in urgent need of help, with their mental health.

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LGBTplus mental health

LGBT+ people are at a greater risk of poor mental health and wellbeing. As a minority, you may have to deal with difficult experiences like discrimination because of your sexuality or gender identity. This can have an impact on your mental health. This section looks at issues that may affect LGBT+ people and how to get support. This information is for LGBT+ people and anyone interested in LGBT+ people mental health.

Overview

LGBT+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans. The '+' is an inclusive term for people who don't fit into traditional categories of gender or sexuality.

Research shows that mental health problems, like depression and anxiety, are more common in the LGBT+ community.

There are specialist LGBT+ charities and mental health services that you may be able access for support.

The Equality Act 2010 states that no service provider or employer may discriminate against anyone because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, gender-fluid or non-binary.

What does LGBT+ mean?

What does LGBT+ mean?

'LGBT+' stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (trans) and others. The LGBT+ community is diverse, and the plus aims to include all identities.

We have used the term LGBT+ in our factsheet. But we realise that people identify themselves in many ways and that some people may prefer a different term to what we have chosen.

Sometimes you might see organisations describing themselves as 'LGBTQ+' or 'LGBTQIA' instead.

What does gay, lesbian, and bisexual mean?

Bi people have lots of different terms to identify themselves, such as 'pansexual' or 'pan.' This refers to someone who feels romantic and sexual attraction to people regardless of their gender identity or sex.

What does trans mean?

Trans is a term that describes people who have a gender that's different from the sex they were assigned at birth, either male, female or intersex.

Many people who identify as transgender will have gender confirmation surgery or take hormones to help their body and appearance match with their gender identity. But not all transgender people will want or feel the need for medical support.

Transgender people can identify as a woman, man, a combination of the 2, or something completely different.

What does the '+' stand for?

The plus (+) recognises that many people do not identify as LGBT, but do not fit into traditional categories of gender or sexuality.

Gender is increasingly being understood as being on a spectrum, rather than being binary. More and more people are identifying themselves as being on a spectrum between man and woman or as non-gendered. Lots of people have their own words to describe themselves rather than being defined as a man or a woman. You may hear people refer to themselves as gender neutral, gender fluid or non-binary.

What does LGBTQ+ or LGBTQIA mean?

The 'Q' stands for 'queer' or 'questioning'. Queer used to be used as an insult, but some younger LGBT+ people have reclaimed the word for themselves. Other people who identify as LGBT+ find the term 'queer' offensive.

The 'I' stands for intersex. Intersex people may identify as male, female, or non-binary. Including the 'I' can be controversial as some intersex people do not identify as LGBT+ and do not want to be part of the community.

The A stands for asexual. This is a term used to describe people who do not feel any sexual attraction.

LGBT+ and mental illness

Why are LGBT+ people more likely to have a mental illness?

Being LGBT+ does not automatically mean you will have mental health issues. But you may be more likely to develop mental health issues. A review of studies on mental health issues in the LGBT+ community found the following:

LGBT+ people are at more risk of suicidal behaviour and self-harm than non-LGBT+ people.

Gay and bisexual men are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide across their lifetime than the rest of the population.

LGBT+ people are 1½ times more likely to develop depression and anxiety compared to the rest of the population.

67% of trans people had experienced depression in the previous year. And 46% had thought of ending their life.

Stonewall's 'Prescription for Change' report found lesbian and bisexual women had higher rates of suicidal thoughts and self-harm compared to women in general. Of all the common sexual identity groups, bisexual people most frequently have mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidality.

The reasons why there are higher rates of mental health issues among LGBT+ people are complex. There are many experiences that LGBT+ people will often have to deal with as a minority community, such as stigma, prejudice and discrimination.

Some of the common issues are shown below.

Stigma from the medical field

Early medical professionals thought being LGBT+ was a mental illness. Homosexuality was seen as 'part of the problem' and people needed psychiatric treatment. This changed in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from their list of mental illnesses.

Up until recently the ICD listed gender identity disorders, such as people who have had gender confirmation surgery, as being a mental health disorder. In ICD 10 this was known as transsexualism. This is one of the reasons why the term transsexual may be offensive for some people. But in ICD-11 the term 'gender identity disorders' has been removed from the mental health category. And a new section on 'gender incongruence' has been included in the 'conditions related to sexual health' chapter.

This is a positive step for the trans community as 'being trans is no longer medically categorised as a mental health illness.

Discrimination and bullying

In 2018, the Government Equalities Office published the National LGBT survey. This survey showed that 40% of 108,100 responses had experienced a negative incident in the previous 12 months. The incident happened because they were part of the LBGT+ community. This statistic doesn't include incidents from people they live with.

The most common types of incidents are verbal abuse. 91% of LGBT+ people either did not report an incident at all or did not report it themselves. People said that they didn't report the incident because they felt:

that nothing would happen or change,

It isn't serious enough, or

It happens all the time.

Transgender people were around twice as likely to experience threats of physical or sexual harassment or violence compared with the LGBT community as a whole. The figures are 11% for those that identify as transgender, compared to 5% for the whole LGBT community. 6% transgender people have been physically assaulted.

Experiencing a hate crime can greatly increase the risk of mental health issues. It was found that 69% of LGBT+ people who had been the victim of a hate crime experienced depression and 76% reported episodes of anxiety.

A study of more than 15,000 workers found that 40% LGB+ employees and more than 55% of trans workers experienced conflict in the workplace over the last 12 months. This is compared to 29% of heterosexual and cisgender employees.

The same study also found that 16% of LGB+ workers and 18% of trans employees felt mentally unsafe in the workplace. This is compared to 10% of heterosexual workers.

19% of LGB+ employees have experienced verbal bullying from colleagues, customers or service users because of their sexual orientation in the last five years.

15% of LGB+ employees have experienced verbal homophobic bullying from their colleagues in the last five years.

25% of trans employees are made to use an inappropriate toilet in the workplace, or provided with none at all, during the early stages of transition.

Verbal, physical and sexual abuse is more commonly reported in transgender youth compared to cisgendered youth.

Nearly half of pupils who experience bullying have symptoms of depression.

You can find more information about 'Discrimination and mental health' by clicking here.

Coming out

For some people 'coming out' for the first time can be exciting and liberating. For others it can be difficult. It could be a combination of the two. It may not be a one-off event but something you do many times during your life.

If you come out and experience rejection, you may not want to come out again. You may feel that you have to hide your real self, which can affect your mental wellbeing and cause stress.

If you experience homophobia, biphobia or transphobia, you may turn these feelings inwards. This may lead to negative feelings about your own sexuality or gender identity. This can be called 'internalised homophobia or transphobia'.

Coming out to at least one supportive person, such as a friend or a work colleague, may lessen feelings of depression. It can increase your overall sense of wellbeing and self-esteem, compared to someone who does not come out at all.

But it's up to you to decide if, when and how you want to come out.

Young people

Research shows that young LGBT+ people are at more risk of mental health issues compared to people who don't identify as LGBT+:

Young LGBT+ adults are more likely to self-harm.

13% of those who identify as LGBT+ who are aged 18-24 have attempted to take their own life in the last year.

Symptoms of depression are more common and severe in young people who identify as LGBT+

Young LGBT+ adults are more likely to show symptoms of eating disorders.

Getting older

Many older LGBT+ people have experienced ill-treatment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity in the past. This could have been at work, from authority figures or their own family.

Some feel that their sexual orientation has, or will have, a negative effect on them when getting older. Their concerns are around future care needs, independence, mobility, health and housing.

Age UK have a section on their website for older members of the LGBT+ community. You can find the detailed of Age UK in the 'Useful Contacts' section below.

Substance abuse

In a report, 16% of LGBT+ said that they drank alcohol for more than 5 days per week in a 12-month period. This is compared to 10% of the non-LGBT+ community.

The report also showed that drinking increased for people aged 65+. Gay, bi-sexual and trans men are more likely to be affected compared with LGBT women and people who are non-binary.

LGBT+ people may be more likely to use drugs than heterosexual people. This is especially true for LGBT+ people between the ages of 18 - 24. Lesbian and bisexual women are more at risk of substance dependence than the rest of the population.

Heavy drinking or drug use can make existing mental health problems worse and potentially trigger new ones.

You can find more information about 'Drugs, alcohol and mental health' by clicking here.

Culture and identity

Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) LGBT+ people may face additional barriers when accessing support. This is shown in the following statistics about the BAME LGBT+ community:

62% are more likely to experience depression,

8% fall under communities that are higher risk of attempting to take their own life,

18% have experienced difficulty trying to access healthcare services,

51% have experienced discrimination because of their ethnicity from others in their local LGBT community, and

this rises to 61% for black people who identify as LGBT+.

You can find more information about 'Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and mental health' by clicking here.

Body image

You may feel pressure to look a certain way. 40% of adults who identify as LGBT are more likely to experience shame due to their body image, compared to 18% of non-LGBT people. Concern over body image can lead to an eating disorder or body dysmorphic disorder.

22% of people who experienced an eating disorder were from the BAME LGBT community, compared to 11% white LGBT community.

be very distracted with flaws in their physical appearance. These flaws will usually not exist or be very minor,

have repetitive behaviours, such as mirror checking, excessive grooming or seeking reassurance from others, and

have repetitive mental acts, such as comparing themselves to others.

The thoughts, feelings and behaviours can be difficult to manage and have a big effect on daily life. Such as issues with relationships, social situations and being able to function at work.

Most people with muscle dysmorphia, diet, do too much exercise and lift weights too often. This can sometimes cause bodily damage. Some people with the disorder use potentially dangerous steroids and other substances to make their body bigger.

Many gay and bisexual men report problems with eating disorders, with their weight, or their eating, in general.

You can find more information about:

Eating disorders by clicking here.

Anxiety disorders by clicking here.

HIV and medication

LGBT+ people living with HIV can find that their medication affects their emotional wellbeing. However, there are now many different anti-HIV drugs available. You could speak to your doctor for a medication review. There may be another type of medication that suits you better.

HIV specialists are very experienced in working with people who have depression and anxiety. If you have had any mental health problems, you should tell your HIV consultant when you start discussing treatment options.

Some anti-HIV medications and medication for mental illness cannot be taken together. But there are some which you can take together. You should discuss any medication issues with your HIV consultant and you're your psychiatrist or GP.

Accessing healthcare

LGBT+ people can experience more social isolation than the general population. This could make it harder to access support and treatment.

LGBT+ people and their carers may experience discrimination. This may affect their ability to access services and receive the most appropriate support.

A survey found that in gay and bisexual men who have accessed healthcare services in the previous year:

17% experienced inappropriate curiosity by healthcare professionals, and

10% of gay men and 40% of bisexual men weren't 'out' to anyone about their sexual orientation when seeking general medical care.

In the same survey it was found that:

30% of lesbians and 23% of bisexual women, have experienced inappropriate curiosity from healthcare staff,

27% of trans people have been 'outed' by healthcare staff without their consent, and

23% of LGBT+ people have heard negative or discriminatory remarks about people who identify as the same by healthcare staff.

Getting help

Where can I get help?

It is important to seek help and support if you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues.

Here are some suggestions about where to get support:

Specialist LGBT+ mental health services

There are often free, or low cost, counselling services available for members of the LGBT+ community. You can find these by searching online or by asking your local LGBT+ service.

Some LGBT+ organisations also provide mental health support groups, mentoring and helplines. You can find local services by searching online for LGBT+ organisations in your area.

Some of these services are listed in the 'Useful contacts' section at the bottom of this page.

You can also call our advice service on 0808 801 0525 or email us at advice@rethink.org and we can look for you.

General mental health services

However, there are steps being taken to improve things. The government introduced the NHS Constitution, which says that we all have the right 'not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services.' This includes sexual orientation and gender reassignment. All NHS services must comply with this principle.

Some NHS trusts have published their own LGBT+ guides for medical professionals.

If you are entitled to social care support, you can ask for direct payments. This means that your local authority gives you the money to buy the services you want. Direct payments give you more freedom to organise your own care. This means that you can choose a carer who understands and respects your lifestyle and who you feel comfortable with.

You can find more information about 'Direct payments' by clicking here.

LGBT+ support services

There are many organisations offering social and practical support to the LGBT+ community. There may be LGBT+ social groups, sports clubs or activities in your area that you could become involved in.

Many areas have services for younger people that can help with advice, support and meeting other LGBT+ people. Some areas also have services for older LGBT+ people to help them feel less isolated.

You can search online to find suitable services in your area.

Problems accessing services

What if I have problems accessing services?

Accessing general health services can be a difficult experience for someone who is LGBT+. People can be worried about disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity to health professionals. This may be in case they are misunderstood, or the service cannot meet their needs.

You may decide to come out to your GP or any other medical professional. It may help to talk this through with someone beforehand. You could practice the conversation with a friend. You may prefer to do this with someone you do not know. For example, you could talk it through with someone on an LGBT+ helpline.

What are my rights as an LGBT+ person?

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is illegal for a service provider to directly, or indirectly, discriminate against anyone who identifies as LGBT+. The NHS and any other organisation that offers services is a service provider.

Stonewall have a guide called 'Protecting Patient Rights' with the General Medical Council. This is about protecting the rights of LGBT+ people in health services. You can find it at:
www.stonewall.org.uk/sites/default/files/protecting-patients-your-rights-as-lgb-people-3.pdf.

What if I am not happy with my treatment?

If you are not happy with your treatment, you can:

talk to your doctor about your treatment and ask for a second opinion,

get an advocate to help you speak to your doctor,

contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and see whether they can help, or

make a complaint.

There is more information about these options below.

You may feel that your treatment needs to be changed. If your doctor does not agree, you could ask for a second opinion. You are not legally entitled to a second opinion, but your doctor might agree to it if it would help with treatment options.

Some organisations may have specialist LGBT+ advocacy services. You can search online to see if there are any local advocacy services in your area. You can also call our advice service on 0808 801 0525 or email us at advice@rethink.org and we can look for you.

'PALS'
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at your NHS trust can try to help you with any problems or issues you have with an NHS service. You can find your local PALS' details at:
www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services/Patient%20advice%20and%20liaison%20services%20(PALS)/LocationSearch/363.

You can find more information about:

Second opinions by clicking here.

Advocacy by clicking here.

Complaining about the NHS or social services by clicking here.

Useful contacts

Age UK
An organisation that offers guidance and support for older people who may be experiencing difficulties in accessing services or care. They have a section on their website which is written for older people of the LGBT+ community. It can be found using this link: www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/relationships-family/lgbt/

Telephone: 0800 678 1602 or 0800 055 6112
Email via website: www.ageuk.org.uk/contact-us/information-and-advice//
Website: www.ageuk.org.uk

The Asexual Visibility and Education Network
Hosts the world's largest online asexual community as well as a large archive of resources on asexuality. Provides email to support to people who identify as asexual and their friends and family.

Being Gay is Okay
A service that gives online information and advice for under 25-year olds.

Telephone: 01483 727667 (Tuesday and Sunday only, 7:30pm - 10pm)
Email via website: www.bgiok.org.uk/contact/contact_main.html
Website: www.bgiok.org.uk

The Beaumont Society
A national transgender support network offering emotional support via a weekly helpline, as well as general information and support groups

Telephone: 01582 412220 (open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
Address: The Beaumont Society, 27 Old Gloucester St, London, WC1N 3XX
Website: www.beaumontsociety.org.uk/

Equality Advisory and Support Service
An organisation that provides advice on discrimination and human rights issues

Telephone: 0808 800 0082, (9am-7pm Monday to Friday, 10am-2pm Saturday)
Text phone: 0808 800 0084
Address: FREEPOST EASS HELPLINE FPN6521
Email via website: www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/app/ask/session/L3RpbWUvMTQ5Nzg3MDY0MS9zaWQvRFh2ZE92bG4%3D
Website: www.equalityadvisoryservice.com

GIRES (Gender Identity Research and Education)
A charity that provides information for transgender people and medical professionals, including research and links to support groups.

GMFA (Gay Men Fight Aids)
A gay men's health charity with lots of useful information on their website.

Email via website: www.gmfa.org.uk/Pages/Contact.aspx
Website: www.gmfa.org.uk

Pink Therapy
Pink Therapy has a directory listing qualified therapists throughout the UK who work with the LGBT+ community from a positive stance.

Mind Out
A mental health service for LGBT+ people which provides advice, information, advocacy, peer support groups, mentoring and wellbeing events.

Stonewall
A charity for all LGBT+ people both in the UK and abroad. They can provide information and advice. They have a database that can help you find local lesbian, gay and bisexual community groups or services.

Switchboard LGBT+
A service that gives national information and a listening service over phone and email and instant messaging. All volunteers identify as LGBT+ so the person answering the telephone will have an understanding of your situation. They are based in London but do take calls from the whole of the UK.

Local support. This list does not include local support in all areas of the country.

Antidote
A service that offers information and support exclusively to LGBT+ people around drugs, alcohol and addiction. Part of London Friend's service.

Birmingham LGBT Centre
Voluntary organisation providing advice and support to LGBT+ people in Birmingham. Offers counselling, well-being services and wide range of support groups.

ELOP (East London Out Project)
A London based LGBT mental health and wellbeing centre offering a holistic approach. They offer counselling, support groups, advocacy and young people's services.

Leicester LGBT Centre
Voluntary organisation providing support to LGBT+ people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Offers counselling and wide range of support groups.

LGBT Foundation
A Manchester based charity offering mental health services and resources to the LGBT community. This includes befriending, free counseling and a support helpline.

London Friend
A long-running LGBT+ charity which offers low-cost counselling, drug and alcohol services as well as social and support groups. Based in North London.

Metro
Provides health, community and youth services across London and the south east of England. Mental health support includes counselling, mental health drop-in, sexual health counselling and advocacy.

Telephone: 020 8305 5000
Email: hello@metrocharity.org.uk
Website: www.metrocentreonline.org

Opening Doors London
Provides a range of services and activities for LGBT+ people over 50 in London.

Outcome
An LGBT+ mental health service run through Mind in Islington, offering psychotherapy, counselling, art therapy, alternative therapies and activities.

Support U
Leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) help and support service based in the south east of England.

Telephone: 0118 321 9111
Address: 15 Castle Street, Reading. RG1 7SB
Website: www.supportu.org

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LGBT+ people are at a greater risk of poor mental health and wellbeing. As a minority, you may have to deal with difficult experiences like discrimination because of your sexuality or gender identity. This can have an impact on your mental health. This section looks at issues that may affect LGBT+ people and how to get support.

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ACAS Guidance on Coronavirus and Mental Health at Work

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ACAS Guidance on Coronavirus and Mental Health at Work

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Staff may need additional mental health support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly if they already have mental health problems.

In some cases staff may need support such as:

You'll need to be understanding towards the concerns and needs of your staff while they work in new or unexpected ways. For example, working from home or managing childcare while working.

You should also be understanding if staff need to take time off to look after someone else.

When talking about any difficult changes in your workplace, for example putting staff on 'furlough' (temporary leave), you should deal with matters sensitively. Staff may be feeling anxious or stressed so it's important to communicate in a clear and calm way.

Supporting your team

You should be approachable, available and encourage team members to talk to you if they're having problems.

Your management style should suit the needs of each person. For example, you could ask team members if they prefer to talk over the phone, through video meetings or by email.

You should keep in regular contact with your team to check how they're coping.

You should check:

how they're feeling

how their work is going and if they need support

if they have any concerns about safety if they're leaving the home to go to work

if they have the right set up when working from home

You can use 'Wellness Action Plans' to put steps in place to support your team's mental health. Find out more about Wellness Action Plans from Mind.

You should also make sure your team has realistic targets and clear priorities. Team members should still feel supported and motivated at work.

Supporting furloughed staff

It's a good idea to ask staff if they'd like to keep in touch while they're on furlough. You should agree how often you'll catch up depending on their needs. Staying in contact with employees can help them feel connected with their workplace. It's also a chance to ask them how they're doing.

Spotting possible signs of a mental health problem

Not everyone will show obvious signs of a mental health problem and it's important not to make assumptions. But some possible signs at work include:

appearing tired, anxious or withdrawn

increase in sickness absence or being late to work

changes in the standard of their work or focus on tasks

being less interested in tasks they previously enjoyed

changes in usual behaviour, mood or how the person behaves with the people they work with

It's harder to spot these signs if employees are working from home, you have minimal contact with them or when many are feeling a heightened level of anxiety and stress. It's important to regularly ask your staff how they're doing and create an environment where they feel able to be open and honest about how they're feeling.

The sooner you become aware that someone you manage is experiencing a mental health problem, the sooner you can provide help and support.

Talking to someone experiencing a mental health problem

Knowing how to approach and talk to a team member who has a mental health problem may seem difficult.

If you believe a team member may be experiencing a mental health problem, you should:

arrange a conversation as soon as possible, if appropriate

make sure you talk to them in private

be flexible about when and where

approach the conversation in a positive and supportive way

If a team member talks to you about their mental health

It may be difficult for them to take this step. So it's important you're calm, patient, supportive and reassuring.

When they approach you, you should thank them for opening up to you and give them as much time as they need.

During the conversation, you should:

listen carefully to what they say

try to identify what the cause is, for example by keeping questions open ended

think about ways to help, for example if there's any support they can get at work

reassure them - let them know you'll help them get the support they need

If either of you need to think about what's been discussed before any decisions are made, you should agree to have some time to think things through.

Being clear about confidentiality

You should reassure the person that you will not share anything they tell you with anyone else without their permission, unless there's a good reason to. If there is, you should be clear about who you'll share it with.

Reasonable adjustments for someone with a disability

If the person's mental health problem is considered a disability under the law, your workplace must consider making reasonable adjustments to help them carry out their job without being at a disadvantage.

Find out more about mental health legal rights and responsibilities.

Getting support for yourself

You may find that you need advice and support for your own mental health. For example, you may be under more pressure than usual to support your team and resolve problems.

It may be helpful to talk things through with someone who can support you, for example:

your own manager

someone else at work

through a mental health 'champion' or network at work

a counsellor, if you can access one through work

If your workplace offers counselling, it'll usually be through a scheme known as an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

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Staff may need additional mental health support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly if they already have mental health problems. In some cases staff may need support such as: You'll need to be understanding towards the concerns and needs of your staff while they work in new or unexpected ways.

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Trauma and Psychologically Informed Processes during the pandemic - Free online training

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Trauma and Psychologically Informed Processes during the pandemic - Free online training

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From grasping what COVID-19 actually is to understanding how you can support clients and staff throughout, whilst managing risk.

This course contains multiple videos, downloadable tools, worksheets, materials and links to further reading .

Length: 4 modules. Duration: 15 - 30 mins of study per module.

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From grasping what COVID-19 actually is to understanding how you can support clients and staff throughout, whilst managing risk. This course contains multiple videos, downloadable tools, worksheets, materials and links to further reading . Length: 4 modules. Duration: 15 - 30 mins of study per module.

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Community Roots - Mental Health and Wellbeing Support in Brighton and Hove

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Community Roots - Mental Health and Wellbeing Support in Brighton and Hove

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Mental Health & Wellbeing Support in Brighton & Hove

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We're a network of local services committed to supporting good mental health and wellbeing in Brighton and Hove.

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Service update: We are currently experiencing extended waiting times for assessment in some parts of our adult service. Our team will review your referral as promptly as possible and where we have longer waits, someone will soon be in touch with you to discuss your needs.

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Use this form to get support for yourself or someone else with:

healthy eating

increasing physical activity

reducing alcohol

stopping and cutting down smoking

losing weight

general wellbeing

Please start by entering your address, then you'll need to tell us:

your contact details

what you'd like support with

If you need help to fill in this form, you can:

We process, analyse and use your data in a range of ways to better understand what our customers need and to improve the way in which the council delivers your services.

Information provided in this form will be shared with healthy lifestyle services provided by or commissioned by Brighton & Hove City Council in order to offer appropriate support.

Find more information about how we use your data, and the organisations we work with to offer support, in our privacy and data notice.

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Sign up for support from the Healthy Lifestyles Team

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Sign up for support from the Healthy Lifestyles Team

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Coronavirus and Mental Wellbeing from WSCC

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Coronavirus and Mental Wellbeing from WSCC

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Looking after our mental health whilst socially distancing and self-isolating

To reduce the risk of infection from Coronavirus, the government has introduced measures that mean that we must engage in social distancing and, for those with symptoms of Coronavirus, to self-isolate. We know that there are wider impacts of the social-distancing measures, including economic impacts, social impacts through loss of contact and loss of routine or enjoyable social activity and specifically, impacts on mental health.

Although this is a time of uncertainty, following reliable sources of information from central and local government and the NHS, and avoiding sources of information which are prone to sensationalise, can help to reduce anxiety and provide clarity.

The good news is, by following the Five ways to wellbeing, there are lots of ways that family, friends, carers and organisations can look after our mental health and help to support others to create a positive strategy to maintain their mental wellbeing.

Be active

Keeping physically active is important for our physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as for boosting our immunity.

While you may be unable to participate in your regular activities, there are plenty of other forms of activity which can be enjoyed. A 10-minute walk or cycle around the neighbourhood or a few strength exercises such as squats, push ups or sit ups can improve our mood. If you have a dog, taking them out for daily exercise will allow you both to enjoy a short time away from home.

Avoid long periods of not moving at all, particularly when online or working from home. Take regular breaks from the screen - do ten sit-to-stand moves from your chair or some arm raises above your head. All movement counts!

There are a number of resources detailed in the TV schedule as well as online. The Active Sussex website has some great ways to get you and your family moving at home. Some local services, including our Wellbeing service, provide online video classes to enable you to carry on with, or join a new activity. Check your usual provider for details.

Outside of your household, all activities should adhere to the 2 metres (6ft) social distancing rule.

There are a number of options, for every level of fitness (see below). If you have a garden, doing these exercises outdoors will have further benefit.

Keep learning

Being at home can provide opportunities for learning new skills, or developing those you enjoy. Here are some ideas to get you trying something new:

Try learning to cook something new or learn to bake. Find out about healthy eating and cooking tips on the NHS website.

Work on a DIY project, or learn a new practical skill such as fixing a broken bike, garden gate or something bigger. There are lots of free video tutorials online.

Consider signing up for an online course. You could try learning a new language, learn sign language, learn to draw or a practical skill.

Try new hobbies that challenge you, such as writing a blog, trying knitting or sewing, make a scrap book or try trace your family tree.

Challenge your brain with online puzzles, or puzzle books.

Connect

It has never been easier to stay connected to the outside world and with our support networks from our homes. Using technology can be a great way of maintaining connections with people during social-distancing measures.

If you are well and not self-isolating, take time each day to be with those you live with, for example, try arranging a fixed time to share a meal and talk.

Arrange a time to talk with people you are used to seeing so you can structure your day.

Try switching off the TV to talk or play a game with those you live with.

Stay in touch with your colleagues or organise a group chat with friends.

If you feel you would like to help the COVID-19 response, you can look for volunteer opportunities happening in your area through your local council, Wellbeing hub or Facebook groups.

Check in with a telephone call to a friend or family member who needs support or company.

Search and download online community apps in the NHS apps library.

Give

Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing:

creating positive feelings and a sense of reward

giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth

helping you connect with other people

It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community where it is safe to do so. Some examples of the things you could try include:

saying thank you to someone for something they have done for you

asking friends, family or colleagues how they are and really listening to their answer

using technology to connect with friends or relatives who need support or company

offering to help someone you know with learning something new or sharing a skill - using technology to connect such as video calling

volunteering in your community, where it is safe to do so.

Take notice

Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Read more about mindfulness on the NHS website, including steps you can take to be more mindful in your everyday life.

Useful websites

In addition to the resources above, further information and support as well as positive ideas to keep mentally well are available on these websites:

Although this is a challenging time, there are still lots of positive things that we can do to maintain mental health and wellbeing whilst socially distancing and self-isolating.

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To reduce the risk of infection from Coronavirus, the government has introduced measures that mean that we must engage in social distancing and, for those with symptoms of Coronavirus, to self-isolate. We know that there are wider impacts of the social-distancing measures, including economic impacts, social impacts through loss of contact and loss of routine or enjoyable social activity and specifically, impacts on mental health.

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Pathfinder Mental Health Services in West Sussex | Support | Advice | Guidance

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Looking for advice, information and services to support your mental health and wellbeing or supporting someone else? Find out about local services here.

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Addressing Mental Health for LGBTQ+ People of Colour

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Addressing Mental Health for LGBTQ+ People of Colour

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Mental Health Brochure-for communits of colour

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Mind Brighton & Hove | for better mental health

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Mind in Brighton and Hove works to promote good mental health in our city and across Sussex. We seek to empower people to lead a full life as part of their community.