ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 MENTAL HEALTH NEWSPAPER WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK

Government launches Every Mind Matters Page 7

‘Alarming’ shortage of psychiatrists Page 9

Many mental health units are dangerously decrepit Page 11

Mental health on-screen The depiction of mental health in film and on TV: Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, Peaky Blinders and horror classics Page 39

SSRIs: How do Video games and Changing Lives Sam Fender they actually mental health: through Horses: review: Mental work? A complicated Therapy for health in focus on relationship troubled teens debut album Page 25 Page 27 Page 31 Page 47 Alcoholics Anonymous Mencap PAPYRUS www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk www.mencap.org.uk Young Suicide Prevention Charity 0845 769 7555 0808 808 1111 www.papyrus-uk.org 0800 068 4141

Alzheimer’s Society Men’s Health Forum www.alzheimers.org.uk www.menshealthforum.org.uk Relate 0300222 1122 020 7922 7908 www.relate.org.uk 0300 100 1234

Anxiety UK Mental Health Foundation www.anxietyuk.org.uk www.mentalhealth.org.uk Refuge 08444 775 774 www.refuge.org.uk 0808 802 5544 Mind BEAT www.mind.org.uk www.b-eat.co.uk 0300 123 3393 Rethink Mental Illness 0800 801 0711 www.rethink.org 0300 5000 927 Narcotics Anonymous Bipolar UK www.ukna.org www.bipolaruk.org.uk 0300 999 1212 Samaritans 0333 323 3880 www.samaritans.org.uk 116 123 No Panic CALM www.nopanic.org.uk www.thecalmzone.net 0844 967 4848 Sane www.sane.org.uk [email protected] Cruse Bereavement Care NSPCC 0845 767 8000 www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk www.nspcc.org.uk 0844 477 9400 0808 800 5000 Shout www.giveusashout.org Depression Alliance OCD Action Text SHOUT to 85258 www.depressionalliance.org www.ocdaction.org.uk 0845 390 6232 Victim Support Family Lives www.victimsupport.org www.familylives.org.uk OCD UK 0808 168 9111 0808 800 2222 www.ocduk.org 0845 1203778 Young Minds Gamblers Anonymous www.youngminds.org.uk www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk 0808 802 5544 0845 769 7555 3

The Aspire2 Mental Health Media and Events team: Awareness, self-diagnosis and

Editorial irresponsible language Welcome to the November edition of Awareness about mental health will Sam Aspire2. We hope you had a happy help to reduce the stigma, which might Senior Editor and Digital Designer World Mental Health Day and enjoyed in turn help people in the future seek [email protected] our special edition on the day. diagnosis, but it certainly won’t help people who need help now. Alex In October we saw the Royals launch Deputy Editor, Feature the government’s Every Mind Matters What those with severe mental health Correspondent and Digital Artist campaign (see page 7) and ITV launch conditions need, immediately, is proper [email protected] their Britain Get Talking initiative (page treatment, performed by professionals. 6). There’s been a lot of talk about Tom raising awareness and keeping the On another note, we’re now heading Digital & Media Pod Correspondent conversation about mental health going. for another general election in which [email protected] Brexit will be the main talking point. It Though hopefully created with good will be interesting to see if mental health Management intentions, many see the Every Mind is mentioned by political parties, and if Matters campaign as something of much-needed investment in our mental a smokescreen by the government health services is promised. Peter to paper over the cracks of under- Operations Manager investment in mental health services. Prior to the announcement that an [email protected] election would go ahead, prime Though the government announced minister Boris Johnson once again told Connor that it would invest a record amount Jeremy Corbyn to ‘man up.’ Given the Deputy Operations Manager in mental health in the UK this year tragic suicide rate for men in the UK [email protected] (£12bn), it seems this simply isn’t (which increased last year), this type of enough. language from the country’s leader is Marketing and PR highly irresponsible. The idea that men Indeed, the UK is facing a psychiatry should be any certain way stops them Tiegan crisis (see page 9) and a shortage of from getting the help they need, and Social Media & Marketing Manager suitable mental health wards (page this kind of toxic masculinity has no [email protected] 11) with trusts and charities urging the place in society. government for further investment. James Currently, 10% of UK consultant This edition of Aspire2 has an in-depth Public Relations/Media & Digital psychiatrist positions are unfilled – a focus on the portrayal of mental Consultant figure which has almost doubled in just health on-screen. Given the Halloween [email protected] six years. And though the government festivities and the recent release of has pledged to invest in 40 new the smash hit Joker, many of you will Advertising and Sales hospitals for physical conditions, mental have recently watched depictions health hospitals will receive a fraction of of mental health conditions. How that. Bobby accurate are they? See page 39 for Advertising & Sales Manager the full section. Every Mind Matters essentially asks [email protected] people to self-diagnose their mental Thank you for reading and have a health conditions to try and take the fantastic November. Finance and Administration pressure off local mental health services by treating “less severe” conditions Sam Atkin, Senior Editor. Janet with things like going for a jog or doing Finance & Administration something you enjoy. These things will If you would like to find out more Consultant help for some people. But for those with about Aspire2, enquire about [email protected] serious mental health conditions who advertising or if you wish to are scared to seek help, telling them contribute editorial content, please Follow us on social media: that they might not need to see their get in touch at: GP and to try other things first is deeply [email protected] or irresponsible. [email protected]

WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 4

We support...

YOU?

If you would like your mental health charity to appear here, contact Peter at [email protected]

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK NEWS 5

Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain reveals PTSD is a result of childhood sexual assault

Nadiya Hussain, who famously won of bullying at her school in Luton, 2015’s Great British Bake Off, has including an incident where boys forced revealed that she was sexually assaulted her head into a toilet, which she still has aged five by a relative in Bangladesh. flashbacks about now.

Hussain has spoken previously about She has also written about how she her lifelong struggle with anxiety and tried to take her own life aged 10. said she considered killing herself when she was 10. The trauma of the assault “I didn't know what death was. All I “played a role” in her subsequent knew was that it meant not living the PTSD. life I had now - and I didn't like my life,” she writes. She told the Mail on Sunday that the memory of the event has “stayed with Hussain explained how the bullying her forever.” affected her in the BBC One documentary Nadiya: Anxiety and Me, Hussain’s forthcoming book, Finding My earlier this year. Voice, is the first time she has written about the assault. In the documentary, she allowed cameras to follow her as she sought I think it's important to talk about it diagnosis and treatment for extreme because it probably happens much anxiety. more than we care to talk about," she said. In 2017, she described her constant struggle with a panic disorder she calls The book explains how she was a victim a “monster.”

Help for suicidal thoughts

If you're feeling like you want to die, it's Papyrus – for people under 35 important to tell someone. Call 0800 068 41 41 – Monday to IMPORTANT Friday 10am to 10pm, weekends 2pm Help and support is available right to 10pm, bank holidays 2pm to 5pm Is your life in danger? now if you need it. You don't have to Text 07786 209697 struggle with difficult feelings alone. Email [email protected] If you have seriously Phone a helpline Childline – for children and young harmed yourself – for These free helplines are there to help people under 19 example, by taking a when you're feeling down or desperate. Call 0800 1111 – the number won't drug overdose – call show up on your phone bill Unless it says otherwise, they're open 24 999 for an ambulance hours a day, every day. The Silver Line – for older people or go straight to A&E. Call 0800 4 70 80 90 Samaritans – for everyone Call 116 123 Talk to someone you trust Or ask someone else to Email [email protected] Let family or friends know what's going call 999 or take you to on for you. They may be able to offer A&E. Campaign Against Living Miserably support and help keep you safe. (CALM) Call 0800 58 58 58 – 5pm to midnight There's no right or wrong way to talk every day. about suicidal feelings – starting the For more information visit: conversation is what's important. www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide

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HBO to add mental Half of UK parents are worried health messages before some programmes about their children’s mental health American TV network HBO, But many are unsure how to support mental wellness famous for shows including Game of Thrones, The Wire and The Statistics from a new survey show that feeling from a young age. Strong Sopranos, will add messages to 55% of parents in the UK are concerned relationships mean young people can the start of episodes to identify the about the mental health of their share their feelings and worries more mental health challenges faced in children but don’t know how to talk openly, with confidence that they will be the programme. to them about it. Significant numbers listened to and understood,” said Emma also said they don’t engage in regular Thomas, YoungMinds’ Chief Executive. The It’s OK initiative is part of conversation with their children. HBO’s push for people to talk about "The expert advisers from our Parents mental health and will appear YouGov conducted ITV’s Britain Get Helpline have provided practical advice as alerts along the lines of “the Talking parent survey and found that just for the campaign’s website about how following programme contains 28% of parents would know what to do to raise difficult subjects with your depression,” encouraging anyone to take care of their child’s mental health children, and how you can help if who needs help to contact the despite 72% of parents agreeing that you’re worried they're going through a National Alliance on Mental Illness. mental health issues are rising among challenging time,” she added. They will be added to new shows children. Parents now believe mental and retrospectively to old titles. health is more of a concern than diet, Britain Get Talking was launched fitness or hygiene. by ITV in partnership with Mind and HBO explained that these are YoungMinds. It encourages making invitations to talk about mental Just 11% of parents talk to their children mental wellness a priority with regular, health, rather than warnings. about their mental health and only 58% meaningful conversation between of parents of teens have a meaningful parents and their children as an effective “We are not saying ‘viewer conversation with their teenager every way to connect with and support mental discretion is advised,’ we are day. health in young people. saying ‘viewer conversation is encouraged,’” "While many parents do an incredible It is the first stage of a five-year Jason Mulderig, HBO’s Vice job supporting their children, it isn’t commitment from ITV to promote President of Brand and Product always easy for young people to tell mental wellness with the goal of getting Marketing, said in a statement. their families if there are problems 10 million people to take action to at school, on social media or in their improve their mental or physical health Other networks including Netflix relationships with friends. That's why it’s by 2023. have introduced advisories about really positive that, through Britain Get mental health content, but these Talking, ITV are encouraging parents In support of the campaign, a Britain have been warnings rather than and carers to have regular conversations Get Talking website is now live online - what HBO has introduced. with their children about how they're itv.com/BritainGetTalking

If you are worried about your child’s mental health, YoungMinds can help. You can call their free helpline for confidential, expert advice.

0808 802 5544

Mon-Fri from 9.30am to 4pm – available in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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NHS Every Mind Matters initiative launched A new government campaign aimed at Within minutes of the advert being Of course, if you are worried about your supporting people with mental health broadcast the website crashed, thanks mental health, we urge you to seek conditions was launched on TV by the to a surge in web traffic. It was back advice from your GP. You can also talk to Dukes and Duchesses of Cambridge online soon after. one of the many mental health charities and Sussex in October. designed to help you. To get your own personalised mind A short film, which was narrated by the plan, visit nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind- To see the campaign’s launch video, visit quartet, was shown during simultaneous matters. There are only five questions youtube.com/watch?v=hMoLwGixWdM ad breaks on Sky, Channel 4, ITV, to answer after which you are given a Channel 5 and MTV to launch the new variety of advice. campaign.

The three-minute video was watched by an estimated 10.3 million viewers and also featured Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Andrew Flintoff, Nadiya Hussain, Clare Balding and Davina McCall. It described the new platform, a free website which will provide users with a personalised ‘mind plan’, with tips for managing anxiety, low moods and stress.

The initiative was created by Public Health England (PHE) and the NHS to help people look after their mental health. The aim is to empower people to practically manage their symptoms to stop their mental health escalating, easing pressure on clinical services.

£70m for community mental health services in England

The government has announced that services together to serve patients in The 12 pilots will be run in Cambridge around 1,000 additional mental health their communities,” said Mental Health and Peterborough; Hertfordshire and workers will be recruited in 12 pilot Minister Nadine Dorries. West Essex; North West London; areas around England. North East London; Herefordshire and “This funding, the first step in our extra Worcestershire; Lincolnshire; Humber The funding is the first portion of the £975 million investment in community Coast and Vale; South Yorkshire and government’s pledge to invest £975m mental health care, will allow local Bassetlaw; Cheshire and Merseyside; in community mental health services areas to recruit extra staff to run brand Frimley; Surrey Heartlands; and over the next few years. new specialist services, helping them Somerset. transform the lives of those suffering “[This announcement] will pave the from poor mental health,” she added. The funding comes as part of the extra way for a huge step-change in how £2.3bn planned to be spent on mental the health service supports those As part of the pilots, service providers health as part of the NHS Long-Term with mental health issues in their will be told to build closer ties with Plan, announced in January this year by communities. We know there are charities and local councils in order former Prime Minister Theresa May. many causes behind mental illness to support people with severe mental – including significant life changes, health communities, and to recruit staff Have your say problems at work or addiction – so with mental health expertise. Is this enough? Share your thoughts by it is only right that the NHS brings emailing [email protected]

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Outrage as jobseekers ‘Alarming’ shortage of psychiatrists as advised to call depression one in 10 UK consultant posts unfilled ‘low mood’ on applications

Welfare officials at Jobcentre Plus have told people to hide their depression on job applications and instead call it ‘low mood.’ Mental healthcare in the UK is Mental health charities have voiced their As reported by The Guardian, the experiencing a huge shortage of trained concerns at these worrying statistics. advice surfaced when a man in psychiatrists with services for children, Dorset shared a leaflet online that people with eating disorders and Tom Madders, campaigns director at he’d received from his jobcentre. The struggling postnatal mothers struggling YoungMinds said: ”We know from calls leaflet advises jobseekers to produce most with the staffing crisis. to our parents helpline that young a “positive health statement,” also people too often have to wait months suggesting that they should avoid A report by the Royal College of to access support. With more and disclosing if they have ME and Psychiatrists found that 9.6% of more young people looking for help, instead calling it a “fatigue-related consultant psychiatrist positions in the it’s crucial that action is taken to recruit condition.” UK are unfilled, a number which has and retain professionals specialising almost doubled since 2013. in children and young people’s mental The leaflet, created by the health.” Department for Work and Pensions 12.1% of posts in child and adolescent said: “You may wish to avoid terms mental health services (CAMHS) are “But we need to do more than this. such as depression, ME or low back vacant; slightly lower than the 13.1% There has been welcome investment pain and use more general terms of posts in perinatal mental healthcare in the NHS, but services will remain such as low mood or a mental health services for new mothers. 15.6% of overstretched unless more young condition, a fatigue-related condition, eating disorder consultant positions are people get help early on, before their an ongoing pain condition etc.” unfilled – the highest proportion of all problems escalate. That’s why we need disciplines. a new government strategy that focuses Mind said the advice was “really on tackling the factors that lead to worrying” and made clear that the These gaps in the workforce for poor mental health and improving early law should provide protection to psychiatry “come at a time of soaring support,” he concluded. disabled people – which includes demand for mental healthcare, with a people with mental health conditions shortage of psychiatrists contributing A spokesperson from The Department that have a substantial adverse effect to the lengthy waits for treatment many of Health and Social Care said: on normal daily activities. patients face. The impact on patients’ “Expanding the mental health workforce lives can devastating, including divorce, is a key priority. We know more work “Anyone who discloses a mental debt and job losses,” the report warns. is needed to meet rising demand on health problem at work deserves services and to ensure patients are to be treated with respect, and Professor Wendy Burn, president of getting the best treatment.” jobcentres should not be reinforcing RCPsych said the findings were “very stigma by advising people not to alarming,” and that they raised doubts The Royal College of Psychiatrists disclose,” said Ayaz Manji, a senior about whether the government plans has urged ministers and NHS chiefs policy officer at Mind. to improve mental healthcare would be to improve working conditions for delivered. psychiatry staff and increase the supply “People with mental health problems of homegrown doctors by doubling the have just as much to offer as anyone The shortages are worst in Wales, which number of places in medical schools to else in the workplace, and it’s right has a vacancy rate of 12.7%. England’s 15,000. that this advice is being challenged,” is 9.9%, Scotland’s is 9.7% and Northern he added. Ireland’s is 7.5%.

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Many mental health units are ‘dangerously decrepit’

Mental health patients are at risk caused by problems with staffing, of suicide because many of the facilities or treatment environments. buildings they are treated in are There were seven “never events” – dangerously decrepit, NHS chiefs incidents that are supposed to never have said. happen in mental health trusts, in 2018. Gucci model: Mental Crumbling buildings are unsafe as they can make it easier for mentally Despite the Government’s health is not fashion vulnerable people to fatally harm commitment to improve mental The Gucci model who used their catwalk themselves, according to the mental health services, with a record spend to protest against the brand’s use of health trusts in England. of £12bn this year, NHS Providers straightjackets will donate their fee to have made clear that units in need mental health charities. “Continued under-prioritisation of will not receive the funding they the mental health estate is having a need. Ayehsa Tan Jones, who prefers they/them real impact on patients. Mental health pronouns wore a straitjacket on Gucci’s trusts continue to be neglected The organisation has urged the runway in September and held up their despite clear evidence that critical Government to fund a generation of hands to reveal the words ‘mental health improvements are required. Mental modern psychiatric hospitals to match is not fashion.’ health trust leaders are increasingly the £13bn pledge to build 40 new concerned that the lack of investment hospitals for physical illnesses: The Italian fashion brand outfitted models places their patients at increased in straightjackets and outfits designed to risk,” said NHS Providers in a warning “The analysis stands in contrast to allude to mental health patients, which on their website. the recent funding announcements Jones described as in ‘bad taste’. from prime minister Boris Johnson. Claire Molloy, chief executive of None of the six hospital trusts given Gucci has confirmed that it didn’t know Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, funding to develop a new hospital or about the model’s intentions before the which runs mental health and learning the 21 trusts given seed funding in show, claiming that the jackets were not disability services within Greater the government’s health infrastructure made to be sold and were designed to Manchester, said: plan, and just three of the 20 hospital represent “the most extreme version of projects which received funding a uniform dictated by society and those “The environment has a significant earlier in the summer, are mental who control it.” impact on mental health patients, as health trusts,” it said. well as the staff caring for them.” Jones, who has suffered from mental Saffron Cordery, deputy chief health issues, said on their Instagram “It affects the rehabilitation and executive of NHS Providers, said: page: “Presenting these struggles recovery of people at an incredibly as props for selling clothes in today’s vulnerable and difficult point in “As our research shows, we have capitalist climate is vulgar, unimaginative their lives, and yet so many of the seen repeated warnings of the and offensive to the millions of people buildings are old and unsuitable,” she risks – sometimes fatal - arising around the world affected by these added. from the long-term neglect of our issues”. mental health estate. And we have This comes after the Care Quality heard repeated pledges from the “Models are not given the space to have Commission (CQC), the NHS government to ensure parity of a voice when it comes to what designers regulator, said that it was concerned esteem for mental health conditions.” put them in, what clothes they have to that too many mental health units wear. One of the things that sparked were “unsafe and provide poor “How bad does the situation have this protest was that I’m just fed up. I’ve quality care” in “old and unstable to get before these warm words been modelling for 12 years now. It felt buildings,” some of which date back translate into practical steps to ensure contradictory for me to not speak out to Victorian times. New figures have a safe therapeutic environment that and use this platform,” Jones told BBC shown a rise of 8% in patient safety respects the dignity and privacy of Newsbeat. incidents in mental health units patients who rely on these services?”

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Mental illness one of the ‘biggest emerging threats to children’, United Nations warns A decline in mental health is among the biggest emerging global threats to children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has said, warning that global leaders must address growing challenges facing the young.

“Childhood has changed and we need to change our approaches along with it,” Unicef’s executive director, Henrietta Fore, said in an open letter. Accusations of ‘sadfishing’ harming The letter calls for the prioritisation young people’s mental health of treatment for young people affected by mental health issues, A report by Digital Awareness UK making mental health problems in the with depression now among the (DAUK) has found that young people young worse, where asking for help leading causes of disability in the are being accused of ‘sadfishing’, with online should actually help. young. negative effects on vulnerable children and young people with mental health “DAUK is concerned about the “Children and young people problems. number of students who are bullied for of today are taking the lead on sadfishing (through comments on social demanding urgent action, and What is sadfishing? media, on messaging apps or face-to- empowering yourselves to learn The social media phenomenon face), thus exacerbating what could be about, and shape the world around ‘sadfishing’ is where people who are a serious mental health problem. “We you. You are taking a stand now, and looking for support online for their have noticed that students are often we are listening,” Fore added. mental health problems are told that left feeling disappointed by not getting they’re simply doing it for attention. A the support they need online,” the The letter also names climate person might post on a social media organisation said. change and online misinformation platform that they’re struggling with as major threats to young people. It sadness and in return face the mocking The research also found concerns that warns that the latter leaves children term ‘sadfishing,’ and bullying. vulnerable young people could be vulnerable to grooming and abuse targeted by groomers who prey on and that young people should be Sadfishing is an alteration of the word them by responding to their posts with taught to be more resilient online. ‘catfishing’, where someone poses sympathy in order to gain their trust. online as someone that they’re not in “We should start by equipping order to attract attention from others The study was commissioned by the young people with the ability to (particularly romantically). Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ understand who and what they can Conference (HMC). trust online, so they can become The term evolved as a result of active, engaged citizens.” celebrities including Kendall Jenner Chris Jeffery, chairman of the HMC being accused of exaggerating their wellbeing working group and problems on social media to gain headmaster of Bootham School in York, attention and followers. said: “It is encouraging to read of the growing signs of increased control that The report many young people are taking over DAUK conducted 50,000 face-to-face their use of technology, but it is also interviews with schoolchildren and found helpful to know new ways in which it is that accusations of sadfishing could be proving to be a burden for them.”

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK NEWS 13 State of the nation report A government report on the wellbeing and happiness of children and young people was published on World Mental Health Day. Here are the findings:

Nearly one in five young people are unhappy

Last month, Aspire2 reported news that happiness in children is believed to be at its lowest in ten years, Social media has ‘little according to a report by The Children’s Society.

effect on girls’ wellbeing’ Now, the State of the Nation Report has revealed that almost one in five young people are not happy with The State of the Nation report commissioned by the their lives. government’s Department for Education found that social media use is not strongly linked to girls’ mental health, unless The report, which 7,000 young people aged between they are bullied on it or if it disturbs their sleep. 10 and 24 were questioned for, found that just 82.9% reported high or very high life satisfaction. The effects of bullying on wellbeing is eight times stronger than social media, and spending time with friends and getting As reported in the article on the left, bullying the right amount of sleep were “consistent protective factors (including cyberbullying) plays a major role in youth for positive psychological health across adolescence,” the happiness and it was rated as one of the highest report said. reasons for poor mental wellbeing – with girls more likely to be negatively affected. “Social media use had one of the smallest effects of all the factors we examined: getting enough sleep and seeing friends One in five people aged between 16 and 24 said they were about three times larger.” had experienced high levels of anxiety.

“When accounting for other factors such as the effect of Professor Peter Fonagy, CEO of child mental health bullying, physical health and sleep, and the frequency of research organisation the Anna Freud Centre, said: seeing friends, social media use had only a minimal unique association with psychological health.” “It’s heartening that four out of five children are happy. However, we cannot ignore the fact that one Education Secretary Gavin Williamson explained why the in five children are not.” government report was important: “The pressures young people face today both in and out of school are vastly different “We should be pleased that so many young people to those their parents and grandparents experienced, so we are resilient to the pressures of 21st Century life and need to listen to what they have to say and act on it.” be both prepared to stand by and support those who struggle,” he added. “We have given teachers the power to tackle bad behaviour like bullying so that school is a safe place for every child to Health secretary Matt Hancock explained how the thrive, but [this] report helps shine a light on where to focus study will be used to better mental healthcare for these efforts,” he concluded. young people: “We are training a new dedicated mental health workforce in schools and colleges The effects of social media on mental health is a widely across the country, to ensure quicker access to a debated subject, and while this far from disproves that social range of support and treatments, as well as teaching networking is bad for us, it does show that parents and pupils what good mental health and physical health teachers may have more pressing concerns. looks like.”

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Student mental health helpline axed as Keele University entered fresher’s week

The mental health helpline ‘Nightline’ phone conversations are unable and reporting 95 student suicides in England is a student run, voluntary helpline that unqualified to either give advice or and Wales over the past 5 years. exists in 36 universities throughout direct the focus of the conversations. the UK and Ireland. The success of the The volunteers simply create a safe Student Jessie Day said of the move: service allowed posts to develop in environment in which the conversations “How dare the university take away such America, Canada, Switzerland, Australia the student in need feels the need to a vital resource?” and Germany. have. Currently, just over 4,000 people have Nightline is an anonymous, confidential The outsourced company Keele signed a petition calling for Nightline’s and non-judgmental helpline for University is outsourcing to is Big reinstatement, as worries spark that students in need of support to call White Wall® a 24/7 online community Big White Wall® lacks the human during the night. On top of this, most operating both as a forum for students connection vital for effective non- Nightlines also offer contraception, to anonymously discuss various mental advisory support. attack alarms and pregnancy tests for health subjects in a, monitored and students to access should they feel the virtual environment and an interface Again, a spokesperson for Keele need. between students and accredited, responded that: "Student support and qualified counsellors and cognitive mental health provision at Keele has Having helped 1.8 million students behavioural therapists, unlike Nightline increased significantly in recent years. across the UK and Ireland, Keele which is entirely run by students on a University is opting to cancel the society voluntary and time dependent basis. The University provides dedicated and instead is leaving support services specialist student support services, to an outsourced establishment. Steve Flatt, director of the Psychological including our counselling and mental Therapies Unit in Liverpool stated that health team, and recently introduced Speaking to the Mirror, a Keele “To ensure the best possible support trained out-of-hours support staff who University spokesperson noted that: for our students we need to ensure that are available throughout the night.” "Nightline was a student society that those giving support are professionally operated a volunteer-led telephone trained in line with sector best practice. “Furthermore, students have access to support line…It was not part of the Unfortunately, the existing Nightline our network of trained mental health University’s official mental health society was unable to meet these peer supporters and resident advisers… support services that are staffed by standards.” This decision was driven entirely by professionals”. our duty of care to our students, Nightline was run for 48 years before and was not based on any financial Nightline is a non-advisory and non- being axed in nine Universities across considerations whatsoever,” the directional resource, meaning that the UK and Ireland. At the same time, statement concluded. .ac.uk the students who volunteer to host a mental health alert was sent out

University dog Bessie helps student mental health in Newcastle Last month, Aspire2 featured an article The initiative was launched by Bessie’s about the benefits of pets on our mental owner, Sally Ingram, who is director health. Now, Newcastle University of student health and wellbeing at has demonstrated this by introducing the university. She told the BBC that Bessie, a 3-year-old Jack Russell whose research showed time spent with job is to help students’ wellbeing. animals can "alleviate worry, provide comfort and help people deal with Students at the university can take feelings of isolation and loneliness.” Bessie for hour-long walks around local parks, with the intention that this will A similar scheme is currently in place at help them de-stress and clear their the University of Warwick with Rolf, a cat minds, as well as providing friendly whose Twitter bio describes him as an company. “Ambassacat for student wellbeing.”

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Alzheimer’s Society says care failures are costing businesses in England £3.2bn

Alzheimer’s Society says care failures are years and is expected to rise to £6.3bn government to end the dementia care costing businesses in England £3.2bn by 2040. crisis by putting forward proposals in the Queen’s speech that result in long-term Businesses in England lost £3.2bn last Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of social care reform. year through staff leaving their job or the Alzheimer’s Society has urged the changing work patterns in order to care government to overhaul social care “to A government spokesperson said: for someone with dementia. ensure a minimum standard of care and “Carers make an invaluable contribution security for everyone with dementia.” to society and this must not come at The research done on behalf of the expense of their careers. We are Alzheimer’s Society found that almost “Up and down the country families are working with employers to promote half of the 355,000 people working desperately trying and often failing to carer-friendly, flexible jobs and while caring for someone with dementia get the good-quality dementia care ensure better access to advice and had to reduce their hours or struggled their loved ones need.” support, and will consult on dedicated to balance their job while caring. More employment rights for carers.” than 112,000 people had to give up “The knock-on cost to businesses is their job completely, with many retiring only going to get bigger, with more and “The government will set out plans to early to spend more time caring. more people set to develop dementia, fix the social care system in due course,” and no solution put in place to sort out they concluded. The shortage of social care for social care. It’s devastating for people dementia patients has meant that with dementia, devastating for their “This can’t go on. It should work like the many employees have no choice but families and carers, a drain on the NHS NHS, schools and other public services, to put their jobs second and care for and now we see how badly it’s affecting where everyone gets quality care based their loved ones instead, resulting in our economy,” Hughes said. on their need, not their wallet,” Hughes businesses in England losing £3.2bn – a said. figure which has doubled in the last four Alzheimer’s Society is calling for the

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 18 Brain waves: people who live closer to the sea have better mental health

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside, who live less than a kilometre from the there have been theories for years. as the famous song goes. It’s true sea are around 40% less likely to have though, as evidence shows that living symptoms than those earning the same For one, it has been suggested that sea near the coast is officially good for our but who live more than 50km away from air (generally fresher and cleaner than mental health. the sea. city air) helps you sleep better, having a positive impact on your mental health. Research from the University of Exeter The researchers claim that the findings On top of this, the sound of waves can found that people who live close to the add to the growing evidence that be soothing to many, reducing stress sea have better mental health that those access to ‘blue spaces’ such as coastal levels and helping clear the mind. who don’t, regardless of their household environments improves health and income. wellbeing. It has also been suggested that the sea is linked to happy holidays for most The report, which used survey data “Our research suggests, for the first people, bringing feelings of relaxation from more than 25,000 respondents, time, that people in poorer households by association. They are often less discovered that people who live less living close to the coast experience crowded than cities, with more natural than a kilometre away from the coast are fewer symptoms of mental health environments. 22% less likely to have symptoms of a disorders,” said Dr Jo Garrett, who led mental health condition than those who the study. In the past, patients were sent away for live more than 50km away. holidays by the sea to improve their While it isn’t fully clear why living near health. People from low-income households the sea is good for your mental health,

Support your club and mental health with bespoke Mind badges As part of the English Football League shirts in an effort to raise awareness of (EFL)’s partnership with Mind, bespoke mental health to fans and players alike. ‘On Your Side’ pin badges have been produced in unique colourways of all EFL and Mind are encouraging football EFL clubs, so that fans can show their fans to wear On Your Side badges with support for better mental health. pride, with badge sales going toward Mind’s life-changing services. Mind is the official charity partner of the EFL, with all clubs in the three You can buy yours directly from Mind EFL leagues featuring Mind’s logo on by clicking here.

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Looking for something new to wear? Want to show your support £10m research centre to “shine a light” for men’s mental health?

on adolescent mental health problems Boys Get Sad Too is a clothing line aimed at encouraging conversation A new research centre at Cardiff depression in young people around men’s mental health. University will investigate why young • Developing earlier intervention to people develop mental health help young people cope better when Created by Londoner Kyle Stranger, conditions and will aim to develop a parent suffers from depression, 22, the range is full of t-shirts, new ways of reducing anxiety and something Cardiff University has hoodies, caps and other products depression. already been working on for a brandishing the Boys Get Sad Too decade slogan, a nod to the stigma of men The Wolfson Centre will track thousands • Looking at the role schools play in feeling ashamed of showing their of teenagers and adolescents to gain promoting positive mental health in feelings. a better understanding of why mental youngsters, including working with health conditions develop. It will all secondary schools in Wales The brand has gone from strength find out if factors like parents, family, • Working jointly with Swansea to strength in the year that it has genetics, social media, lifestyle and University to use anonymous medical been selling and has built an environmental issues play a part. records to better understand the impressive customer community, long-term outcomes of young with praise from London Mayor “It’s an appreciation of this area of people with anxiety and depression Sadiq Khan. research, the significance of the problem and involves schools, young Mind Cymru said in the last year to June Kyle was inspired to create the people, healthcare professionals, that there had been 21,000 referrals and clothing line by the fact that he had scientists and government working that their recent survey found one in to help his father, who struggled together to try to understand the causes seven children describing their mental with depression, from an early age. and develop new methods of ensuring health as poor or very poor. there is adequate help and support You can browse and buy Boys early on,” said Professor Fran Rice, a “There are a lot of things we don’t Get Sad Too products by clicking psychologist at Cardiff University. know, the rise of social media is still here. 10% of profits are donated to an area of very little research, exam CALM. Cardiff University will work in partnership stress, job prospects - all of those sorts with experts at Swansea University as of things can impact on children and well as the Welsh Government, NHS young people,” said Rhiannon Hedge, Wales and universities and schools Policy Office at Mind Cymru. across Wales. The Wolfson Foundation will invest £10m in the centre over the Stephan Collishaw, Co-director of the next five years. Wolfson Centre project said: “Wales is a living lab of some 1.3m young people.” The Wolfson Centre will focus on five scientific areas: “This major investment will allow us not only to understand the causes of • Examining data to track children anxiety and depression but help create over time to better understand how early interventions to ensure that young anxiety and depression develop people get the right help, advice and • Looking at the role of genetic and support they need,” he added. environmental factors on anxiety and

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 20 Let’s talk... Something on your mind? Need advice? If you need help, you can send any mental health questions you have for qualified psychotherapist Kirsten Antoncich. This is a fully anonymous service and your questions for Kirsten will be dealt with confidentially. Kirsten’s contact email can be found on the next page.

Kirsten also writes a regular column for Aspire2, which you can read below.

a good first point of call, they are flooded with intense feelings and well versed and experienced in the areas of our brain that help us to signposting you to the immediate respond logically can’t work as well The importance of self-care support you need; if you’ve been when they are under such intense through this process, its likely you pressure. For this reason, I ask my I had planned to write something this have used your local crisis service clients to work on getting their body “month answering some really good for support - or charities such as the and breathing under control before questions about finding the right Samaritans. You’ll find the details we start to address the thoughts. I’m therapist or therapy (I will answer of services that can help within this really aware that that in itself is often these on my Instagram) however newspaper: use them - they are often hard to do and can take practice towards the end of the month the staffed by people who know what it but it’s worth sticking with practices focus of people’s questions changed feels like to be in your shoes, there’s that involve your body as we now and they mirror something I see in my no judgement, just lots of care and know that the mind-body connection practice frequently. compassion. is vital for good mental health and wellbeing. In response to letters this month, Stability I want to talk about what happens When we work with what I call a I ask my clients to develop a phrase when you can’t get the support you downward spiral, that feeling you in their minds to use when distress need, when you find yourself in crisis start to have when it feels like reaches high levels; something as repeatedly and you desperately need everything is against you, we need to simple as “okay, pause and breathe.” a different experience but aren’t get in some stability. The idea is to try and pause those sure what your options are or how thoughts that can quickly flood us to find a self-help pathway through. This requires us to work on a few whilst we try to calm the body down. The themes that people describe different levels, the first being distress feeling are powerless, desperate tolerance. Mindfulness is a great technique to and isolated. I could write reams on use, it’s very hard for the body to this but I think the best way forward Distress tolerance is the name we panic when the central breathing is to start to feature, over the next give to techniques that help stop pattern is slow and steady. Again, few issues, ways of changing this those intense feelings of despair, mindfulness takes some practice but situation. anxiety, impulses to harm, to binge there are lots of free resources online. etc. Anchoring activities that ground you Safety in the “here and now” are also good, Firstly, if you are in crisis, then we Heightened feelings of distress often such as counting five things you can need to keep you safe, your GP is involve our bodies. We can feel see/hear/feel.

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Distraction, whilst not always a and this exacerbates our mood great long-term strategy, can and our stability. The negative be really beneficial when you self-talk we can develop in our are feeling overwhelmed. We minds can really trigger us into often ask clients to foster an feeling distress. activity that creates a sense of flow - that place where you Getting some control and lose yourself in something - insight into our patterns can painting, gardening etc. be helpful, start noticing when you feel a drop in mood or There are a number of practical increase in anxiety - journal techniques that I will share with your feelings. Often themes, you via Instagram including patterns and insight can progressive muscle relaxation emerge. and an EMDR technique. I’m going to write next month It’s important when you are about how to work with the in a place of distress to not patterns that emerge; if anyone get frustrated with yourself. has any they would like to share About Kirsten It’s important to recognise confidentially, get in touch. Kirsten Antoncich is a UKCP accredited that part of you is feeling psychotherapist who has worked in a overwhelmed and needs Lastly, I’m always humbled by variety of positions from the NHS to compassion. Sometimes, the stories people share with private practices. when we haven’t experienced me, be it in person, via email much compassion in our lives, or through social media - it’s Kirsten’s research background was in self it’s hard for us to show it to all a privilege. I want to thank harm and suicide ideation and she has ourselves but this is such an those people who have written written guidance for professionals about important part of the jigsaw. in this month. I’m in awe of the supporting good mental health. everyday bravery people show Kirsten works with children, young Often our internal thoughts in their battle back to people and adults and is passionate about ourselves can mirror good mental health. about sharing access to mental health what we see back from others education. You can follow her on Instagram at @kirstenantoncich. Send your questions to Kirsten at: ” [email protected]

Please note: Aspire2 is sadly unable to offer a crisis service. If you are in need of immediate help, please visit your GP or any of the mental health services featured in this newspaper. These include the Samaritans, Mind and CALM. The “Let’s Talk” service is an educational service and questions and answers might be altered slightly to benefit a wider audience of readers.

@kirstenantoncich

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WHAT YOU GENERAL NEED TO ANXIETY KNOW ABOUT DISORDER Words and illustrations by Alex Morrall

nxiety is something all of us experience anxiety can be completely debilitating and at various points in our life. Before a make almost all form of regular function Abig exam, an interview or meeting your seem impossible. significant other’s parents for the first time, it is common to have feelings of worry and Women are slightly more likely to report unease and it is completely normal. symptoms of anxiety than men, as are people over the age of 35. But as with any But unlike the commonplace ‘butterflies mental illness, anxiety can be managed in your tummy’ feeling, General Anxiety through a multitude of interlinking methods Disorder (GAD) is a condition in which such as: medication, therapies or more those feelings of dread and fear can inhibit holistic approaches such as meditation. leading a happy and functional day. The fears become more constant and very At times of difficulty it can be impossible difficult to control. to envision a way out of the burdens of constant worry, but it is vital to seek the right One of the most common mental illnesses help so you can live the life you deserve, in the UK, around 3 million people (5% without falling victim to overwhelming of the population) suffer from anxiety, on anxiety. par with (and often alongside) depressive disorders. Sharing some of the same symptoms as major depressive disorder but also Living with GAD can at times be extremely involving some more physical symptoms difficult. As a disorder it can affect many and responses, anxiety and depression aspects of your life, from personal and often go hand in hand. Because of the social to professional spheres. At times it normalcy of feelings of occasional worry can feel as if the only thoughts possible are true GAD can slip under the radar and go anxious fearful thoughts and as one worry unnoticed. Symptoms that match general leaves another takes its place. At its worst anxiety disorder include:

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• Persistent feelings of unease and dread to resume as well as a life outside of their home. • Restlessness Encouraging them to seek help is also one of • Panic or anxiety attacks the best things you can do, whether it be the • Heart palpitations GP, a therapist or even the emergency services if • Difficulty sleeping necessary. You can start the ball rolling in terms • Irritability of support if you gently encourage professional • Perspiration support. • Light-headedness • Difficulty concentrating If you suspect yourself of showing signs of GAD it is important you seek support. It can be difficult to spot the signs of any disorder in a peer, and it is the same with anxiety. But Firstly, if it’s an intense episode of anxiety (often some of the things to look out for include: called a panic attack) these steps may help stabilise your condition and allow the episode to • Persistent fidgeting pass easier: • Visible trembling • A decrease in social interaction • Deep breathing • Lack of appetite • Recognise and accept you are having a panic • Visibly tired attack • No tolerance for uncertainty – needing to • Close your eyes know what is going to happen and how it is • Focus on the physical sensations you are going to happen familiar with, like digging your feet into the ground, or feeling the texture of your jeans on It is common to misinterpret GAD as just part of your hands. These specific sensations ground normal life and that these feelings of prolonged you firmly in reality and give you something worry are the same for everyone. To be classified objective to focus on. as GAD and not just normal instances of • Muscle relaxation techniques nervousness the symptoms previously have to be • Repeating a mantra such as ‘I am here, I am persistent and prolonged (for a matter of weeks safe, this will pass’ or months). • Sip water

It is important to note that GAD is NOT as simple It is vital you reach out and contact someone with as ‘feeling worried’ and you can’t ‘fix’ someone concerns of your own anxiety, whether a friend, a else’s anxiety for them. You can simply be a family member or a doctor. support to them. Stay active. It can feel daunting at first but What you can do is talk to them. Remind the allowing yourself physical activity especially person that they are present with you in the cardiovascular exercises can be incredibly moment, describe to them your surroundings helpful when feeling overly anxious. The natural and what exactly is happening. This is known endorphins and sense of control can improve as ‘grounding’ and works on the principle that your mood massively. reminding yourself or another of their immediate physical surroundings will alleviate thoughts of Many people find therapy extremely effective, as elevating stress and overwhelming fear. well as various medications to regulate mood and heartrate, speaking to your GP will let you know You may find it useful to sit or lie them down or what is available to you and which treatments give them sips of water. Most importantly remind would suit your situation best. them that you are there for them throughout this difficult time and that it is a temporary feeling. It But, if you feel that you may not need such is okay not to understand fully but want to help,. support quite yet, there is a wealth of self-help and self-care resources both online and in local Offering company on walks and other physical communities throughout the country, books, activities is a great place to start, to encourage meetings and online courses are there if you feel regular levels of dopamine and norepinephrine they may help.

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SSRIs: How do they actually work? Aspire2 Deputy Editor Alex Morrall explains the science behind many of our common antidepressants

Everyone nowadays seems to neurotransmitter but sometimes a So, SSRIs work on the theory that be on medication; whether its hormone the definitive classification of an imbalance of this dubbed ‘happy painkillers, blood pressure tablets or the substance is still up for debate. chemical’ in the brain means not antihistamines, the media seems to enough signals are passing between predicate the notion that we are a Serotonin carries signals between brain cells to regulate mood and can nation of prescription happy, routinely brain nerve cells, allowing for lead to symptoms of depression such medicated people, dependent impulses and thoughts to travel as sadness, interaction with others, on mass produced, non-naturally through different parts of the brain. appetite, sleep and energy levels. occurring substances. The gap between brain nerve cells or ‘neurons’ is called a synapse; a little Thus, the SSRI is used to help regulate More so than anything else, gap in which serotonin is used to send serotonin in an attempt to restore a bit antidepressants regularly come signals from one cell to another. Think of equilibrium in our minds. Making under scrutiny. With 70.9 million of serotonin like little paper airplanes sense so far? prescriptions for the ‘happy pills’ carrying messages from a ‘sender’ being submitted every year, you brain cell to a ‘receiver’ cell. SSRIs regulate the amount of would think we as a society know our stuff about the stuff.

SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants in the UK, with sertraline leading the way of others such as fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram and escitalopram. SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor is a form of antidepressant which works on the premise that an imbalance of serotonin can be a contributing factor to depression. So, what does that actually mean?

Well, serotonin is a chemical that has a wide variety of functions in the human body. You may have heard to it referred to as a ‘happy chemical’ along with dopamine or endorphins.

Serotonin transmits messages in the brain believed to help regulate mood and social behaviour, appetite and digestion, sleep, memory, and sexual desire and function. It is produced in the intestines and the brain. It is also present in the blood platelets and the central nervous system (CNS). Serotonin cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier, so any serotonin that is used inside the brain must have been produced there. Often characterised as a

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serotonin between brain cells by many factors: what medication it is, the medication. This is entirely normal limiting the amount of serotonin your gender, age, existing health, but if your depression worsens reabsorbed by the ‘sender’ cell. SSRIs weight and genetic makeup. So, significantly or you become suicidal essentially ‘block’ the channels the one list of definitive effects is quite go straight to your doctor or call the serotonin is reabsorbed back through, impossible to determine as no two appropriate helpline. turning them into ‘one-way doors’ so depressions are the same. that serotonin is released but less is With all medicine it comes down to absorbed back into the sender cell. What is vitally important is a continued your personal choice. But, taking on and honest dialogue with your doctor your doctor’s advice is often the best This allows for more messages to be about how the medication is taking option and finding a medication that delivered than previously, boosting the effect and any concerns you may works for you could take time and levels of serotonin (happy chemical) be having. The list on the pamphlet most of the time require persistence. and hopefully alleviating symptoms of inside your medication may be Meds are, of course, not a total fix, depression. exhaustive and intimidating but it is but with the right support as well highly unlikely all those side effects as a balanced lifestyle of self-care A common concern surrounding will happen to you; the pharmaceutical (such as diet exercise and other antidepressants (or any medicine company is just covering all bases just fulfilling activities) medication can really) is the potential side effects in case. Consider this: are the possible be incorporated seamlessly associated with a certain drug. This side effects worse than depression? into a lifestyle equipped is an understandable and relatable to manage depression concern, especially with medicines The most common side effects and anxiety and with that affect the brain. include: time hopefully • Nausea overcome it. However, in conflict with many • Tiredness Hollywood movies and horror films the • Temporary insomnia side effects aren’t as severe as often • Dry mouth portrayed (you won’t be sat, docile • A change in staring into space all jelly-legged and appetite and wide-eyed). Often many side effects weight reduce or go away entirely after a • Anxiety few weeks as any Doctor will tell you • Loss of sexual desire and it is important to stick with the or function medication long enough for it to take • Irritability effect properly (up to six weeks in some people). Along with these it is common for symptoms of depression and So, what are the side effects? Well, depressive thoughts to increase they vary massively depending on temporarily at first as one start taking

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The complicated relationship between

EditorAspire2 Sam Atkin Senior Written by VIDEO GAMES AND

MENTAL ThoughHEALTH a controversial move, it is including South Korea, where a ban In the last two decades, video gaming has become an essential true that people can be addicted to was introduced that means children part of the lives of many people. video games in the same way they under 16 won’t be able to access the Home games consoles have meant can be addicted to anything else. online features of games between that gamers can spend as long as midnight and 6am. they want immersed in the virtual Video games are highly immersive world of games and that has led, compared to many other activities Video games are argued to cause fairly or not, to many worrying that young people might partake in, and aggression and violence and prevent video games are bad for us. often require time and dedication, children from spending time on so it is easy (from a very basic point more ‘mentally enriching’ activities Video game addiction is now of view) to see how addiction could such as playing outside with friends, classed as a mental health happen. partaking in sports and creative condition and, for years, people arts like music. Grand Theft Auto have been claiming that video The criteria for gaming disorder has faced repeated claims that games make young people violent describes it as a pattern of persistent it increases aggression in young and prevent them from forming or recurrent gaming behaviour so people and World of Warcraft has personal relationships. But it’s not severe that it takes “precedence over been thought to damage players’ that simple, and gamers don’t other life interests.” It advises that interpersonal skills. Both of these inherently develop mental health this should be evident for a period of points, however, have limited problems from games – in fact, at least 12 months, though this could scientific evidence. gaming can help. be shorter if symptoms are severe, and that it should affect basic things Recently, MPs in the UK have So, here is the breakdown of the like sleeping, eating, socialising and provided a case for the UK to follow complicated relationship between going to school or work. in the footsteps of Belgium by video games and mental health. banning loot boxes, a feature of It was announced in October this online gaming where people use year that the NHS is opening the UK’s real money to buy virtual boxes first specialist clinic to treat children containing random items in games The bad and young adults who are addicted – without knowing the quality or Last year, the World Health to computer games. in-game value of the items. Features Organisation classified gaming like this, the MPs argued, are a form addiction as a mental health Many countries around the world of gambling. condition for the first time, naming it are making decisions around video ‘gaming disorder.’ games and their perceived effects With all of this in mind, it’s easy to

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see why some people, parents in for a bit. I can put up a little buffer The study also revealed that particular, might be concerned about between myself and the immediacy although gaming does cause the amount of time their loved ones of what’s troubling me and provide a emotional changes in players, these spend playing video games. little breathing room,” Johnny said in are all short-term. A gamer might a video. experience a spike in happiness from a victory or irritation or anger if they “Games can occupy our conscious lose, but none of these effects affect The good mind, leaving the unconscious the player’s long-term mental health. However, many believe that video to help process things in the games (in moderation) are actually background,” he added. Johnny believes that video game very good for the mental health addiction is an effect of poor mental of those who play them. Games, Johnny also explained how the health, rather than a cause of it: like other media forms, can be choice of which video game we are in therapeutic when feelings and the mood to play can be an indicator “I think instead of puzzling over memories become associated with of how we’re feeling, before we whether game X or Y might them and they can be used to self- might even know. be addictive, we should be assess our own mental wellbeing. questioning which people might “As is this case for a lot of people be more susceptible to developing YouTuber and video game journalist worldwide, video games play a fairly problematic behaviours involving for Eurogamer Johnny Chiodini significant part in how I perceive video games,” he said. created a video series entitled and process my own mental health Low Batteries, which explores the difficulties,” he said. In recent years, the creation of relationship between video games VR gaming has been viewed with and mental health. “We can infer how we’re feeling by interest by people looking to create what games we feel like playing, mental health therapies using the Johnny explained to BBC Newsbeat even if the emotions or issues haven’t technology. In 2016, game designers how he uses video games to improve actually become apparent to us yet. launched DEEP-VR, an experience his mental health: In this way games can be useful in a where players are placed in a virtual diagnostic sense, helping us catch underwater environment which helps “For pretty much my whole life I’ve things we otherwise might have them learn to combat the symptoms used video games as a support tool missed, as well as helping us deal of stress and anxiety. to help me deal with difficult times,” with the stuff we do know about,” he said. Johnny explained. Movement in the game is controlled by the real-world breathing of In Low Batteries, Johnny elaborates Using video games as a coping the player, which teaches better on this further, introducing the idea mechanism is a useful way of breathing techniques for managing of the ‘sadgame’ – a video game that managing our feelings but like all anxiety and depression. These we turn to when we’re feeling the coping mechanisms, they should breathing techniques can then be effects of poor mental health (mine is be used in moderation as “they can used in real life. Skyrim – a game I still play often even become an excuse not to confront though it’s now eight years old). our problems rather than a useful part of a wider set of tools for This might be an old favourite confronting and processing mental The verdict or something we connect with health issues.” While it is true that gaming emotionally. It might remind us of addiction is a cause for concern, a time we were happier, or it might And while the World Health there is very limited evidence help us process our feelings better. It Organisation has deemed video to suggest that video games, in might just relax us or take our mind game addition a genuine cause for basic moderation, are anything off what’s troubling us. concern, it might not be as common more than good fun. What’s more, as you think. In fact, a study by Andy gaming can provide a much-needed “These games, whatever form they Przybylski, director of research at escape for people suffering with take, can act like a bit of a circuit- the Oxford Internet Institute found stress, anxiety, depression and breaker. When I’m feeling anxious that just 0.3% of gamers might other mental health conditions. or depressed I can boot up my experience problems controlling the They may even provide effective current sadgame and I know that my amount of time they spend on video therapy, particularly in the future. internal monologue will be turned off games.

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Five games that explore mental health In recent years, several video Night in the Woods – Depression psychosis to ensure the condition games have addressed mental and anxiety was being represented accurately. health, helping players think about Night in the Woods follows the theirs and raising awareness of everyday struggles of Mae, a The game was praised for its what it’s like to live with a mental college dropout who doesn’t know exploration of mental health, which health condition. Here are some of where she’s going in life to detail many said was the best aspect of the the best. the uncertainty of modern young highly-rated title. adulthood, dealing with issues including Mae’s depression and anxiety, which are abstracted as parts of the story.

Players praised the game for its portrayal of mental instability and understanding of how it feels to be aimless. Mae’s story, like that in Celeste, shows players that they can battle their mental illness and Celeste – Anxiety and Depression provides validation that they’re not Retro indie title Celeste tells a story alone in what they’re going through. Life is Strange – Depression and of a young woman’s attempts to Some players have said that Mae’s suicide climb a mountain – a metaphor for fight with her inner demons helped The highly-popular story-based game her struggles with anxiety, depression them ask for help. follows main protagonist Alex, a and self-doubt. The game has been teenager with the ability to rewind praised for its story, and gamers time. have said it encouraged them to take better care of themselves One way it explores depression and and manage their mental health suicide is through the character Kate, conditions. a student at school with Alex who is bullied relentlessly. This leads to Throughout the game, protagonist severe depression and eventually Madeline’s mental illness manifests to Kate standing on the roof of her into a physical form, becoming the school building, ready to take her main antagonist. Beating “shadow own life. The player is then given the Madeline” and climbing to the peak Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – highly sensitive task of talking Kate of the mountain provides a sense of Psychosis down. achievement to the player and the Hellblade follows the dark story of knowledge that yes, they too can Senua, who suffers from psychosis. This tragic storyline brings awareness battle their mental illness. This is represented in the game in of mental health to audiences as well the form of voices in her head which as the consequences of actions. The Pry - PTSD you, the player, hear as clearly as she game’s creators made sure that this A mobile game/hybrid experience does. story is important throughout the that won awards for its story, Pry game and with time, Kate begins attempts to show you what it’s like to The game’s story is a metaphor for to recover, showing the player that have PTSD. Senua’s struggle with her mental people with depression can get health, which she believes is a curse, better. Players follow the experiences and and the main antagonist of the game subconscious of a Gulf War veteran, is the ‘Darkness,’ which manifests The developers also produced a web using touchscreen commands and itself as the voices in her head and resource for those affected by issues a minimal approach to gaming to memories from her past. raised in Life is Strange. uncover the story between the lines The creators of the game worked of protagonist James’ thoughts, closely with neuroscientists, mental which are obscured by his trauma. health specialists and sufferers of

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Place2Be is a national charity providing in-school emotional support to children and young people. Founded in 1994, we've grown from supporting a handful of schools to working with over 600 schools nationwide.

Every child deserves a place to be

To find out how you can support us, visit www.place2be.org.uk/support-us

Place2Be is a charity registered in England and Wales (1040756) and in Scotland (SC038649), a Company limited by guarantee (with use of ‘Limited’ exemption), registered in England and Wales (02876150), registered office: 175 St. John Street, London, England, EC1V 4LW

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK ARTICLES 31 CHANGING LIVES THROUGH HORSES Guest writer and equine enthusiast Val Atkin investigates the Changing Lives through Horses programme, which has transformed the lives of young people with mental health conditions.

I have had a lifelong love of horses. and shut away from that one-to-one has been steadily increasing for the From the age of twelve I would cycle interaction with people, animals and last ten years. three miles and back every day to our natural world that I enjoyed as a a riding stables where I would help child. Fortunately, we now have an out. Eventually I was bought my own increasing number of organisations young horse. The horses were my It is with no surprise to me that the who have the potential to reach these soulmates throughout my troubled proportion of young people who young people at a critical point in their teenage years; my friends and my reported feeling depressed or anxious lives. solace. I would go to see them when doubled between 1988 and 2018. I felt stressed or anxious and the Figures in the UK last year show that 1 Changing Lives through Horses calming effect of them and their in 8 (12.8%) have at least one mental Recently, I learned of a programme by environment was my comforter. That health condition. In 2018, 10.9% of the British Horse Society (BHS) called was many, many years ago. 16-24-year-olds weren’t in education, Changing Lives through Horses. The employment or training (and 3.5% of BHS are working in partnership with However, humans benefitting from all 16-17-year-olds). There were nearly children’s charity and mental health the positive mental health effects 8,000 permanent exclusions from experts Place2Be, as well as a wealth of horses goes back even further: secondary schools, and this number of other organisations with the aim: the Greeks documented the horse’s therapeutic value in 600BC and “To improve the lives of disengaged French physician Cassaign concluded young people, regardless of their in 1875 that equine therapy helped background, and give them the certain neurological disorders. This opportunity to develop skills that was before even I can remember! enable them to return to education and/or employment. To celebrate If I were given the choice between the powerful impact that horses can being a teenager now or thirty years have on our society and the unique ago, I’d take thirty years ago any development of life skills which can day of the week. My teenagers sit help young people for the rest of their alone for much of the time in their lives.” bedrooms, but their lives are never private, they never escape the intense Changing Lives through Horses scrutiny of their online contacts. They provides young people with 15 hours communicate with the whole world on of Alternative Education Provision devices that can do a plethora of tasks at riding centres around the country. far beyond my understanding, yet I Participants can gain nationally feel that they, like most young people recognised ‘Achieve Awards’ under today, have never been so isolated the topics of Communication,

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Confidence, Relationships, Teamwork, He has had an Responsibility and Personal accomplished equine Achievement which can lead them on career on a national and to employment or further training. local level and his many roles have include being More importantly, perhaps, the BHS an accredited coach with see the programme’s use of horses as the British Equestrian “a powerful way of inspiring young Federation as well as being people to reconnect with society.” involved in many country- wide participation projects I was eager to find out more about since the London Olympics the impact of this programme and the to get people riding. individuals who run it, and I was lucky enough to meet one man who, along Andrew told me that five with his team, delivers the Changing years ago he would have depression which stemmed largely Lives through Horses programme to said he was a horseman first and small from his dyslexia and dyspraxia. From many young people from the towns business owner second. However, being a shy sixteen-year-old lacking and cities in Nottinghamshire and his interest in the development of any confidence, unable to even stand Yorkshire. individuals and lifelong learning has up in front of the class, Andrew now led him to the journey he is on now. addresses large conferences on his Andrew Stennett (pictured below) has vision and the value of his work and lived at the family farm in Misterton, “I was very much the classical riding believes that this is through working Nottinghamshire for nearly 50 years. school teacher but now I’ve had with horses. Set in the peaceful countryside the research and training, I look at between the towns of Gainsborough it from a different point of view. I So, what’s so special about horses? and Doncaster, it’s from here that regard myself as a social entrepreneur Though it’s not as well-documented Andrew has built and run his equine first and a horseman second. An as with animals like dogs, horses are business, Grove House Stables, for the entrepreneur in the sense I’m able to perfect therapy animals by their very last 28 years. give people opportunities. It’s helped nature. me educate myself and look at things from a different route and “Horses are non-judgemental - they brought me out of my bubble,” he aren’t bothered whether you are the said. Queen or the dustman’s daughter. They sense somebody who has “I have had great opportunities struggles and challenges, they have to ride very advanced horses that instinct and the environment with top people in the country around horses creates the opportunity and been quite privileged - not for an individual to heal,” Andrew everyone has that opportunity. explained. I’ve always worked hard but suddenly I realised what an “A horse needs to feel security, it’s a amazing opportunity I have. When fight or flight animal and realises the I originally trained, my emphasis sensitivities of the human condition. was on correct riding positions, Humans can build up a relationship exams, or competition success but with a horse based on trust and now it’s very much more a holistic understanding. This relationship approach. My success now might has often been diminished when be just giving someone that ability individuals have issues, particularly to enter that arena and trot round mental health issues, and a horse can and be part of a group.” be a conduit for having trust in society and the bigger world.” But Andrew also has more personal reasons for his work. “To develop a relationship that is not As a child he always gravitated based on what they they look like, towards horses and ponies and he where they come from but how they believes this was because of his interact, is pretty huge,” Andrew own challenges with anxiety and continued.

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“The sheer physicality of has to be led by the horses,” the animals expands the he said. opportunities for someone’s “Come back in five years and development. They are, like I hope we will be linked up to all animals, unpredictable, but other centres,” he added. there seems to be a calmness about them. They inspire Andrew’s main motivation now people and give them the is helping people overcome confidence to reach out like I their conditions to reach their did myself,” he said. potential.

How successful has the “Consistency is a key factor programme been? with these individuals because How effective the programme life has let them down; either is can be measured by the by circumstances or service success stories Andrew and providers. The government his team have. All therapy has and health professionals mixed results but Changing need to be aware how much Lives through Horses has seen programmes like this benefit remarkable transformations in people,” he said. the people it helps. Andrew explains: “My ambition is for this work to be mirrored across the “We had a lad on the Autistic whole country. When someone spectrum, totally disengaged has broken their leg you can from education, looked at see it, but not if people are his phone all the time, didn’t hurting inside. Sometimes speak to anyone or come out it can look to the rest of the of the room. After two weeks, world like you are doing a one lunchtime, he went over Andrew runs his Changing Lives through Horses marvellous job but really you and started talking to one of programme from Grove House Stables in Misterton, Notts just don’t know how to go the young horses. I saw the forward.” horse was showing an interest in him. I went over to talk to trouble. He has now graduated into “I think animals, particularly the horse to talk to him, using the becoming a volunteer with the stables horses, have the ability to lead us horse as a conduit, and he starting and helps out every weekend. Most forward into a shared environment. I telling the horse about his concerns of the time he controls the language, just want to open a door so people and anxiousness, how his epilepsy especially when he is here. All in less who need help can gallop through it. frightened him as he didn’t know than a year. Amazing.” Some might not gallop but as long as when he was going to have a seizure they keep going they’ll be a success,” and that made him stand out from the “If we make a difference to Andrew concluded. group. He talked about self-harm, one person’s life, we have been and so much came out. The stress successful,” Andrew added. While I’d rather have been a relief was amazing.” teenager 30 years ago, it’s What’s next? reassuring that young people now “I thought, ‘wow, that’s not me, Andrew feels that non-traditional can be helped by programmes like that’s the horse.’ It didn’t say to him, learning methods could play a major Changing Lives through Horses. I ‘pull yourself together’, it felt his part in helping young people with hope the centre’s fantastic work vulnerability.” mental health conditions in the future, continues and I look forward to and he hopes that programmes like returning to write an update. “Another of our best success stories his will continue to thrive. was a young man of 14 with several For more information about the issues. He had been excluded from “I think the whole concept of non- Changing Lives through Horses three schools because he could not traditional learning will open up more programme visit the British Horse control his language and temper. and more, brought very much into the Society website: He would throw chairs and stand on health and wellbeing agenda. But we tables. He was verging on serious must keep real to our true principle - it https://www.bhs.org.uk

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Hope Virgo, body image and mental health campaigner and author of Stand Tall Little Girl, explains why therapy worked for her when she felt her mental health slipping. Say Yes to Therapy by Hope Virgo

If you knew me and what I did, you would most likely think I am someone who loves therapy. Having spent a year in hospital recovering from anorexia when I was 17 (the hospital quite literally saved my life) and because I am a Mental Health Campaigner, surely I love therapy?

While I have always believed some people need therapy, and therapy works for so many, I don’t always put myself in that camp. Instead I have become one of those people who knows what my coping mechanisms are and what I need to do.

I thought I had everything sorted, I knew what my triggers were, I knew the power of talking and I also knew about keeping moving forward in the right direction.

Well that’s what I thought… how far wrong could I be?

Over the last year I have really struggled. I don’t but I knew there was no point stressing about this now. just mean like the odd day, but my days have been Instead I had to get back on track before it slipped really tough. I hated so much of life, grew to resent even further. everything around me and I felt completely trapped. I convinced myself that everything was okay. That life 8 weeks ago I realised this. I was sitting at Kings Cross would and could just be amazing if I worked harder at Station in between meetings crying. Not entirely sure my job. What I missed was those triggers, those things what to do with myself. I wasn’t suicidal but I was just that should have been the warning signs. so broken. Friends had been telling for months to get support but I hadn’t listened. This was the time to I think for me it was a few big things: tackle this and I had to act fast.

1. I was a workaholic I decided what I needed was therapy. 2. Trying to please too many people 3. Letting people get to me Saying yes to therapy felt so difficult for me. I was 4. Focusing on fixing others rather than embracing my scared about talking, sharing my whole life and feelings opening up this complete can of worms from my past 5. Sexual abuse - I reported this back in September, a that I had never really dealt with. But I knew that if I massive thing for me to do. But again was so hard didn’t do it now, I was going to continue my life with having boxed something up for that long and then a lot of unresolved issues. I was saying yes to moving releasing it all out in to the world. I thought I was forward, to healing fully and therapy was a huge part of strong enough for no professional support at the that. time but when I had flashbacks surely this should have been a warning sign... but no! Instead, I let it This starts with: get the better of me, as my guard built up round me to protect me. Again, hurting those closest to me. Therapy: I never thought I would say this but I actually Some people could beat themselves up for realising love it. I look forward to my sessions and having the this, and at first I felt myself slipping in to that pit. I space to talk about how I feel really openly. I have let hated my brain, I hated that I lost so much to my past my guard down more so than I have ever done before.

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 36 About Hope For me it was also about not having someone who was focused on eating disorders. At this point I didn’t need support with my food, or body image but the emotional side. I hoped the Hope Virgo is the author of Stand Tall Little Girl, therapy would tackle most of the above but there were still and an international award winning leading things I needed to do to really help me get back on track. advocate for people with eating disorders.

Top Tip: Find a therapist you can do this with. Find someone Hope helps young people and employers you trust and are able to build that rapport with and let your (including schools, hospitals and businesses) deal guard totally down. with the rising tide of mental health issues which affect one in four people and cost employers Focus on a positive a day: This is something I had tried quite between £33 and £42 billion annually. She has a few times but I made this effort to do this properly. By been described by Richard Mitchell, CEO of focussing on the positives it meant that I felt more in control Sherwood Forest Hospital, as “sharing a very over turning around my mood. Yes, this wasn’t always easy powerful story with a huge impact”. (and sometimes I had to blast Kelly Clarkson through my headphones) but it was about being proactive and pushing Hope is also a recognised media spokesperson, myself back in to that positive mind-set. having appeared on various platforms including BBC Newsnight, Victoria Derbyshire, Good Top Tip: to help with this I have a notebook in my bag with my Morning Britain, Sky News and BBC News. positives in, I have a feel-good folder on my phone and a feel- good playlist on Spotify. And a few people I can text and say For four years, Hope managed to keep it hidden, “I don’t feel so good” and people that I can celebrate my wins keeping dark secrets from friends and family. But with (including my most recent one which was not crying when then, on 17th November 2007, Hope’s world I spilt bin juice all over me and the floor!) changed forever.

Appreciate those around me: For me this was also about She was admitted to a mental health hospital. Her apologising. I could spend so long beating myself up over skin was yellowing, her heart was failing. She was those things that I had done that had hurt people in the past. barely recognizable. Forced to leave her family For me this was about saying sorry to those I had hurt with my and friends, the hospital became her home. mood and the way I had been Over the next year, at her lowest ebb, Hope faced Do something for myself: This was something I have always the biggest challenge of her life. She had to find tried to do and I talk a lot about the power of self-care, but this the courage to beat her anorexia. was slightly different. It was actually doing things for me. So not dropping my plans to swoop in save others, or doing things Now, Hope dedicates her life to helping people that make me happy. There was a fine line here as I didn’t want with eating disorders. In her debut novel, Stand to be nasty, but it was essential that I started to do more for Tall Little Girl, Hope shares her harrowing yet me. inspiring battle with anorexia.

Challenge myself daily: This is something that I just needed You can find her on: to up my game on. It wasn’t just about food, but challenging Twitter: @HopeVirgo myself with clothes and restaurants. I knew that I could do it if I Instagram HopeVirgo_ put my mind to it and I was even more determined to crack this Website: www. once and for all. hopevirgo.com

Top Tip: This is crucial for where I am in recovery right now, but To sign Hope’s Dump don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t there yet. It takes time and The Scales campaign, that is totally okay. which advocates that eating disorders aren’t I make it sound so simple… And it isn’t going to be. The reality just about weight, click of living in recovery is that are there are highs and lows! But here. what I do now know is that is okay, and I can do it. I am finally cracking this once and for all and I feel so determined to not let The revised version of my past dictate my future! Stand Tall Little Girl is out now. Click here to order it.

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“We don’t give eating disorders the coverage they need because we don’t Q&A: Hope Virgo think they’re mental health conditions”

1. It seem you’ve had quite an anorexic part of my brain. So, a huge with anorexia get told they’re really inspiring journey – if you can, give us amount of my time in hospital was vain. It definitely needs to have more a summary of what led you to where spent looking at that motivation and of a spotlight on it. you are now? trying to focus on what I could get out of my life if I started to recover. 6. How can people with eating I developed anorexia when I was disorders be supported better? about 13 years old and I ended up What keeps me motivated now is the being hospitalised by it when I was 17. work that I do; coming into contact By feeling like they have their voice Since leaving hospital it’s been really every day with so many people who heard. When they go to their doctors positive apart from a couple of little struggle with their mental health and to get a diagnosis or when they’re hiccups along the way. having the platform to make that in their work environment, it would change happen. It means that even on help if their doctors or colleagues I think for me now it’s important to those days where I’m struggling with treated the condition more seriously share my story and admit to myself my mood or I’m having a bad body and sensitively. When I worked in an that yes, I’ve had a hard time with my image day, I’m doing it for a much office I used to hate the diet chat and I eating and with abuse but, actually, wider purpose. found it quite triggering. Being able to you can come out the other side of it make your colleagues understand that and turn it around into a really positive 4. What was the best advice you small comments can have a long-term thing. received when you were battling impact would help a lot. your anorexia? 2. What have been your highest and 7. Why did you decide to write lowest points? In the last 11 years, the best advice I Stand Tall Little Girl? had was someone reminding me to Last year I cycled from John O’Groats not give up and to focus on myself I wrote it was because I wanted to Land’s End on my own, stopping and get myself well, and that if I did people to have more of an along the way to do talks in schools that the rest would come after. understanding of eating disorders, and hospitals about mental health. I but also because I wanted people probably had my highest and lowest What I’ve found over the last few to understand what it’s really like to points on that bike ride. years is that we find it difficult to talk recover. I think a lot of recoveries only honestly about our feelings but the focus on that end point so looking at The low was that I absolutely hated it more we do, the better it is – not just those ups and downs along the way is and wanted to give up, and the high for us but for society on the whole. important. was actually finishing it. For me, that was a massive achievement in itself. 5. Do you think there is a lack of 8. What’s next for you? awareness of eating disorders as Another big one for me was taking my mental health conditions? At the moment I’m doing a lot for petition (Dump the Scales) to Downing the Dump the Scales campaign, so Street, which meant so much to me I think there is, and I think the reason I’m (trying!) to work closely with the but also meant so much to thousands for that is because people still think government on making it happen. and thousands of people across the they’re physical illnesses. Quite often I’m also just continuing my activism country. It was amazing to have the we judge people on their outward work across the country, so I’m chance to be a voice for those people. appearance, and because it’s an putting together support packages for eating disorder, you might not see hospitals and spreading the message 3. What motivates you? What that. further. motivated you to beat your anorexia and what motivates you on a day-to- We don’t give eating disorders the There’s still a long way to go when it day basis now? coverage they need because we don’t comes to tackling the stigma around think they’re mental health conditions. eating disorders but it’s amazing that I wanted to go travelling and I had There’s so much stigma around eating I have the platform to go into places the realisation in the hospital that it disorders still; people with eating and talk about them. wouldn’t be possible if I still had that disorders get told they’re lazy, people

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Film, TV and mental health In this new section, we’ll be looking at TV shows and movies, and how they successfully (or otherwise) depict mental health conditions. This month, we’re looking at Peaky Blinders, the horror genre and Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker.

JOKER: Truth behind the clown mask? Aspire2 deputy editor Alex Morrall’s thoughts on the highly- acclaimed Joker, which has a hauntingly poignant portrayal of trauma and mental illness.

It’s overcast. A decaying city bustles in of maniacal and painful 1981. Garbage bags and rats glitter on laughter. Often in crowded the damp pavements, illuminated by or stressful situations Arthur overhanging advertisements. Amidst the laughs through twisted graffiti and smoke, in a dank dressing joints, pained eyes and room sits Arthur Fleck, professional tears, incapable of stabling clown and failed comedian, troubled and himself as the world recedes skeletal. Painting his face in the lit mirror further from him in crushing he holds the corners of his mouth in a prejudice. twisted, grotesque smile as a single blue stained tear rolls down his powdered The film is much more than cheek. A sad clown sits alone in Gotham a typical comic book origin City. And thus, Todd Phillips’ Joker story, it is a deep and slow- begins. burning character study. It is less about the ‘Joker’ and more Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a man an exploration of Arthur. His in suffering, an outcast, a ‘freak’ for transformation starts as the system whom the ordinary functions of a society in which he is treated begins to (even one as unstable and unfair as collapse, abandoning him and his Gotham’s) are inaccessible. Fleck has had psychological needs. a life of abuse, mistreatment and neglect Arthur at his core just needs to since childhood, he has known very little be heard, throughout the film it besides pain and isolation as he himself is this niggling need that evolves tells a negligent therapist ‘All I have are into an anarchist war cry as the negative thoughts…I just don’t want to film reaches its climax. feel so bad anymore’’. As Arthur, Joaquin Phoenix is Growing up in the system and existing remarkable. He inhibits the on a cocktail of seven different character entirely, losing medications, Arthur lives apart from enough weight his bones everyone; partly due to a condition cast shadows on his which causes irrepressible episodes exhausted looking

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skin, his movements are subtle and and societal rejection. suggestive as if every gesture has These contributing been thought through. factors facilitate Arthur’s descent into a perceived His intensity is magnetic if not madness. exhausting at points (in the best way). This is no Joker the screen has For many of us suffering seen before, this is a human being with mental illness be on the verge of evolution spurred on it depression, anxiety, by abandonment and numbed by bipolar etc. the need to pain, both physical and emotional. hide it to ‘fit in’ exists very Every injury, every ‘negative thought’ much in our world as it is visible in Phoenix’s Oscar tipped does in Gotham City. performance. Society at large is still When it comes to the conversations uncomfortable or unwilling surrounding this film, media outlets to face mental illness have concentrated largely on (though it is improving) the violence and uprising of the and acknowledge the working class as inflammatory to routine struggles of so many our own unsteady political climate. individuals. This feeling of Quite unabashedly, director being ignored, of the world Phillips critiques class divide and around us hiding from the socioeconomic oppression in society truth of what it means to and those of us ‘left behind’ by the be mentally ill, is what fuels seemingly omnipotent ruling class. a need to be heard. Arthur But responses citing incels and gun mourns this lack of empathy. control as the most salient points of “You’re not really listening,” he Joker, to me, have missed the point tells his counsellor. entirely. Joker paints an image of mental illness and its mistreatment. Last year it was found mental ill health accounts for 28% of the overall Joker is predominantly a story about disease burden in the UK, yet it Arthur Fleck slowly losing control over receives just 13% of NHS funding. Joker is in cinemas now and himself as he repeatedly attempts to And with longer waiting times to is set to become the highest- make sense of a world that seems to seek professional help as well as grossing R-rated film of all time. have nothing but contempt for him. misdiagnoses and fewer facilities to His laughing condition is also entirely deal with the strain, Arthur’s reality real, Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), or seems to mirror our own all too well. emotional incontinence comes as a result of secondary to a neurologic No, Joker isn’t a cautionary tale for disorder or brain injury (both of our own society. Todd Phillips isn’t which Arthur is stated to have). predicting nor inciting violence or an The condition causes intense and uprising and if anything they seem uncontrollable displays of emotions entirely separate from Arthur’s central i.e. laughing, crying or a mixture of struggle. The icon of the character the two. here is used as an allegory for the abandoned and alone, the forgotten Phoenix is recorded as having and ill. It critiques the failings and researched this condition at length misgivings of the human population whilst developing his characterisation through an unapologetically raw and as well as reading both psychological gritty character study. The Joker may and criminal literature. The film gives not be real, but the masks Arthur an indication that ‘Joker’ could be any hides under certainly mirror many of one of us, given the right concoction our own. of childhood trauma, mental illnesses

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Written by Aspire2 Senior Editor Sam Atkin. This article contains major spoilers for all five seasons of the show.

Peaky Blinders, which recently still present in 1929 and will still be Shell shock concluded its fifth season on BBC present in 1939,” said show creator Tommy and Arthur would not have One, has become one of the most Steven Knight. been alone in suffering from post- talked about TV shows in recent WW1 PTSD. It is thought that up history. Its gripping plots, brilliant “[With Tommy], from the very to 20% of the six million British cinematography, explosive use beginning we’re introduced to him men who served in the Great War of violence, unique style and use as an amoral and morally switched suffered with PTSD afterwards of modern music make a modern off character whose values have (which was known back then as classic of a TV show. And that’s been destroyed by seeing so many shell shock). before you even mention the human beings destroyed in war,” performances of the cast, led by he added. Sadly, doctors didn’t know that now-iconic lead character Tommy what soldiers witnessed while Shelby (Cillian Murphy). fighting was likely the cause of the condition. Some believed that it Initially set just after the First World was a result of physical damage War (1919), with the most recent to the brain caused by explosions, season set in 1929, Peaky Blinders despite the fact that not everyone follows the Shelby family and their experiencing the condition had growing business enterprise. been close to artillery fire. As a result, PTSD went untreated, as While the plots have been fantastic shown by the fact that on the throughout, what I find most show both Tommy and Arthur still interesting about Peaky Blinders is struggle with it after ten years. the characters, nearly all of whom are morally grey. After all, who Tommy doesn’t love an antihero? In season one, Tommy’s PTSD brings unwanted and vivid With Tommy Shelby and older memories of when he was brother Arthur, a major part of tunnelling, a tactic where their personalities comes from the infantrymen would dig a tunnel PTSD that they suffer as a result beneath no man’s land with the of their involvement in aim of planting explosives WW1. near to the enemy lines. A flashback “The PTSD shows that that some Germans of these broke through characters to Tommy’s suffer from squad’s tunnel, is there in ending in 1919 and violence

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where Tommy is almost killed. As a result, Tommy hears scratching at his bedroom wall every night, a hallucination that someone is going to break through and attack him. He also struggles to sleep and has nightmares about this, among other things.

People close to Tommy tell him that he had a drastic personality shift after the war. Actor Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy, said he “built a hard shell around himself after the First World War,” characterised by his lack of expressive emotion and repeated ambivalence towards Brothers Tommy and Arthur display very different symptoms of PTSD events which would typically be happy or sad. After his anger issues get worse and of alcohol and Arthur drinks even Tommy continues to have vivid his reliance on substances grows, more than his brother, also using and distressing memories and Arthur attempts to kill himself at the cocaine regularly. hallucinations throughout the show, end of the first season. Tommy is only made worse by the death of his apathetic, again reinforcing the idea Perfect portrayal? wife Grace in season 3, and brother that his own emotions have been The performances of Cillian Murphy John in season 4. numbed by his PTSD. (Tommy) and Paul Anderson (Arthur) are moving, and how their PTSD is Tommy’s PTSD is at its worst when he Throughout the series, Arthur shown on-screen at least appears to tries to relax and taking time off work grapples with his morality, aware be perfectly accurate. But is this the only allows his mind to dwell on his that he has an aggressive side but case? trauma. He becomes disconnected unaware of what causes it. from his family and focusses only on According to the NHS, symptoms of those addictions that make him feel Other characters with the condition PTSD include: better in the short term – alcohol, include Tommy’s squad mate Danny • Reliving traumatic events through smoking and drugs (specifically Whizzbang, whose first appearance nightmares and flashbacks opium). in the series is during one of his • Feelings of isolation, irritability and violent psychotic episodes where guilt In season 5, Tommy regularly he believed he was still at war. This • Sleeping problems sees and has conversations with a eventually leads to him unwittingly hallucination of Grace, which actively killing a man because of the strength All of these symptoms are suffered by encourages him to try to take his own of his hallucinations. Tommy. life several times. Tommy’s suicidal thoughts grow to the point where Another member of Tommy’s squad, According to Mind, other symptoms in the final shot of the season he’s Barney Thompson, was locked up in may include: holding a gun to his head, ready to what was then called a lunatic asylum, • Being easily upset or angry pull the trigger. such was the nature of his psychosis (Arthur) and the lack of understanding of such • Irritability or aggressive behaviour Arthur conditions in the time the show was (Arthur) Arthur does not struggle with set. • Self-destructive behaviour or recurring memories, dreams or recklessness (Arthur and Tommy) hallucinations, but he is unable to Because of the lack of treatment, • Feeling like you have to keep busy control his anger or impulse to kill. He coping with PTSD is tough for the (Tommy) calls this ‘the devil inside’, a hangover show’s characters. Tommy keeps his • Feeling emotionally numb or from the violence of the war which he hallucinations and vivid memories at detached from your body (Tommy) is unable to let go of. bay by smoking opium with a clay • Unable to express affection pipe and drinking excessive amounts (Tommy)

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• Using alcohol or drugs to avoid anxious, angry, out of control and trauma can intrude into your reality,” memories (Tommy) overwhelmed and causes the fight or she added. • Feeling like you can’t trust anyone flight instinct to take over. It is safe (Tommy) to assume that Arthur’s PTSD has • Suicidal feelings (Arthur and shrunk his window of tolerance and Tommy) he displays all of the characteristics of hyperarousal. PTSD also has physical effects because people with the condition continue to Hypoarousal makes someone spacy, produce cortisol and adrenaline (which zoned out, numb and frozen. The cause the body’s Fight, Flight or Freeze body wants to shut down. While not response) even when they’re no longer as perfectly characteristic of Tommy’s in danger. This is shown in Arthur personality as hyperarousal is for repeatedly. Arthur, it is reasonable to assume that Tommy’s PTSD pushes him at least Danny Whizzbang is a great I asked our UKCP accredited some of the time to hypoarousal. representation of classic combat PTSD consultant psychotherapist Kirsten Antoncich whether she thought the Kirsten says the window of tolerance portrayal of PTSD in Tommy and Arthur theory could have been in the minds of Style and substance was accurate and realistic. the showrunners, which would explain The show is unique in how it delivers the contrast between Tommy and information about mental health, “When someone gets PTSD it presents Arthur’s PTSD. which Kirsten says is more realistic and in lots of different ways and it’s really honest than most TV shows. unique to that person. The way that “Tommy’s becoming more and Peaky Blinders has done it is really more avoidant in his behaviours and “It shows the mess of mental illness effective,” she said. struggling with hallucinations. He’s and the darkness and the rawness. I had so many people die and he’s shot think sometimes TV shows just show “It’s very accurate and it’s a a lot of people so he’s got layer upon the surface of mental health conditions multifaceted portrayal. What I was layer of trauma. You can only fight whereas Peaky Blinders, even the really interested in was the depth of in so many cup finals and I think he’s cinematography, the darkness of the the characters. We know that people unravelling,” said Kirsten. scenes, the richness, really represents with PTSD are more susceptible when what it’s like to be in somebody’s head. they’ve had a multitude of traumas “Then you’ve got Arthur who’s really Even though mental health is such a and when they’ve had a difficult displaying a strong hypervigilance and common topic, TV shows don’t often developmental history, or when they a lack of self-control and increase in show the extent of the mess,” she said. aren’t connecting well with external irritable and aggressive behaviours. support, all of which we see in Peaky That’s the sort of self-destructive, So, yes - Peaky Blinders’ interpretation Blinders.” impulsive behaviour that we often see of PTSD is pretty perfect. It’s a with people who’ve had quite complex haunting and eye-opening window The window of tolerance PTSD,” she added. into the world of how people can suffer The window of tolerance is a term with post-traumatic stress, made worse used to describe how effectively Kirsten says her favourite character by the lack of treatment they receive. someone’s natural instincts function. is Arthur because of the way he When someone is within their window clearly wants to be a better man but Treatment in the modern day is still of tolerance, the brain is normally is ultimately unable to because of his imperfect but we can be thankful that functioning well and can process trauma. there is treatment at all. Peaky Blinders rationally. is fictional, but it is true that hundreds “For Arthur, he’s always been rejected of thousands or more soldiers who Conditions including PTSD can by his father figure. So not only does returned from the Great War were push someone out of their window Arthur have this PTSD, he’s had layers never the same again, thanks to their of tolerance, resulting in either upon layers of rejection. He has this PTSD and the lack of diagnosis or hyperarousal or hypoarousal. Stress want to be good but this awful PTSD treatment. and trauma can shrink someone’s impulsivity that’s taking over him.” window of tolerance, making it easier For everything that the show does for this to happen. “Danny Whizzbang was also a really so well, Peaky Blinders’ portrayal of Hyperarousal can make someone good portrayal of just how much PTSD is maybe what it does best.

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Mental Illness: The horror genre’s most tired cliché? Aspire2 deputy editor Alex Morrall explores how mental health is exploited in horror films and how this impacts the societal stigma of mental illnesses

With Autumn in full swing and the the horrific, violent and taboo. It nights drawing in, the usual signs seems a convenient and common If we of the season begin to surround us: device to use haphazardly, allowing look around the air is starting to cool, the trees for transgressive behaviours and us at the reality of what a mental have changed colour and Halloween frightening atmospheres. Need a health facility looks like, it’s often takes over our shops, streets and villain? Make him mad. Need a scary a very normal building in cities or televisions. But, as lots of us indulge setting? Put it in an asylum. Need suburban areas surrounded by other in both classic and new horror flicks a twist ending? Make it all happen facilities and homes, with people (for better or worse) perhaps we inside someone’s delusion. bustling around it and the odd should take time to really think about individual walking in and out of the some of the themes, images and Now, I love the horror genre as completely regular building. motifs we see creeping onto our much as the next cinephile. They can screens this time of year. Most of all: be incredibly entertaining, artistic But on our screens, what do they mental illness. and clever. Often citing some of look like? They’re often dark and the most iconic works of fiction or looming, an old decrepit Victorian Ever since the 1920s with Dr Caligari, scientific theory. My issue here isn’t monstrosity dominating a misty bleak through the 1960s’ Psycho era right the use of provocative subject matter skyline, alone on the outskirts of into the 2000’s with movies such (it’s actually quite the opposite) it society (Shutter Island, was exactly as Gothika, The Babadook and is simply the irresponsibility and that; an island). There are often few recent Hollywood blockbusters like laziness of some horror flicks to signs of life save for a few screams Split, horror films have tended to use a tired and repetitive portrayal or ‘mad’ mutterings that seem to explore (or exploit) mental illness of mental illness in place of any come from the cold, dripping walls as a doorway into the world of engaging and nuanced cinematic themselves. Cliché? Cliché. endeavour. American psychologist Dr Danny We fear what we do not understand Wedding unpacks several issues in and the continuous mystification of his book Movies And Mental Illness: otherness in the pursuit of an easy scare misrepresents mental illness “Films such as Psycho (1960) which otherwise gets very little perpetuate the continuing confusion honest onscreen portrayal (though about the relationship between that is improving). The violent schizophrenia and dissociative representation of the mentally ill is identity disorder (formerly multiple unfortunately where many get their personality disorder); Friday the information on lots of issues such as 13th (1980) and A Nightmare On psychosis, personality disorders and Elm Street (1984) both perpetuate even depression. Let me put it this the misconception that people who way: leave psychiatric hospitals are violent

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and dangerous; movies such as The Exorcist (1973) suggest to the public that mental illness is the equivalent of possession by the devil; and movies such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) make the case that psychiatric hospitals are simply prisons in which there is little or no regard for patient rights or welfare. These films in part account for the continuing stigma of mental illness.”

Cinema, especially in the horror genre demands a complete narrative, but the problem is that mental illness does not comply with the notion of having an ‘ending’. It is an ongoing conversation, abstract and often volatile, sometimes getting better and then better and worse again. So, what we get in these films is a condensed, heightened and uniformed portrayal often ended in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari has influenced western horror films for almost 100 years the most convenient way; tragedy.

Mostly death but occasionally imprisonment, the triumph over you encounter is dressed as a illness at any time, at any stage of mental illness in these films continues ‘mental patient’ or ‘mad-doctor’ or our lives, and the old tired ‘lunatic in to be killing or imprisoning the even a ‘bloody nurse’. The season a dark cell’ character is making the character experiencing the illness seems to suspend the faux pas of different reality we live in scarier and (often the villain). TimeToChange. appropriating and warping the lives much more difficult to treat. org states that mentally ill people of people suffering mental health are more likely to be victims than issues and allows it to become a perpetrators of violent crime, scapegoat for fictitious violence and making such a portrayal even more horror. misunderstood. The genre is built on exploring the The Mental Health Foundation taboo, the transgressive and carnal. confirms that social stigma It builds on our shared psychological surrounding mental health issues and evolutionary fears to spin a makes recovery more difficult; and thrilling and cathartic narrative that that nine out of ten people with suspends the rules of everyday life mental health issues believe that for the freedom of artistic expression. stigma around mental illness has a But it seems such an ethos is being negative effect on their lives. These lost to cliché and the exploitation tropes and stereotypes only serve to of mental illness as a one-note plot perpetuate these stereotypes. device.

The ‘sane’ character stuck in a It is time to stop feeding the ‘looney bin’ or the violent madman prejudices that our society still who never speaks but frequently propagates against people living kills. These films have real world with mental illness. Difference does The Babadook (2014) uses a monster consequences. not always equal evil. It is true that as a metaphor for mental illness Just see, this Halloween, if anyone anyone of us can develop a mental

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Written by Aspire2 Senior Editor Sam Atkin Hypersonic Missiles: Mental health in focus in Sam Fender’s debut album

Few records are as lyrically ambitious, self-aware and honest as Hypersonic Missiles, the debut album by Tyneside’s newest singer-songwriter, Sam Fender.

Drawing on musical influence that where he comes from, It’s clear that Fender is from his hero Bruce Springsteen, drinking to deal with it is the passionate about mental health Fender sings about mental norm. which may stem from when he health, suicide, a society looked after his mother, who under fire from divisive politics We close our eyes, learn our had a mental illness, when he and toxic masculinity. Like pain / Nobody ever could was younger. Continued next Springsteen, he does this explain / All the dead boys in page... without mincing his words, our hometown. something that helped him earn the 2019 Brits critics’ choice In an interview with the NME, award. Fender said:

With catchy guitar lines and “It’s a song about male suicide, punchy lyrics, Hypersonic particularly in my hometown, I Missiles is as easy to listen to as lost some friends very close to it is interesting to dissect. me because of that. This song came from that place, and I Mental health gets a much- have been playing it to other needed spotlight on multiple people ever since. It’s raised tracks throughout the album, a conversation and I realised with Fender keen to raise how much of a present issue it awareness that the north east, is. Everybody that I spoke to where he comes from, has the from all different parts worst suicide rate in England. of the country have all got a connection to The best example of this is on someone they’ve Dead Boys, an account of two lost.” of Fender’s friends who lost their lives to suicide. “It really opened my eyes to how We all tussle with the black much of an issue it dog / Some out loud and some is. If it gets to one in silence / Everybody ‘round person and they here just drinks / ‘Cause that’s feel like they our culture, Fender sings. The should reach black dog, of course, refers to out and talk depression, next dealing with to somebody, the fact that while some people then it has do talk about our mental health, done a good many still don’t. Fender explains job.”

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He is particularly passionate about unnoticed, particularly with regards lack of warm-feeling, Hypersonic raising the profile of mental health to mental health, and he grapples Missiles is a well-rounded and in men, and believes it is still a major with societal issues like the gap thoroughly re-playable album that taboo for men to be emotional: between rich and poor. That Sound uses its lyrical themes to deliver a explores Fender’s own mental succinct message. It tells you what “I remember specifically for me health while You’re Not the Only Fender thinks about the world, as a kid growing up or as a young One details himself and his friends wrapped up in well-produced pop teenager if I ever cried or got upset ‘coming out of a bad place.’ rock. in front of anybody, I would be so humiliated. I’d be so angry with Hypersonic Missiles and Saturday While the singles That Sound, Play myself for being upset and then it deal with feeling powerless in a God, Dead Boys and Hypersonic would just become this catch 22 world that doesn’t want to help Missiles are the highlights of the situation. It’s that attitude that stops anyone, Play God is an Orwellian album, the other tracks aren’t simply men from talking and stops men take on the control of society and album-fillers and have merit all of from being able to turn to each how the working classes are treated their own. other. Men just need to be open and and White Privilege is a candid not emasculate one another,” he said summary of modern problems like What Hypersonic Missiles shows is in an interview with the NME. Brexit and the patriarchy while that Fender is a young musician with Fender admits he’s lucky to have major potential whose lyrics paint When asked what he thought was privileges, despite his working class a rough but honest picture of our causing this taboo, Fender blamed roots. Without a doubt, his greatest society. The subject of mental health toxic masculinity. strength lyrically is his awareness – of needs to be talked about in music both himself and the world he lives and it’s inspiring that Fender is so “This really archaic, out of date idea in. ready to do so. of how a man is supposed to conduct himself. I think that’s what kills men, The subjects of these tracks are Hypersonic Missiles is available to genuinely,” he said. almost entirely critical and only Call stream, download and purchase Me Lover, which Fender admits he now via Spotify, Apple Music, Fender stresses through his lyrics isn’t keen on, discusses romance (a Amazon, HMV and other retailers that problems in the north east go pop rock trope) at all. Despite this and streaming services.

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Supersonic is more than just a To embrace a happy and healthy Stonebow House, 8-10 The gym; it’s a sanctuary designed lifestyle at Supersonic Fitness, Stonebow, York, YO1 7NP to make you feel good and aid a membership starts from £78 a healthier lifestyle – whether that’s month and taster classes are 01904 929540 working out, practicing mindfulness, available at £6 per session. [email protected] aiding recovery, meeting friends or nourishing yourself with great food. supersonicfitness.co.uk

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FREE York workshops available now at:

Friargate Quaker Meeting House, Lower Friargate, York YO1 9RL 7.00pm till 8.30 pm.

The Rob Hill Foundation provides free addiction and mental health workshops and support groups.

We are aiming to launch these nationwide to help anyone struggling with addiction.

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Untitled by Fearne Cotton

Art and Poetry Don’t chase happiness it’s not racing ahead, It’s not to be caught, trapped, contained or fed.

It’s not what others have, yet unattainable to you, Each month, Aspire2 will feature It’s not something to be bought, all shiny and new. artworks, poetry and other artistic expressions inspired by or created What about contentment? And simply feeling ok? about mental health. We aim to Without begging and wishing the feeling would stay. feature works by renowned and upcoming creatives alike. What about sadness and the value there? Lessons to be learned from anger, pain and despair.

Cherish each emotion don’t suppress or shun, Self Portrait Happiness will rise again like the warmth of the sun. by Vincent Van Gogh

Our featured artist this month is Vincent Van Gogh, who is often thought of as a representation of the idea of the ‘tortured artist’ – someone whose brilliance is a result of a traumatic life.

Of course, Van Gogh is now one of the most recognised artists there has ever been but in his own time, he was regarded as a talentless madman, and struggled to make a living from his art.

Van Gogh suffered badly with his mental health. It is commonly thought that he had bipolar disorder but it’s also believed he had borderline personality disorder. On top of these, he struggled with severe bouts of depression and anxiety.

This self portrait (called Self Portrait) was painted in 1889, the year before Van Gogh died, and it’s thought to be the final portrait he painted. He painted himself because he couldn’t afford to hire models.

Art historians believe that Self Portrait was painted following Van Gogh’s admission to hospital after cutting off his ear and that it signals that his state of mind was under intense strain and pressure.

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Depression I can’t sleep at night Dean Irwin Have little energy in the day It’s so quiet around me I am always asking God Yet so loud inside Why don’t you just take it Thought going out would away? help The Perspective Project But just walked and cried. Being two different people Is a hard thing to do Each month, Aspire2 will feature artworks from The Trying to avoid people Pretending you’re happy Perspective Project, an online gallery containing mental- As I don’t want to converse, When you’re broken and health inspired art. This month’s featured pieces can be Cos some things they say blue found on the next page. Just make it worse. But I tell it how it is now Mark Anscombe, the founder of The Perspective Project, Like “look what you’ve got When people ask explains more: How can you be I’m ill with depression depressed?” And I’ve binned my mask “The Perspective Project is a charity ending the stigma around mental health through art and creativity. We provide Or “there are people a lot a therapeutic outlet for those affected by mental health worse Its time to talk about this conditions, highlighting different perspectives on mental You should feel blessed” illness health to the wider public. And how deadly it can be But you dont know Hopefully helping others Since our foundation in 2017, we have worked with over 200 What it’s like in my mind speak out artists, poets and writers, sharing perspectives on mental When negative thoughts As well as helping me health from around the world. We host our multimedia work Are all I can find across our digital galleries and social media in 4 languages, And break the stigma providing a free and open platform for our artists. I’m surrounded by people That still surrounds it today Who love me and care That it is an illness We run exhibitions, pop-up events, artist lead workshops And they tell me to know And it just doesn’t go away and corporate services across the UK – all with the goal of That they’ll always be there eradicating stigma and promoting greater understanding Right now I’m struggling about mental health conditions. Yet with this horrible illness Its the hardest it’s been I still feel alone Its dark, it’s scary We believe it is vital to support artists affected by mental And that I’m fighting a There’s no light to be seen health conditions by providing a cathartic, therapeutic space battle to express themselves – and validating their talent and worth All on my own Its a hard place to be as artists and people. We do not define our artists by their When you just break down experience or their diagnosis. We also know that the art they I’m tired, I’m anxious and cry create is an extremely powerful tool in promoting empathy in I’m sad and I’m weak Where you don’t want to the audience and wider public. I’m sick, I’m sore live And I shake when I speak And you don’t want to die. The emotional response many people have when they see the art or read the poetry that we host can be far more powerful than simply reading an article or textbook. This response and understanding is a massive step towards dismantling stigma. Have you got art or poetry created about or inspired by mental health? We are a small charity, relying entirely on donations and volunteers to provide our services. If you would like to get Aspire2 are looking for content for next month’s involved with our work, volunteer you time, donate, or submit your art, poetry or writing – visit us online at www. Art and Poetry section. If you would like to theperspectiveproject.co.uk or find us on social media.” contribute, we would be delighted to feature your work. You can find The Perspective Project on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: Email [email protected] and show us your talent!

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Community Carla Cannon

“Admittedly, there has been an increase in recognising the issues regarding mental health. Yet at times the subject may be treated lightly and with much humour. I would not expect peers, friends and family to walk on eggshells but I would like them to question, recognise and address emotions felt. At times it still feels that you find yourself continually wearing a mask as to ease others misunderstandings or ignorance whilst true feelings and expressions remain hidden.”

Bipolar Depression Eden Day

“I have stopped paying much attention to time. Minutes slip into hours and hours disappear into days and so on and so forth. Whereas I spent the last few months obsessing over time, treating minutes like precious jewels that had to be treasured, I now fail to get anything done within the space of even a whole day. Mornings are spent desperately trying to fall back into the oblivion of sleep and afternoons are wasted with aimless wanderings or staring blankly into space. The evenings are the worst. I had become too used to filling time with writing and drawing, making art and reading of beautiful, impossible things. I had filled my own head with unattainable dreams. Now, I waste the hours. I waste them because I have no idea what else to do with them. This little life is too small for me and I feel stifled by it. I have the unshakeable sensation that I am completely lost in the world, but that world is surrounded by an impenetrable glass dome. It is like being trapped in a snowstorm within a snow globe. There is very little room to really lose yourself and there is no chance of escape - unless you succeed in smashing the edges of it to bits - but, because of the ceaseless snowfall, you see no way out, therefore believing yourself to be lost.”

The 12 Jungle John

“My great-great Grandmother had 12 children. They all spread around the world. In some ways, this painting shows their stories. But in truth, it shows my daily struggle with life. Why hide the truth with another story? Because that is how I cope. Always masking my mental health, which is not good. Painting is really helping me with my demons. The power of creativity will be my recovery.”

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 54 Live your best working life

Visit mentalhealth- uk.org/ best-working-life today for tips to help boost your mental health.

Mental Health UK has been supporting people affected by mental health problems for over 40 years. Working across every part of the UK, we bring together four national mental health charities to provide advice, information and support.

Registered charity no. 1170815

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Lloyds Banking Group extends Mental Health UK charity partnership

This will support a new programme to reach half a million young people across the UK

Mental Health UK and Lloyds Banking who has signed up to delivering Bloom colleagues have shown astonishing Group have announced an extension to said: “As a college we are committed passion and energy from the moment their charity partnership for another two to supporting a diverse community of our partnership started, and that drive years. The partnership’s aim is to raise students and enabling them to fulfil our has meant that the last three years have £4 million by the end of 2021 to expand college mission statement - ‘be all that led to huge successes.” ‘Bloom’ which supports the mental you can be’. We want to provide our health of young people. The funds students with the guidance, support and “The next two years provide us with a raised through the extension of the tools they need to achieve, progress unique opportunity to deliver further partnership will enable Mental Health and lead happy and fulfilled lives. change together helping to prepare UK to reach half a million young people This project will provide us with the the next generation for future life with as well as train over 2,500 teachers. fundamentals to do just that.” Bloom, our programme that supports young people to better manage their The scheme will help prevent long- The programme will help enable an mental health. To achieve so much yet term mental health challenges in later environment where teachers feel able still have the desire to do more speaks years, developing practical resources to open the conversation about mental volumes for the level of commitment to provide the skills needed for staying health with students. everyone at Lloyds Banking Group mentally healthy. According to The has demonstrated and we are simply Mental Health Foundation, 50% of The press release by Lloyds Banking grateful beyond words,” he concluded. mental health issues start before a Group said: “We are proud of our person is 15 years old and 75% of charity partnership with Mental Health Bloom mental illnesses start before a person’s UK and we’re delighted to announce Bloom is a UK-wide programme which 18th birthday. that we’re extending our Mental Health supports young people’s mental health UK partnership for another two years resilience. Delivered in schools and Secondary school is a crucial space to the end of 2021 in order to support colleges, Bloom equips young people to support young people, and Mental young people’s mental health right with the tools and knowledge to Health UK have created a programme across the UK.” maintain their mental health through designed for 14 to18 year olds, life’s transitions, both now and in the equipping them with resilience tools so “Lloyds Banking Group colleagues future. that they can manage stresses in their have raised over £10 million in three life, both now and in the future. years for Mental Health UK. In 2018, To find out more, visit mentalhealth-uk. Lloyds Banking Group colleagues voted org/partnerships/projects/bloom/ According to a recent Young Minds overwhelmingly to support young survey, 51% of young people said that people in mental health and colleague they didn’t ask for help with their mental fundraising over the next two years will health because they didn’t understand go entirely to ‘Bloom’, with the aim what they were going through. Bloom that half a million young people will addresses this by raising awareness go through the programme and 2,500 amongst young people and teachers teachers will be trained to support and starting the conversation early. them, said António Horta-Osório, CEO of the group. Joe Baldwin, Assistant Principal Learner Brian Dow, Chief Executive of Mental Journey at Bridgend College in Wales, Health UK said: “Lloyds Banking Group

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Dementia Forward is North Yorkshire’s leading support charity for people living with and affected by dementia.

We provide a highly responsive, personalised information, advice and signposting service to anyone whose everyday life may be touched by the condition. We achieve this through our experienced team of dementia support advisors, a local helpline, a dementia specialist nurse, home visits, wellbeing activities and educational programmes.

To find out more call our helpline on 03300 578592, email [email protected] or visit us online at www.dementiaforward.org.uk Registered Charity no. 1148225

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Campaigns

We Are Undefeatable Campaign This joint campaign with the Richmond Group of Charities and Sport England intends to change the misconception that people with a long-term health condition can’t be physically active. The aim is to encourage, empower and motivate people to increase the amount of physical activity they do to improve their health and wellbeing. For people living with severe mental illness, the average life expectancy is 15-20 years less than the general population. This is partly down to physical health conditions that develop as a result of their illness, side effects of medication and lack of perceived opportunities to be active. Rethink Mental Illness wants to reduce this mortality gap and support people severely affected by mental illness so they have the best quality of life possible. Events and Fundraising

Members Day 2019 This year, our Members Day takes place on Saturday 9 November at the Holiday Inn, Regents Park in London. Members will need to register online at www.rethink.org or call us on 0207 840 3132 to do it over the phone. It is free for members and e-members are expected Our goal is to make sure to make a £10 contribution. The day will include inspiring speakers, workshops, awards and lunch. everyone affected by severe mental illness has a Advice and Support good quality of life. We provide over 200 expert mental health services in England. These can help you or someone you know with everything from advocacy, To find out more about to housing to criminal justice and secure services, as well as nursing future events, the work care and carer support, among others. You can also access over 140 we do and support we of our local support groups which are run by people with experience of mental illness. Each one offers a welcoming, non-judgemental provide, visit: space in which you can talk openly about your experiences and receive support. Please go to our website at www.rethink.org to see www.rethink.org what services and groups are in your area or call us on 0121 522 7007.

Advice and Information Service (RAIS) Our RAIS service offers practical help on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, community care, welfare benefits, debt and carers’ rights. We also offer general information on living with mental illness, medication and care. Tel: 0300 5000 927 (Opening hours 9:30am-4pm, Monday to Friday) Email: [email protected]

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Brand Ambassador Did you read our World Mental of the Month Health Day Edition? To mark World Mental Health Day Every month, Aspire2 will 2019, Aspire released a 12-page feature a brand ambassador of special edition including articles the month. Our ambassadors from our brand ambassadors are shining lights of social around the world. media, working hard to raise You can read it at awareness of mental health aspire2.org.uk. and giving their time to talk to people who need help.

Our brand ambassador this month is Ohemaa, who is currently persuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Aspire2 Ambassador Technologies in Namibia.

of the month! Ohemaa contributed to our World Mental Health Day Special, writing about mental @blvc_butter health in Namibia.

If you’d like to get involved as Hi everyone! I’m Tiegan, I’m the Social Media and Marketing an Aspire2 brand ambassador, Executive at Aspire2! email Tiegan at: Each month I’ll be giving updates on the work I do at Aspire2 [email protected] and spreading the inspiring stories and amazing work of our brand ambassadors.

Since starting my role with that it’s going to have a positive Aspire2, I have been promoting impact on people. the work we do and increasing I recruit brand ambassadors our following on social media. who are as passionate about mental health as I am; it’s lovely I reach out to people to to see how many people want create more awareness of the to get involved and share their company and general mental own stories! health. I feel that social media can be a cruel place at times, so If you think you have what hopefully I inspire our followers it takes to become a brand and sign post people to ambassador feel free to services that will benefit them. contact any of our social media pages or email me at: I couldn’t be happier in the work I do, especially knowing [email protected]

Follow us on social media!

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK BRAND AMBASSADORS 59 The importance of hope Aspire2 Brand Ambassador Scott Baker tells his inspiring story of overcoming his mental health problems when the help wasn’t helping

I started to struggle with my mental up getting into trouble with the police. health from a young age. I got diagnosed with ADHD, I couldn’t sit still I wasn’t getting on with my family so I and I was always getting taken out of left home and was stayed with friends. class. I went on to the homeless list. After a year, I got a flat in Lanark. The teachers didn’t know what to do with me. People would shout at me and It was great having somewhere I could say I was badly behaved but looking call home, but my mental health was still back I understand it was my condition getting worse. I was going from extreme and I couldn’t help it. lows to extreme highs. About Scott At home I was taking medicine about I started taking a new medicine that three times a day to keep me calm but I would stop all the horrible thoughts I Scott is a brand ambassador for hated it and I felt like a zombie. was having and I went to see a therapist Aspire2 in Scotland. for CBT to manage my feelings. When I went to high school my anxiety He works hard on his Twitter got worse and I was taken out of class But I was still struggling so I didn’t go and Instagram pages to raise most days. Teachers just looked down back after a few months. My drinking awareness of mental health at me and said ‘you’re never going and drug habits got worse and I started conditions and he has suffered to make it, you’re too loud you’re not going to addiction services who said with ADHD, anxiety, suicidal doing your work.’ In the back of my there was nothing they could do thoughts and addiction. mind I kept saying to myself ‘I wish I was because my mental health was causing normal, why do I act and feel this way?’ the addictions. Then I’d go to the psychiatrist and they would say it was Scott’s article here describes I felt like the school let me down big addictions. how he felt like specialists were time. I just felt I was treated differently unable to treat him, and instead, from everyone else. By time I was 18 I was living by myself. help came in the form of the Days would pass where I struggled to charity The Hope Café. So, I left school and then my mental get out of bed, wash or eat. Everything health started getting even worse. just felt like one big struggle. His story of recovery was turned into a video, which you can see I started drinking and smoking cannabis I felt like there was a dark cloud above by clicking the image below. every day. I was just trying to block me. I had no self-worth or hope, so time everything out, but every day was went on and I stated getting into more Follow Scott on a struggle. I started going to more trouble with the police. One time I was Twitter and appointments with GPs where I would very low and I was sitting on a bridge Instagram: tell them how I was feeling. when the police came. Rather than taking me to a hospital, they locked me I was told there was up. nothing wrong with me, that I needed to get a I kept thinking maybe it would better if grip and that there was I killed myself so all this pain would go nothing they could do away and I wouldn’t have to put up with for me. this.

It was very upsetting I went back to the hospital and was kept and I was angry that no in for a few days to detox and clear my one was giving me any head. support, so the drinking got worse and I ended Once I was discharged, I had CPNs

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 60 coming to see me. I started going to the treated me like a human. we should all be treated the same and Hope Café, a small charity that was set not judged. up around peer support. Everyone was But at 21 I was still drinking and so friendly and what I loved about it was occasionally smoking cannabis to self- I’m now 22 and I have a partner. He’s that everyone that was there had lived medicate. I wasn’t getting much sleep, just amazing, and he understands my experience of mental health. so I used to get very tired and angry. I mental health. I still have good and bad would take it out on friends and family. days, but I have the right people in my I began to volunteer there, building my life and life’s good. confidence up, meeting new people After a few months, the Hope Café and getting to listen to peoples’ stories. came to an end. I was upset because it Now I want to help others, tell people really helped get my life finally back on that it’s okay not to be okay and this I wrote down my own story. Then, for track. shall pass. We are human, we all have the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival struggles and problems. my story was turned into a play. I felt Fortunately, a couple of volunteers amazing. started up a new charity called Esteem See Me Clydesdale. It was based on peer See Me is Scotland’s Programme I took part in the first Walk a Mile support and offered people a place to to tackle mental health stigma and in Edinburgh with See Me, and in come and chat and feel safe and not discrimination. It’s funded by the Strathclyde Park, where I got the chance judged. Scottish government and Comic Relief to walk with Chris Young, the creator of and managed by SAMH and The Mental Walk a Mile. We started to do more events. We got Health Foundation. the word out that no one needs to suffer By the time I was 20, my mental health in silence and that we were here to help. See Me is passionate about tackling the was in a good place. I was volunteering Life seemed to be still back on track. prejudice, ignorance, and misguided most days, I was meeting new people stereotyping about mental illness. trying to tackle stigma and sharing my I believe everyone should be treated as recovery to help others. an equal, it doesn’t matter if you have To find out more about See Me, visit a mental health condition, different seemescotland.org For the first time I was happy. People coloured skin, whatever your sexuality,

HeadCase Podcast

Introducing Stephanie Hoffman, our newest brand ambassador and host of the HeadCase Podcast.

Stephanie explains her passion for mental health:

“You can say I’m a mental health advocate who is sharing the whole truth about what it means to suffer from mental illness. Mental illness is not black and white, it’s a vast spectrum that we all fall on due to genetics or circumstances at some point in life and now is the time for the stigmas to end and our conversations to be heard. This is why I started my podcast!“

“The response has been amazing, everyone has been welcoming, kind and really accepting of the stories we’ve shared. It’s so humbling. I love the mental health community and just from the people I’ve met, I’ve personally become a more empathetic and open minded person who is no longer as quick to judge another. We should all give others the benefit of the doubt, no matter their beliefs or You can listen to the HeadCase Podcast now on pasts.” Spotify and Apple Music

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK BRAND AMBASSADORS 61 The dark escape called depression

Aspire2 brand ambassador Prudence Onaah on coping with depression

Life can get so fuzzy that we crawl into our own heads. When time takes us forwards physically but backwards mentally and it feels like our past mistakes are catching up with us, we recede into our shells. A shell that is in our heads and that transports us into our dark moods. Depression is a very real thing.

I write this on a relatively cool morning as I feel a slight bang in my head from all the sights of yesterday and a feeling of having taken the wrong paths.

We cannot see the future and no matter how well intentioned our actions are, we cannot impose our own interpretation of them on others. People will make conclusions that they want to make. professional diagnosis to conclude present and drag yourself out of your To add that to a feeling of not having that you are depressed. However, the thoughts. To leave depression behind, progressed in your life even when others symptoms can range from declined you have to be active. So, stay active. think that you have is such a weight to excitement to insomnia. Depression Look for things that preoccupy your carry. has to do with serious mood shifts that mind in positive ways. Exercise regularly make you begin to lose your joy in and eat well. Depression manifests differently for life. If nothing excites you and you are everyone. Yours might not result from beginning to show irritability towards The best tip for dealing with depression similar scenarios but still, it is a dark your friends, hobbies, routines and is to seek professional help. Schedule escape that our minds play us into. We family members, it may be time for you that appointment with your therapist need a little detachment from all the to seek professional consultation. and make sure that you meet with them. hustle and bustle. When we don’t create A professional can help you check that our bodies do the work for us. We If you know that you continue to choose your progress and can help you deal may not like the results. escapism on a regular basis, you may with relapses. It is vital to overcoming need to find ways to get back to your depression that you seek help. Do not In this article, I want to talk about the former joyful self. Getting out of the keep quiet about what’s eating you signals that tell us that we might be dark escape called depression requires away and try to reach out to people who derailing emotionally and how to get you to pull in some willpower. You need can watch your improvements and help out of that locked room. Think about to choose to do it. Begin to confront you cope and heal and thrive. it like feeling lost in the woods in your fears and engage in activities that unfamiliar territory. Mental illness of once gave you joy. When you do not You can use the helplines in this any kind can feel so much like that. feel like doing it is the right time to newspaper to get the support that you But maybe there is a path, and maybe participate in that task, push yourself. need. Staying mentally well is important we can find that path. If your particular Avoid staying alone as loneliness can to your overall wellbeing and to the situation is depression, here’s what you trigger depression. I know it’s hard but, strides that you make in your life. It need to know as you retrace your steps if you can, talk to people and get out preserves your energy and time for and take the correct turns on your way more often. more productive things. Going after back home. your wellness is a heroic thing to do. Socialise with friends and family even You have got to take practical steps to Depression is sometimes subtle but when you do not feel like talking to start your journey away from depression sometimes intense. It would take them and they irritate you. Try to be today. And you can do it!

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 62

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK AND FINALLY... 63

Everyone is talking But is everyone qualified to listen?

Written by David Jones

As a long-term service user I was solely because if you cannot call Samaritans, call crisis lines, extremely humbled and touched provide the services and GPs and mental health services. by recent campaigns on national treatments, the right amount But the family are in a state of shock, television, radio and in the press that of beds, professionals, extreme the normal ‘irrational response’ is one promoted the idea that it was ‘good waiting lists that in my view amount to of guilt, blame, “how will your mother to talk’ about mental health with the psychological abuse and ill treatment cope” “or if you kill yourself, who’s family, down the pub or with work then ‘crisis’ seems dignified. It’s paying the mortgage and bills?” colleagues. fantastic getting people to talk and raising publicity about mental health It’s great to talk and be open about During prime- time television on - truly amazing - but should this be a your feelings but talking to untrained a Saturday evening ITV stopped concern? professionals has its risks. Britain’s Got Talent for one minute and paved the way for conversations Are we as a nation putting the onus With a system already in crisis and to start across front rooms. It was a of responsibility onto friends, family, more people talking and opening up, stunning tribute to mental health and loved ones, work colleagues because a new danger exists. If the system clearly demonstrates that the subject the system is in meltdown? The cannot cope now what do you of mental health is truly taking shape complex issues that surround mental do with tens of thousands of new and its high on the public radar. health require 24/7 professional identified cases? services from trained personnel. Mental health is extremely complex, it There is truly a place in a modern can be a very frightening experience I want to put forward a scenario to and free society to openly talk to and subject, let alone the symptoms, support my article. A family are all friends and family, especially if you issues, diagnosis, prognosis, around the table having an evening are struggling with mental health. availability of treatments and services meal when the father, mother or But, as a society, we must not push far which are extremely challenging. Use one of the children says, “I’ve been reaching responsibilities onto people the word ‘schizophrenia’ and for all thinking of taking my own life.” That who are not professionally trained the wrong reasons most people run a bombshell, that very statement has far in complex matters because mental mile. and wide reaching consequences that health services are underfinanced, will last this family a life-time. understaffed, underpaid and always With the mental health system in play second fiddle to physical crisis, and I use that word ‘crisis’ Yes, a risk has now been identified. treatments and services. with real meaning and passion Yes, you can leap to the phones and

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK 64 How you can help us:

Aspire 2 depends solely on capital raised through adverting, donations, grants, and sponsorship.

Donations Advertising We gratefully accept any and all donations. No If you would like to advertise your company or amount is too big or too small and your money will product on any of our media services then an be reinvested into the company to raise awareness advertising package can be found that would benefit of mental health. both parties.

To donate, click here.

Sponsorship If you would like to sponsor Aspire 2 we would be delighted to discuss this with you in more detail. Sponsorship packages are offered in the following areas and can be for periods of one, three or five years:

• The Company as a Whole • Sponsorship of the entire website or one page of the website • Social Media Sites or one social media site • Sponsorship of the Online Digital Newspaper • Sponsorship of Events, Road Shows, Mental Health Choir, Award Ceremony • Sponsorship of the Newspaper Publication, Distribution, Competitions & Prizes • Sponsorship of Radio Station & Recording Studio • Office Running Costs

To enquire about advertising or sponsorship, contact Peter at [email protected]

There’s light in the tunnel

Aspire2 Mental Health Media & Events

Hargrave House Lavender Grove York YO26 5RX

Phone: 07504 635123 Email: [email protected] www.aspire2.org.uk

ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2019 WWW.ASPIRE2.ORG.UK