This document provides an introduction and overview of mental health awareness. It begins by outlining guidelines for respectful participation in the discussion, including listening without judgment, sharing only if comfortable, and being aware of one's own mental health. It then presents quiz questions about mental health statistics in the UK. Definitions of mental health, wellbeing, and illness are provided. The document discusses the mental health continuum and common types of mental health problems. It also covers topics like stress, psychosis, suicidal feelings, and how to help oneself or others. Suggestions are made for managing conversations about mental health and for signposting support resources. The importance of self-care and maintaining wellbeing is emphasized.

1. Section Title
Introduction to Mental
Health Awareness
presentation
Presentation slides adapted from Minds Blue
Light – MH Awareness

2. As a group we will
• Listen to those around us
• Be non-judgmental
• Share if we feel comfortable to do so
• Be aware of your own mental health throughout
• Take a break if you need to do so
• Make a safe learning environment to make
people feel able to be as honest as they would
like to be.

3. Mental health quiz
1. How many people in the UK will experience a mental
health problem every year?
1 in 4, 1 in 8, 1 in 2.
2. What proportion of people with mental health problems
believe that workplace stress contributed to their illness?
1 in 5, 1 in 3, 2 in 3.
3. Which country’s Prime Minister was re-elected in 2001
after publicly taking time off for depression?
Mexico, Norway, Poland

4. Definitions of mental health
“Good mental health means being generally able to
think, feel and react in the ways that you need and
want to live your life. But if you go through a period
of poor mental health you might find the ways
you're frequently thinking, feeling or reacting
become difficult, or even impossible, to cope with.
This can feel just as bad as a physical illness, or
even worse.”
Mind

5. Definitions of mental health
Mental wellbeing describes your mental state -
how you are feeling and how well you can cope
with day-to-day life.
Our mental wellbeing is dynamic. It can change
from moment to moment, day to day, month to
month or year to year.’ Mind

6. What does good mental health look like?
If you have good mental wellbeing, you are able to:
• Recognise the good in yourself, such as your
positive attributes and achievements you have
made.
• Feel and express a range of emotions.
• Feel engaged with the world around you.
• Live and work productively.
• Cope with the stresses of daily life and manage
times of change and uncertainty.

7. Mental health Continuum

8. Types of mental health problems
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating problems
• Schizophrenia
• Phobias
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Personality disorders
• PTSD

9. Suicidal feelings
• Suicidal feelings can range from being
preoccupied by abstract thoughts about ending
your life, or feeling that people would be better off
without you, to thinking about methods of suicide,
or making clear plans to take your own life.
• If you are feeling suicidal, you might be scared or
confused by these feelings. But you are not alone.
Many people think about suicide at some point in
their lifetime

10. How can I help someone experiencing suicidal
feelings?
• Try not to judge
• Talk to the person about how they feel
• Encourage them to get help
• Ask them how you can help
• Help them stay safe
• Look out for warning signs

11. What is Stress ?
“Stress is the adverse reaction people
have to excessive pressure or other
types of demand placed on them”
Health and Safety Executive

12. Stress versus good pressure

13. What are mental health problems?
• Mental health problems can affect any of us irrespective of
age, personality or background.
• They include a wide range of experiences and can affect the
way people think, feel or behave.
• They can appear as a result of experiences in both our
personal and working lives – or they can come about without
any easily identifiable cause.
• Some problems may be mild or moderate while others may
take on a more severe form, affecting a person’s ability to
cope with day-to-day living.

14. Types of mental health problems
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating problems
• Schizophrenia
• Phobias
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Personality disorders
• PTSD

15. Psychosis
Psychosis is when you perceive or interpret reality in
a very different way from people around you.
Can take the form of:
• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Disorganised thinking and speech

16. How can I help myself or someone else?
• Self-care
• Treatment options
• Recovery
• Peer support

17. Managing conversations

18. sharing their stories - video
Champions @
Being there for your colleague

19. How might you start the conversation?
• Show your support
• Ask how you can help
• Be open-minded
• Don’t just talk about mental health
• Show trust and respect
• Look after yourself
• Be patient

20. • Your Employee Assistance Programme
• Information that’s available from unions and other membership
bodies
• Disability Support Groups
• External organisations that offer mental health support, such as
your local Mind
• Information around how to access counselling or therapy in your
local area
• Local and national helplines
• Online peer support resources e.g. Elefriends
www.elefriends.org.uk
• Samaritans: free phone 116 123 (UK) or email jo@samaritans.org
• Mind website: http://www.mind.org.uk/
• Rethink – Mental Illness website: https://www.rethink.org/
• Create your own signposting list
Signposting

21. Mental wellbeing is just as
important as physical wellbeing,
and you need to maintain both in
order to stay fit and healthy

22. How you can look after your wellbeing
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sachac/

23. How you can look after your wellbeing
• Talk about the way you feel
• Identify your triggers
• Do something you enjoy
• Take time to relax
• Make a plan to stay well – Wellness
Action Plan
• Think about what helps you if you start
feeling overwhelmed
• Be kind to yourself – we are all
human!