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Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 - A perspective.

Mental Health Matters


At Hope-Borland Associates we have certainly noticed that now, more than ever mental health issues are at an all-time high. The level of Psychological and Psychiatric referrals has increased significantly. Covid-19 has certainly played a huge role in this. Right now everyone is at a different place in their lives, as lockdown eases and everyone starts to get back to the new normal. 


Mind says “mental health is just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it”.


As part of Mental Health Awareness Week we are immersing ourselves in the “5 Ways to Wellbeing” by reconnecting with nature. These 5 ways are Connect, Take Notice, Give, Be Active and Keep Learning. At a time where social media, working from home and zoom calls are the norm. It is important to remember our fundamental right to take stock, engage our senses, dust off those walking boots and get outside! This is what Emma, our Office Manager, has to say:-


In my opinion a good walk and listening to the birds whilst out in the woods does wonders for your head. It is good for the soul.  During lockdown I broke my ankle and had to have surgery, meaning I was inactive for a fair few months. This was not easy especially with a 9 year old in tow!  Walking was something that I desperately missed, especially when at that time it was all we could do! Now I am all healed being able to go on family walks, looking at the sky and listening to the birds is simply one of my little indulgences.  It is not until something is taken away from you that you truly appreciate it.


Last week I decided to make exercise part of my day, so I have restarted at the gym setting myself mini goals waiting patiently for my spin classes to resume (said no one ever!). Taking back control is actually quite liberating. Watch this space… summer body pending!


Being connected with each other is more important than ever. I am trying to listen more to my family, work colleagues and friends. Actually listening, trying to understand and empathise with them. Finding the time to be more connected with each other is something that I think we all struggle with. 


Mindfulness is something which I try and practice daily. Taking notice of what is around me, really looking at the beauty and savouring every moment where I can. Whether that be in the car on the school run meeting my husband at lunch for a chat/catchup with a cheeky sandwich thrown in. Actually listening to my son telling me about his day at school and meeting my friends for a coffee in person, rather than via the weekly zoom call. Being ever present in how I feel is important to me.


I am also very proud to say that I have learnt some new skills since moving house last month. I now know about upcycling furniture and painting tiles! I didn’t even know what Frenchic paint was a month ago!! If you haven’t heard give it a go….. you won’t be disappointed! It’s amazing. 


For me it is quite simple, Be Kind. You never know what someone is going through. I always try and seize the day with a smile on my face. Saying thank you! In my experience that one small act of kindness can mean everything to another person.  


If you want to know more about Mental Health Awareness Week then please take a look on Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 website. 


Mental Health Awareness Week 2020

All of us here at Hope-Borland Associates appreciate Mental Health Awareness Week and all that it promotes.  We have at Hope-Borland Associates been sharing information about Mindfulness and Meditation.  Sue Hope-Borland has been practicing Mindfulness since the mid-1970’s so is well placed to be able to pass this information on to others.  She is also currently studying for a Masters in Positive Psychology, having passed the first year of the two-year course at Liverpool John Moore’s University.

Hope-Borland Associates have been providing support to homeless clients in therapy on a voluntary basis as well as providing support to others.  Many people have understandably suffered a great deal of anxiety and distress during the lockdown because of Coronavirus.  Here at Hope-Borland Associates we have tried to use mindfulness to develop “right thinking”, pursuing the idea that right viewing is at the foundation of thinking.  Thinking often leads to right actions and more comfortable emotions.  Wrong thinking causes us to see the world in a “upside down way”, to realise that conscious breathing and breath meditation is an important link.  Mindfulness meditation/breathing we have found is valuable to stop being preoccupied by thoughts of the past and anxieties about the future and to enable us to get to terms with life as it is.  There are lots of things to enjoy in the here and now.  When our thoughts and feelings go beyond our present situation to the past, things that we could have done, or fears about the future, this creates torment.  Thus, the emphasis is attempting to enjoy the here and now.  To be mindfully aware of what you have, what you can do, what you can eat, what you can experience and what you can enjoy. 

In terms of right thinking, it is useful to consider the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh (1999) to use the four practices of right thinking:
  • Are you sure? - if you are beating yourself up or worrying about things, are you sure this is relevant to you are here and now?  Is it possible just to enjoy what you have and wait, in anticipation of a good future?
  • What am I doing? – am I engaging anxiety?  Am I enjoying the here and now?  
  • Hello habit energy – recognising if your habit is to engage in anxious thoughts and to try to watch them, not stop them but let them go.  
  • To make a gratefulness list – to think about, even though your life has changed and is closed down, what you still have to be grateful for in your life.  For example, you might think about having a home, a pet, a loved person with whom you have a phone call, tasty food, the sunshine, or the rainfall, all the things that you have.  Considering all the things that you can be grateful for is a massive factor in feeling well. 
Another important aspect in lockdown is self-compassion.  Relatively newly in psychology is the idea of toxic achievement that is, we look on the internet and we see people in lockdown who are learning languages, learning to play an instrument, learning different things.  This can set up false and unwelcome expectations of self.  Just relaxing, just learning to spend the time being at peace, not necessarily doing anything purposefully, just actually enjoying having a cup of tea, listening to the bird song, enjoying making a meal or even just lying in bed and watching box sets, that is all fine too.  We are in unprecedented times and however we get through them we are doing good enough and remember even if you have done nothing except watch box sets for three days that is still good enough. 

Self-compassion involves placing humanity in its contexts.  Specifically, when one watches the news or reads a newspaper, the world can seem a very hostile and frightening place.  To be able to start to realise and reflect on the fact that we all have negatives and positives within inside of us is a good place to understand.  We all can feel nasty thoughts, anger, frustration and find life difficult.  In lockdown, those persons who are with their families may become frustrated.  Concentrating on our common humanity as described by Paul Gilbert in 2009 is an important factor in wellbeing.  Therefore, to remind yourself that compassion begins with a reality check, and that we have all evolved with brains designed to struggle to survive, to want to graft and to want to avoid pain.  Also, within acceptance to know that we all born to grow, decay and die and are susceptible to tragedy, pain, and suffering. 

Thus, to reflect and to process that what goes on in our mind is not necessarily our fault, nor is it the fault of others. 
If people wake up today and have one goal, my suggestion is that you attempt to squeeze whatever joyful happiness you can find for your day.  Specifically there is a sky out there, birds tweeting, children playing, perhaps the sun is shining or the rain falling but it is all an incredibly beautiful world.  We at Hope-Borland Associates are here for you and we are here to meet your needs and We wish you the best. 

References
Gilbert, P. (2009). Introducing compassion-focused therapy. Advances in psychiatric treatment, 15(3), 199-208.
Thich Nhat Hahn (1999) The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching (New York, Broadway Books).

For more information about Mindfulness, please go to https://www.mindful.org/

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