Mental Wellbeing

Mental health issues, including stress, anxiety and depression, are the reason for one-in-five visits to a GP. If you’ve tried self-help techniques and they aren’t working, please contact us to book an appointment with one our Mental Health and Well-being Coordinators, Beth & Eve. Our reception team will ask for a brief outline of your problem in order for Beth or Eve to better prepare for your session and help you get the most from your appointment. You can speak to Beth & Eve either via telephone appointment or at a face to face appointment, should you wish to sit in a quiet room while you wait for your appointment, please let our reception team know.

Beth & Eve offer brief interventions and may suggest other coping techniques for you to try or recommend counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy. They may also recommend a service known as social prescribing.

Primary Care Psychological Therapies (Talking Therapies) help people through talking to a therapist. There are different kinds of talking therapies which use different kinds of approaches. You can be referred to Talking Therapies via your GP or self-refer by phoning 0191 295 2775. You can also visit their website here.

Social prescribing is a way for your GP to refer you to a ‘link worker’. Link workers give people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. They connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. You can also self- refer to the local social prescribing service by phoning 0191 432 4829, emailing fcc.ntsps@nhs.net or visiting their website. To find out more, read a leaflet about social prescribing here.

Stress

Most people feel stressed sometimes and some people find stress helpful or even motivating. But if stress is affecting your life, there are things you can try that may help.

Support is also available if you’re finding it hard to cope with stress.

Stress can cause many different symptoms. It might affect how you feel physically, mentally and also how you behave.

It’s not always easy to recognise when stress is the reason you’re feeling or acting differently.

Physical symptoms

  • headaches or dizziness
  • muscle tension or pain
  • stomach problems
  • chest pain or a faster heartbeat
  • sexual problems

Mental symptoms

  • difficulty concentrating
  • struggling to make decisions
  • feeling overwhelmed
  • constantly worrying
  • being forgetful

Changes in behaviour

  • being irritable and snappy
  • sleeping too much or too little
  • eating too much or too little
  • avoiding certain places or people
  • drinking or smoking more

If you’re not sure how you feel, try our mood self-ass

Things you can try to help with stress

Do

Don’t

  • do not try to do everything at once – set small targets you can easily achieve
  • do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better
  • try not to tell yourself that you’re alone – most people feel stressed at some point in their life and support is available
  • try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve stress – these can all contribute to poor mental health

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Anxiety, fear and panic

Most people feel anxious or scared sometimes, but if it’s affecting your life there are things you can try that may help.

Support is also available if you’re finding it hard to cope with anxiety, fear or panic.

Information:

Symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety can cause many different symptoms. It might affect how you feel physically, mentally and how you behave.

It’s not always easy to recognise when anxiety is the reason you’re feeling or acting differently.

Physical symptoms

  • faster, irregular or more noticeable heartbeat
  • feeling lightheaded and dizzy
  • headaches
  • chest pains
  • loss of appetite

Changes in behaviour

  • not being able to enjoy your leisure time
  • difficulty looking after yourself
  • problems concentrating at work
  • struggling to form or maintain relationships
  • worried about trying new things

Mental symptoms

  • feeling tense or nervous
  • being unable to relax
  • worrying about the past or future
  • feeling tearful
  • not being able to sleep

Symptoms of a panic attack

If you experience sudden, intense anxiety and fear, it might be the symptoms of a panic attack. Other symptoms may include:

  • feeling that you’re losing control
  • sweating, trembling or shaking
  • shortness of breath or breathing very quickly
  • feeling sick (nausea)

A panic attack usually lasts 5 to 30 minutes. They can be very frightening, but they’re not dangerous and should not harm you.

Information: If you’re not sure how you feel, try our mood self-assessment.

Things you can try to help with anxiety, fear and panic

Do

Don’t

  • do not try to do everything at once – set small targets that you can easily achieve
  • do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better
  • do not avoid situations that make you anxious – try slowly building up time spent in worrying situations to gradually reduce anxiety
  • try not to tell yourself that you’re alone; most people experience anxiety or fear at some point in their life
  • try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve anxiety as these can all contribute to poor mental health

Low mood, sadness and depression

Most people feel low sometimes, but if it’s affecting your life, there are things you can try that may help.

Support is also available if you’re finding it hard to cope with low mood, sadness or depression.

Symptoms of a low mood

  • sad
  • anxious or panicky
  • more tired than usual or being unable to sleep
  • angry or frustrated
  • low on confidence or self-esteem
  • A low mood often gets better after a few days or weeks.
  • It’s usually possible to improve a low mood by making small changes in your life. For example, resolving something that’s bothering you or getting more sleep.

Symptoms of depression

If you have a low mood that lasts 2 weeks or more, it could be a sign of depression.

Other symptoms of depression may include:

  • not getting any enjoyment out of life
  • feeling hopeless
  • not being able to concentrate on everyday things
  • having suicidal thoughts or thoughts about harming yourself

Information: If you’re not sure how you feel, try our mood self-assessment.

Things you can try to help with a low mood

Do

Don’t

  • do not try to do everything at once; set small targets that you can easily achieve
  • do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better
  • try not to tell yourself that you’re alone – most people feel low sometimes and support is available
  • try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve a low mood. These can all contribute to poor mental health

Mental Wellbeing

During these difficult and stressful times it is crucial that people receive the help they need to stay safe and to manage their mental health and wellbeing.

You can get free psychological therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on the NHS. You don’t need a referral from your GP, you can now refer yourself directly to a psychological therapies service. To self-refer click here.

Below are some links to helpful websites to help you cope in these trying times. Click here to view the North Tyneside Resource Sheet.

Livecast videos:

  1. Worry and Uncertainty
  2. Burnout and Healthy Habits

Domestic Abuse

This is a difficult and worrying time for everyone – but particularly so for adults and children living with domestic abuse. If you are struggling and in need of support please click here  for information and details of how to access support.

Click here to view our patient leaflet.