Mental MattersIt’s time to talk about recovery! February 2014

Photo by John McCarney

@GlasgowBud1965

4 SAMH and the rangers charity foundation team up for better mental health

6 Colin Dolan on how footbaill aided his recovery

8 New initiative - Mental Health Football UK

9 More than a game…

10 Should MHFA be mandatory forf football coaches?

12 A shaving success for SAMH

14 I’ve got my life back…

16 Minds Like Ours to host 24 hour football event

17 Exercise and my mental health

18 Anxiety United is new project offering online support.

20 The jogger and thescience

21 Stigma, hope andrecoveryEdition 5 of Mental Matters was

first published online on February8th 2014.

Edited version published onFebruary 19th 2014.

Many thanks to contributors:Jamie Milligan, StephanieWetherhill, Aimée Beveridge, JohnMcCartney and the team atAnxiety United.

All information is correct at time ofpublication.

Next edition will be out in April2014.

If you wish to contribute, advertiseor sponsor Mental Matters email:holly@mentalmatters.co.uk

EDITORIAL

IT SEEMS as if I blinkand we are another fewmonths down the line.Life has been a bit like awhirlwind since themagazine scooped aMind Media Award backin November. Having hadtime to reflect, I stilldoubt myself but aproject like this is a hugething to undertake andalthough contributionsare welcome fromrespected writers acrossthe country, it's still amammoth task.

The aims of MentalMatters continue to be toraise awareness ofprojects happeningpredominately inScotland but alsothroughout the UK. It'sbeen less than a yearsince the first editionwas released and onsocial media on a dailybasis, I see more andmore people trying tostart those difficultconversations, askdifficult questions andchallenge stigmatisingviews.

The recent success of the#FindMike campaignjust highlights the powerof social media and theengagement many acrossthe country now havewhen it comes to mentalhealth. I think thatmany people have foundthe compassion thatthey would havestruggled to find even afew years ago but withthe lights firmly shining

now, many more havefound their way.

A lot is still to be done inpromoting the recoverymessage and alsocontinuing to challengestigma. Last week,Charlotte Walker knownas the Bipolar Bloggerand also winner of aMind Media award, waspictured in the sunnewspaper fightingstigma and was picturedalongside Beth Burgesswho spoke about herexperiences of BorderlinePersonality Disorder inthe first edition of thismagazine.

Having a greaterpresence in the media isa good thing. At anytime, I'm happy to go onthe radio/tv and speakthe truths about mentalhealth and I'm alsocurrently researchingthe way suicide isreported in the Scottishpress. More will writtenon the results of thisresearch when I havethem, but I think it'simportant and later thismonth the NUJ shouldbe publishing an updateto their suicide reportingguidelines and cruciallythis will also cover socialmedia, so will beapplicable to anyonewith a blog or a twitteraccount.

The magazine thismonth is largely basedon theme of sport andexercise. On their own, itisn't a cure for mentalillness and we all knowthat but engagement insome physical activity orjoining a team can havehuge benefits for yourmental health. Put it thisway, it certainly isn'tgoing to hurt. In the nextedition, our focus willfall on addictions and we

are now looking forpeople to interview whohave experiencedaddiction. Typically, theword addiction issynonymous withalcohol and drugs butMental Matters will lookat the bigger picture andbe inclusive of topicssuch as Gambling,Internet or even exercise.Please get in touch if youhave a story to sharecome April and we'llcontinue to spread themessage of recovery andchallenge negativeattitudes.

As things continue todevelop here, we arelooking to also increaseour digital content andwith a jig of the designcoming soon, integrationwith digital content isthe way we will goforward.

This is a digitalmagazine, please shareand share again acrossthe net. It doesn't costyou anything and thewhole project is a labourof love from everyoneinvolved. Again, thankyou for your continuedsupport and I will lookforward to yourcomments andsuggestions. If youwould like to submitanything from a picture,poem to just writing yourthoughts to the editorthen you have time to doso, just contactholly@mentalmatters.co.uk

I'm glad this is now outfor you all to read andshare. Good physicaland mental health to allyou.

Holly McCormack@Hollz2012

THE RANGERS CharityFoundation have teamed upwith Scotland's leadingmental health charity tolaunch a new project aimedat encouraging football fansacross Scotland to talkabout their mental health.The Rangers CharityFoundation have donated£20,000 and linked up withSAMH in a bid to reachmore people acrossScotland, particularly men,to open up and take in thevital messages beingpromoted by SAMH aboutlooking after your mentalhealth.

One in four people will bediagnosed with a mentalillness at some point intheir lives and in Scotlandtwo people die by suicideeach day. SAMH isScotland's largest charityrelating to mental healthand this partnership shouldhelp the charity supporteven more than the 2300people already helped on aweekly basis. TheFoundation were created in2002 to bring club,supporters, staff andplayers together in a uniqueway aiming to make adifference to thousands oflives through charitablework.

The donation from theFoundation will be used bySAMH to supportcampaigning aspects of thepartnership as well as thecreation and distribution ofinformation on the issue ofsuicide and the promotionof good mental health.

Rangers star, Jon Daly, metup with SAMH director ofExternal Affairs, JoAnderson, to kick off theproject at Ibrox at the startof February. The player

swapped the trainingground for the sofa to havea chat about mental health.

The Foundation and SAMHbelieve the new initiative willmake a real difference to theongoing work addressingthe issue of mental healthand will harness the appealand media reach of RangersFC and the Foundation tospread the word aboutmental health via this newcampaigning partnership.

Jon Daly commented:“Mental health isn’t alwaysvisible to those around usand it’s not always theeasiest topic of conversationbetween family and friends.“It is so important to dowhat we can to have goodmental health and tosupport those who may beexperiencing a mentalhealth problem. The effectsof suicide on those leftbehind must be heart-breaking and for those nolonger with us – simply atragic loss.

“Our work with SAMH aimsto encourage people to talkmore and help preventsuicide in Scotland. I amvery proud that the RangersCharity Foundation andClub is supporting such animportant cause and lookforward to playing my partin making this newpartnership a great successduring the year ahead.”

SAMH works on a dailybasis to promote bettermental health in Scotlandand help reduce theamount of suicides in thecountry. The charity hopethat with the backing of theRangers CharityFoundation there will moreawareness on their suicideprevention schemes as wellas the successful 'Get

Active' campaign and 'OpenUp' which encouragespeople in Scotland to talkabout how they are feeling.

Jo Anderson, Director ofExternal Affairs said: “As acharity that supports peopleliving with poor mentalhealth, and providesassistance to the friends andloved ones who are affected,SAMH knows that lookingafter your mental health andwell being is just as crucialas looking after yourphysical health.

“We are thrilled that theRangers Charity Foundationhas decided to supportSAMH this year. We arelooking forward to workingwith the team andhighlighting to football fansand the wider public thethings we can all do to keepourselves mentally healthy.

“SAMH currently work withRangers Football Club todeliver the innovative ‘GetActive' programme toimprove Scotland's mentalhealth throughparticipation in, andengagement with, physicalactivity and sport. The newcampaigning partnershipwith the Ranger CharityFoundation is a great wayfor us to reinforce, andbuild on the existing workwith the Club.”

The Foundation will workwith SAMH later this yearto create a short filmfeaturing stars of RangersFootball Club to challengethe stigma around mentalill health and encouragefans, especially men, toopen up and talk abouttheir mental health and toseek help if needed.

Connal Cochrane, Managerof the Rangers CharityFoundation commented,“We have been discussingwith SAMH for a number ofmonths how to identify thebest ways in which we canhelp support this importantcause and we look forwardto working in partnershipfor the next 12 months aswe encourage people toopen up and talk aboutmental health and tacklethe stigma surrounding thisissue.”

For more information aboutSAMH go towww.samh.org.uk or followtheir daily twitter updates on@SAMHtweets.

If you need to talk theSamaritans are available 24hours a day on 08457 9090 90 or Breathing Spaceon 0800 838587.

Holly McCormack

It’s good to talk about youRmental health on a Daly basis….

KEEPING yourself activephysically is a proven wayto also keep you mentallyhealthy.

Across the country, therehas been many initiativesranging from people toparticipate in Tennis,Walking or engaging incommunity football.

Colin Dolan, originally fromGlasgow, now lives inLiverpool and has benefitedenormously from theinitiatives offered byEverton in the Community.

Although,a self-confessedLiverpool fan, Colin can’tthank his club rivalsenough for their work inhelping those with a mentalillness recover through themedium of Football.

The 48 year old wasdiagnosed with Bipolar 30years ago and until recentlystruggled to maintaincontact with professionalsabout his illness, onlyattending the doctor whenhe hit serious lows andhaving no faith in takinganti-depressants to helpwith his illness.

Coupled with a dependencyon drinking alcohol, theformer St Mary’s in theCalton player, struggledwith the depths of hisillness and on more thanone occasion attempted totake his own life.

Colin decided four years agoto take control of his illnessand also kick out misuse ofboth alcohol and alsoCocaine.

It was the best decision heever made.

Football has been a key partin Colin’s life ever sincegrowing up in Glasgow andgoing to games with his Dadto more recently going towatch Liverpool play atAnfield.

The self-confessed football-fanatic has played footballwherever he has lived:Glasgow, Madrid and nowLiverpool.

With 2012 proving to be aparticularly difficult year,Colin was handed a lifelinewhen introduced to thefootballing initiatives atEverton in the Community.

Colin is now involving inthe co-ordination of MentalHealth Football in the UKwhich aims to supportsimilar initiatives all acrossthe country.

In Scotland, similarschemes have beensupported by SAMHthrough the ‘Get Active’campaign that is fullyendorsed by Sir Chris Hoy.

At first, Colin was scepticalabout the challenge butencouraged by those closeto him, he made contactwith the community team atEverton.

He said: “My partnerpersuaded me to go alongand it changed my life, I feltthe old buzz as soon as Iwas in a footballenvironment.

“I got a buzz as soon as Imade my first pass, wentpast the first player, mademy first tackle and had myfirst shot on goal.

“The competitive sidewithin me got hold of meand I was excited aboutfootball again in my late40s.

“The Everton programme isamazing and the coaches goway beyond the call of duty,I cannot speak highlyenough of them.

“I was lucky enough to begiven an award by the clublast season for mycontribution to the sport asI had come out of my shelland got involved as avolunteer.

“I also got involved with theLiverpool homeless footballclub as well as alsovolunteering for theBasement, an advisoryservice for homeless peoplewith an addiction to alcoholand/or drugs.”

With the benefits of beinginvolved in the projectevident to Colin he also gotthe opportunity to goabroad with the club in acoaching capacity.

He continues: “Weparticipated in the 2013EASI Cup basically theChampions Leagueequivalent at our level.

“I was injured but wasasked to attend as a coach,we won and later this yearwe will be off to Prague todefend our title.

“I am a Liverpool fan but Ilove everything that EvertonFootball Club have done forme.”

Boosted by his ownexperiences in recoverythrough participation infootball, it’s now hisambition to develop theMHF UK project.

Colin adds: “It’s a testamentto Everton in theCommunity that I decidedto use my football, mentalhealth awareness andbusiness know how to thegood and launch MHF UK.

“Regardless if you haveplayed football or not, youcan meet new friends andit’s never too late from myown experiences and all Isee is people pullingtogether to help each other,support each other in waysyou just cannot imagine,just like the bond thatexists an any football club.

The response I’ve had so farto MHF UK has beenbrilliant so far and I’mconfident that when the

website is launched, we willsee more peoplecommunicating andbringing the mental healthcare support organisationsinto it too.

“I fully expect to be backedby them all and I seem noreason for them not too.

“Let’s tackle the stigma, let’screate opportunities and thesee the results and I’m surepeople will blossom.”

Colin will continue to crackon with the project whilstreaping the benefits that theprogramme at Everton inthe Community has to offerand is on the look out forany credible sponsors tohelp him reach hisambitions with MHF UK.

Of course, football is not acure for Bipolar and nobodywill ever say any sport cancure a mental illness.

What it can do isencompass supports neededto help people on the pathto recovery: participation,engagement, involvementand also help to providestructure to a life perhapsbroken by mental illness.

Football will never be a curebut it certainly can prove tobe a helpful antidote for amore positive mentalattitude that in turn canreap many benefits to theindividual participating inthe game.

Holly McCormack

A kick-start on the road to recovery…

IT HAS been said more thanonce that a healthy mindand healthy body cometogether like a Duck does towater.

The two are synonymouswith each other and whilsteveryone is aware of therephysical health and thebasics to stay healthy, manymore aren’t aware that it’sjust as crucial to have thesame approach to ourmental health.

It’ something we all have.

Leading Scottish mentalhealth charity SAMH havebeen leading the way inrecognising the linksbetween physical activityand mental health and their‘Get Active’ project has beena success across Scotland inrecent years.

Football clubs including StMirren, Rangers and Celtichave all done their bit inpromoting mental healthamongst supporters andoffering courses within thecommunity encouraginginvolvement in playingfootball as well as educationabout what it takes to stayhealthy both physically andmentally.

Now, one initiative hoping tobreak down those barriersbetween football clubs andthe stigma of talking aboutmental health, allthroughout the UnitedKingdom, is Mental HealthFootball UK (MHF UK).

The organisation is a non-profit and steered by ColinDolan and was set up inOctober 2013 with theintention of supporting andpromoting existing footballinitiatives but also topromote the benefits ofdoing so at other clubs,particularly for adults whoexperience mental illness.

MHF UK will combine bothprofessionals workingalready in the footballindustry as well as receivingsupport from professionals

involved in the careindustry.

Colin Dolan, who isoriginally from Glasgow butnow resides in Liverpool, hasexperienced Bipolar and nowheads up the project andhad this to say:

“It has been shown thatthrough the participation inactive sport those affected bymental health problems cansee signs of coping better,feel better about themselvesand in some cases areduction on the reliance ofmedication.

“Through football we canalso tackle the age oldproblem of the stigmaattached to mental healthconditions, we say ‘Let’stackle the stigma.”

Participation in football hasproved fruitful to mentalhealth as it encouragesthose involved to createbonds with team-mates andthat may be something theyhaven’t experienced before.A sense of belonging andbeing part of a team helpsindividuals beat confidenceissues and improve theirown self esteem and sense ofworthiness.

The purpose of MHF UK is tocreate a body of informationwhere all professionalfootball clubs can shareinformation on the initiativesthat they already have inplace or are looking tocreate.

At present, teams areinvolved in different leaguesacross the country rangingfrom five a-side to seven-a-side squads.

The establishment of MHFUK will allow clubs topromote their events andarrange challenge matcheswith throughout thecountry, with a proposedtournament involving clubsfrom all corners of the UK tocompete in a cup with all thehome nations beingrepresented equally.

MHF UK is in the process ofestablishing their websitewhich will provide adirectory of content detailsfor all the existing initiativesas well as updating a diaryof football sessions, venuesand the times they aretaking place.

Furthermore, it will providecontact details for all theclubs involved and also formental health supportgroups so that thoseparticipating can accessadditional support if needed.

It will feature a three-tiersupport system that will be astep-by-step guide forindividuals and groups whowish to start their owninitiative.

All of these will see MHF UKsupport new start initiatives,established clubs with noinitiatives and also supportthose already established.

The platform provided by thewebsite will providecontacts, advertisingthrough social media andalso access to informationvia the organisations email.

Colin adds more about theplans for MHF UK:

“It’s our intention to not onlybuild a good professionallong term relationship witheach initiative but also withthe major mental healthsupport networksthroughout the UK such asMind, Time to Change, BiPolar UK, Re-Think, MentalHealth Foundation, CALM,SANE and Together.

“It will be through thenetwork of mental healthsupport groups and the NHSthat initiatives will receivereferrals for participation.

“We have appointed anambassador in JonathanGarside who is Everton inthe Community’s MentalHealth Football coordinator.

“Johnnie has held this rolefor four years and with hiswealth of experience he has

helped EITC’s ‘Imagine yourgoals’ pick up numerousawards for off-field activitiesand regularly win trophiesfor the team’s achievementson the park.

Ambassador JohnnieGarside had this to say onthe future:

“In my opinion – the footballis only the starting point, it’sall the added benefits thatcome about in addition tothe football that are reallypleasing to see blossom asparticipants grow inconfidence and self esteem.

“Mental Health Football UKis a venture I fully supportand in my opinion is longoverdue so massiveappreciation to all involvedwith helping set up thisinvaluable organisationwhich will benefit manypeople.”

The planning work stillcontinues for the projectwho are still looking toappoint a patron for theproject, someone who lovesfootball and is a strongcharacter and understandsthe need that adults who areexperiencing a range ofmental health conditionswould benefit from theinitiatives being promoted bythis worthy cause.

For more information on theproject or to raise awarenessof any local projects, theorganisation can be foundon social networks.

Just follow @soccer_4_all onTwitter to find out more orlook up the project onFacebook .

Holly McCormack

Football - it’s more than a game, it’s a lifeline…

“It’s only a game...” these are words that we all willhave heard at one time or another in relation to sport.

Now, If you have no interest in football, rugby, oranything of the sort, that enthrall and frustrate many- in equal measures - on a daily basis, then you maywell believe that there is no truer sentence and thatthese are taken far too seriously.

If, however, you’re like me and have thrived on therush of these hobbies and games for longer than youcan remember, then you’ll know and understand alltoo well that sport runs much deeper than a win or aloss - it’s in the blood and it can have an impact thatgoes far and beyond the action on a pitch or court.

For almost all of my life, I have been a fanaticalfootball fan; hanging on every development of mybeloved team, enjoying nothing more than spendingSaturday afternoons at their home ground watchingthem take on the latest opponent, and making somemagical memories along the way that I know will staywith me forever. Couple that with the fact that I, froma young age, have been a general sports enthusiast ofthe highest order and you’d be forgiven for thinkingthat I would have made it my mission to find ‘my’event and be Scotland’s next sporting star in whateverguise.

Not quite.  At this point, I should probably mentionthat I have a physical disability that meant that, fromthe beginning, I knew - or at least I thought I knew -that my involvement in any endeavour was going to bethat of a spectator.  For a long time, though, that initself was enough. Being part of a group of supportersall routing for one cause and being engulfed by awhole manner of different sports brought much joyand shelved any regret I might have felt at only beingable to watch from the sidelines, as it were.

But, soon enough, this all changed.  Everyone knowswhat it’s like going to high school; it’s new, it’sexciting, it’s daunting, and you don’t quiteknow who you are or where you fit in. I haveto say that I felt all of those feelings, andbecause of a manner of things, for some time,it wasn’t the positive place I’d hoped for.

That was until, one day, I was introduced to  aregular set of hockey matches I could get myteeth into, and from that first game, Idisc overed what the real meaning of sport is -

to be an uplifting and enjoyable release.

I had finally found a place where I was no longer just aviewer, I was a participant; and what a change thatbrought.

It gave me the confidence, and the jumpstart I needed,to realise that there didn’t have to be any barriers to

sport - there were pathways for everyone.That in itself brought a fresh outlook -an unexpected one - and inspired me togo outside my comfort zone and try stuffthat had never even crossed my mind

before; skiing, abseiling, sailing, tennis -I’ve had a go at them all - not bad for

someone who was ‘just a spectator.’

Not only were the physical benefits of these activitiesfelt, but - perhaps more importantly - so was thepsychological release, too. Whatever run-of-the-millstresses I was contending with, I could get away fromthem for a short while and focus on the game, thecompetitiveness, and the will to win.  Then, of course,there was the opportunity to socialise with like mindedpeople who I would never have met otherwise, and realbonds were made in those moments... although, likeany time human beings are pitted against each other,friendships are forgotten when the clock starts andboth sides are aiming for victory!

Looking back now, taking up those past times andallo wing myself to get immersed

more than I thought possiblereally did have a big, andlong-lasting, effect. Not onlydid they provide a welcome

dist raction and tonic to the trials andtribulations that every young person faces,

but they, I believe, made me a much moreoutgoing, self-assured and focused person -one who is able to take on any hurdle andWIN.

There has been a great deal said and mused about thelinks between sport, mood and general mental wellbeing, and what I hope my own experiences show isthat they really do go hand in hand.

With a little bit of faith and a lot of enthusiasm thebenefits can be limitless.

And it’s so much more than ‘just a game...’

A PERSONAL ACCOUNT FROM A MENTALMATTERS CONTRIBUTOR…

MENTAL Health First Aid (MHFA) is avoluntary 12-hour course that can beundertaken to learn the basics aboutmany aspects to mental health.

A new initiative led by ex footballerand author, Caroline Elwood Stokes,has started a petition aiming for thetraining to become a mandatoryrequirement for football coachesacross the country.

Spurred by her own experiences ofdepression, the 34 year old wants tomake a difference to others involvedin Football who need support withtheir own mental health.

Football’s Awareness of DepressionFootball Community known as FADFC is currently pending on theirapplication for charitable status andhas support from ex-footballers bothNorth and South of the border, withnotable names Peter Shilton OBE andGavin Rae both supporting theventure.

It’s acknowledged by Caroline andFAD FC that it’s important tomaintain a balance of both a healthybody and healthy mind.

By ensuring MHFA training ismandatory to football coaches, thehope that more people involved in thegame will be equipped to talk toprofessionals at all levels aboutmaintaining their mental health.

Caroline adds: “FAD FC arecampaigning to make Mental HealthFirst Aid training within the FA Level1 coaching course syllabus.

“As coaches are the heart of the cluband have regular contact withplayers, they are the most relevantpeople at clubs to be training inMHFA.

“However, until this is madecompulsory – at FAD FC we willcontinue to carry out fundraising andrely on donations which are currentlyused to pay for Football coached totake a three hour MHFA Lite course.

A positive outlook to the project hasbeen met by some senior clubs inEngland including Sunderland,Barnsley and Rotherham.

Mark Todd, the Community officer atSunderland has been supportive

towards the project and also towardsthe petition.

Caroline who figure heads theprojects also believes that themandatory training should be taken astep further and be mandatoryeverywhere but with over 24 years ofexperience in the game, her focus issolely on football.

Football clubs can also do more topromote mental health awareness.

She said: “It’s important that clubs asrole models.

“Personally, I’m also trying to workwith students studying sports andwishing to have a professional careerin football and provide them withinformational packs on MentalHealth, covering real life scenariosthat go alongside a Football careerand also the impacts the game canhave on an individuals mental health.

“The purpose is to prepare individualsand reduce future suicides within thegame and I believe that all clubsshould be doing this too.”

Recently, there has been several highprofile suicides of ex footballers whichhas brought attention to the subjectof ex players mental welfare and FADFC are leading the way to bridge thiscup.

The deaths of Gary Speed andCharlie Adam Senior are just twonotable names who have taken theirown life within the past few years inthe United Kingdom, highlighting thatclubs do need to do more bodies likethe PFA need to encourage theirmembers to have a forum to expresstheir emotions in a confidentialenvironment.

Clarke Carlisle, another exprofessional, is also trying to promoteopenness and recently aired‘Football’s Suicide secret’ as part ofthe BBC three mental health season.

More information on the project can be

THE topic of Mental Health First Aid was covered

in the first ever edition of Mental Matters. It’s not

a new concept but a 12 hour course which

teaches you the basics in how to deal with

someone who is experiencing a mental health

crisis. Originally conceived in Australia, the

format has not spread through the globe and

throughout Scotland you can visit the SMHFA

website to see what courses are available near

you.

The 12 hour course covers some basics concepts

in mental health as it aims to provide a platform

for an individual to then be referred on to the

appropriate care.

The following is a brief outline of what

is covered on the course: -

● Guidance on being a Mental

Health First Aider

● Attitudes to mental health

issues

● Equalities

● The recovery message

● The impact of alcohol and drugs

on mental health

● Introduction to suicide

intervention

● Listtening skills

● Understanding depression

● How to offer first aid to someone

experiencing depression

● Understanding anxiety

● How to offer first aid to someone

experiencing anxiety

● Understanding psychosis

● How to offer first aid to someone

experiencing a psychotic episode

For more information please go to:

www.smhfa.com

FAD FC calls for mandatory MentalHealth First Aid for Football Coaches…

IT WAS a close shave forJennifer Clarke whodecided to raise some cashfor SAMH last month byshaving her head.

The 25 year old fromBalforn, just outsideGlasgow, announced onsocial networking siteTwitter that she wasembarking on thechallenge.

It went ahead as plannedon the 30th of Decemberand Jennifer admits it wasactually quite fun.

Jennifer said: “My friendKate did the shaving andmy other friend Katie andher two year old sonFindlay and my mum wereall there for support andcuriosity!

“Afterwards, Findlay wasquite freaked out anddidn't want to talk to mebut he soon came around.”

The student, who isstudying aspirationalillustration at Duncan ofJordanstone College of Artand Design in Dundee,had been growing her hairfor a couple of years andadmits to being nostranger to weird andwonderful colours andstyles.

She adds: “I enjoyexpressing myself throughmy appearance and don'tmind trying new things.

“My hair had reached apoint where it was too longand too unhealthy and Ifancied a change.

“I've joked about shavingmy head in the past butfeel that I have reached apoint in my life where Iwas confident enough tofinally pull it off.”

Jennifer adds her reasonsfor supporting charitySAMH in the venture:

She continues: “I decidedit would be an opportunityto raise money for a goodcause and started to askaround and do someresearch.

“My friend Kate (whoshaved my head! pointedme in the direction ofSAMH and I knew almostimmediately that this wassomething I wanted to be apart of. “Also, raisingmoney for charity meant Icouldn't wimp out and Iwould definitely go aheadwith it”

“I feel that mental health issomething people are stillafraid to be open andunderstanding about.

“It is as important a healthissue as anything physicaland affects many people.

“ I chose SAMH because oftheir work to de-stigmatisemental health and getpeople talking andlearning about how it isn'tanything to be ashamed orscared of.

“As a young person in anoften stressful unienvironment it may affectmy peers and perhapseven myself at some point

and I hope that the workof SAMH and other mentalhealth organisations wouldmake them more aware ofhow and where to get helprather than keeping ithidden.

“I think that there needs tobe more work in schools,colleges and universities tomake young people moreaware and less ashamed totalk about the effects ofmental health issues.

“Discussion and activitiesin small groups ratherthan lumping everyoneinto a giant assembly roomto be droned away atwould be more effective atcapturing attention and Iam speaking fromexperience.

“I also think that themedia should be morecareful in the words theychoose and the messagethey are sending out to theworld, more people likeStephen Fry and Limmychoose to be honest andopen about theirexperiences and that’sinspirational.

“I just hope it encouragesmore people in the publiceye to do the same and ifpeople see their favouritesinger or politicians etctalking about it and themedia not mocking them,then they will beencouraged to find help.”

The head-shave has raisedover £100 for SAMH andJennifer has not ruled outdoing something similar inthe future.

She adds: “I woulddefinitely do somethinglike this again.

I’d do another challengethough because I doubtpeople would be as excitedas me at shaving my headagain.

“I've always fanciedjumping out of a plane orsomething like that so younever know.

“So far, I've raised £108which beats my target,and people can still donateno matter how much.

“My hair grows quite fast,but I absolutely love mynew hair do and it’lldefinitely be staying niceand short for a lengthyperiod, saving me afortune on shampoo andhair dye.”

You can make a donationto support Jennifer’schallenge by clicking on

www.justgiving.com/spilthjeffer

AS 2013 rolled in I was aware that I was more out ofshape than I'd ever been, hardly any of my clothes werefitting properly and I had gone up another jean size. Ihated what I saw in the mirror and refused to have mypicture taken unless you couldn't see my arms, legs ordouble chin. I felt fat, looked chubby, and was tired allthe time.

Enough was enough and I decided to invest in a personaltrainer.

Having a PT isn’t cheap but the effects can last alifetime. Training lifted me out of the rut I'd gotten myselfinto. It fills me with energy, makes me feel on top of theworld, AND I'm getting healthier as a result. You actuallycouldn't make it up.

Most importantly, though, exercising regularly and

setting myself targets has changed my mental outlook

and attitude.

And I'm confident these changes will stay with me for

life.

The first time I realised something was different was at

the end of January. I had been given money for

Christmas to buy myself a nice new handbag but having

been training five days a week for almost a month I

decided I wanted to buy myself a gym bag instead. It was

a small decision but it signalled the start of a new

lifestyle. Now, almost two months on, I am in desperate

need of a new wardrobe and a new pair of heels for

dancing in. But I’m saving up for a £110 pair of Nike

running shoes.

I had never been a morning person and if I could get upten minutes before having to leave the house, I would.Now, I spring (ok, I don’t ALWAYS spring, sometimes Iroll) out of bed at 5am for my 6.30am midweek gymsessions and love that I have to get up at 7.30am on aSunday for my weekly PT session (keeps me off the drinktoo). When I went away for my aunt’s hen weekend andgot up at 9.30am to go a run, I knew it was gettingserious.

Looks like I'm a morning person now.

Having depression, long lies had a huge detrimentaleffect on me. Yet at weekends I’d always stay in bed foras long as I possibly could, be that till 2, 3, 4 orsometimes 5pm. I’d then get up, having frittered away ahuge part of my weekend, and I’d feel groggy, sludgy andreally sad.

Now I get out of bed at 7.30am on a Sunday and as I

leave the gym at 10am I think, “God, I love my life!”.

This weekend I was photographed for the first time in

weeks and I couldn’t take my eyes off my arms. They’re

by no means completely toned or really thin, but they

don’t look chubby anymore and the dimples are away.

My face looks half the size and I have a waist again.

I can’t possibly put down in words how amazing thismakes me feel. What I  can  write isPOEIHFLJSDKFHLSJKDFHPOAIUSJDALKFDJPOLK!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D .

I realise I've been like a broken record lately, with gymthis and gym that (soz guys), and often people will say tome: “Aw I don’t like the gym.” I didn’t like the gym either.I’d go and I wouldn’t know where to start then I’d get intoa wee routine of a wee bit on the treadmill, followed bysome cross trainer and maybe a bike. I was always tooself-conscious to stand on a mat and do free-weights.

Now I have programmes that are difficult and varied I

know exactly what I’m going to be doing before I arrive.

With a mix of cardio, intervals and weights, it’s never

boring and always sore. But in a good way.

I stand on a mat and groan as I do my freeweights

sporting a pair of weightlifting gloves. I used to think

people just wore those to look hard but turns out they’re

actually useful...

I am the happiest I’ve been in years and I can not workout for an hour without feeling sick. But mostimportantly, I look and feel better.

Come join me. It’s great over here :)

AIMÉE BEVERIDGE: EXERCISE MADE ME FIT BACKINTO MY JEANS AND BACK TO FEELING CONTENTWITH MYSELF…

CONNECTIONS betweensport and mental healthare there for all to seebut charity ‘Minds LikeOurs’ is taking that onestep further by hostinga 24 hour footballmatch in aid of theirproject.

£5000 needs to beraised to make thecharitable status officialand with over £2500already in the bank, it’shoped the footballmatch will take ‘MindsLike Ours’ over thethreshold.

It was formed after oneof the directors wasfeatured on the BBCthree programme‘Diaries of a BrokenMind’ but the name waspicked on the originalpremis for the BBCprogramme.

Although it has links toEngland, over 25 peoplefrom the Glasgow areaare already involved,including a number offormer Journalismstudents at GlasgowCaledonia University.

The links with theUniversity help thecharity provide aplatform to producevideo and podcasts andpromote the recoverymessage to a wideraudience.

Of course, this willprove to be a challengeto all involved, but willhopefully raise the cashneeded to help thecharity continue to raiseawareness on issuesinvolving mental health.

It will take placebetween the 5th and 6th

of April at Cowan Parkin Barrhead. - Kickingoff at 10am!

The East Renfrewshirevenue is well equippedto host an event of thisnature.

The project is lookingfor 40 players to sign upand participate in theevent and will be playedin the format of a sevena side match for awhopping 24 hours.

It’s a heart-stoppingamount of time to playbut the good news isplayers will be involvedin a rota ensuringregular rest and playingtime.

The event hopes theplay can commit to the24 hours but thecharity will be flexible ifnecessary ensuringnobody willing toparticipate is turnedaway but it does need tobe kept manageable bythe organisers.

Callum Carson, who isinvolved in setting upthe project, has beeninvolved in a similarendeavour previously.

He said: “I played a 26hour game last year andthe pattern we generallyemployed was a rotasystem to ensuresufficient rest andplaying time throughoutthe 24 hour time frame.

“In addition to players,we are also looking forvolunteers to help withrefereeing, first aid,keeping the score,merchandise and alsowith food.

“Volunteers don’t needto provide that samecommitment the playerswith over 24 hourperiod and just a 2-3rota will suffice foranyone not involved inplaying ensuring that

you don’t need to attendthe whole event.

“Cowan Park is asuitable venue for theevent as there is plentyroom for tents whereplayers can rest andalso a pavilion near thepitch t provide warmthand showers.”

At present, over 25players have confirmedtheir attendance in theevent and the charityadvise it’s a case of firstcome, first served.

If interested in gettinginvolved in this event byeither offering to play orvolunteer then get intouch with Callum atMinds Like Ours – hisemail is

callum@mindslikeours.co.uk

Holly McCormack

COWAN PARK SET TO HOST 24 HOUR FOOTBALLEVENT FOR CHARITY MINDS LIKE OURS…

Volunteer

Now

THE THEME of themagazine this month isone of which sport andexercise can help sparka recovery from mentalillness.

Now, I won’t lie to youand pretend that assome people would haveyou believe, exercise isthe answer to allproblems and has theability to tackle even themost stubborn ofdemons. It can’t and itwon’t.

What it can do, from myexperience, is give you arelease, something tofocus on when yourmind refuses to thinkabout anything elseother than yourcondition.

In my darkest daysgoing to the gym orplaying football was all Ihad to take my mind ofOCD and to put a stopto the anxiety, even ifjust for an hour.

The desire and aim tocomplete a task oncestarted was, for me,very helpful and reallyquite relaxing.

Whether it was runningthat little bit further orlifting that bit more, Ifound setting physicaltargets and focusing onthem to be verybeneficial.

It didn’t completely putmy mind at ease, but Ican say for certain thatI was in a better placeonce I had completedwhatever work out I wasdoing than before I hadstarted.

Even more helpful andmore of a release for me,was watching football.

Anyone that knows meremotely will tell youthat I am positivelyobsessed with footballand fancy myself as abit of an expert on thetopic.

Long before OCDstarted much of my timewas spent analysing,discussing or watchingfootball.From a very young age Isought to learn as muchas I could about thegame and viewed it asan obligation to watchas many matches as Icould.

It was, and still is, mymain passion in life.Having something likethat to focus on andhelp lower my anxietywas absolutely crucialduring my darkest days.

Whether it was followingRangers or just readingand writing aboutfootball related issues, Ifound that having aninterest helped in a bigway.In hindsight, havingthis passion actuallysaved me once beforewhen it appeared that Iwas lost in the grips ofOCD.

Although I didn’t realiseit at the time, whilst Iwas in first year at highschool I fell victim toobsessive compulsivebehaviour.I was convinced that myfriends and family hadno time for me and that

I was to go through lifealone.

As a result, I completelyshut down and blockedeveryone else out. I wasa complete shell.

Then something bizarrehappened. The WorldCup in South Korea andJapan began and all ofa sudden I had a newlease of life.

For the first time in along time I hadsomething to discusswith friends and familyand, almost overnight,several months worth ofanxiety and intrusivethoughts disappearedinto oblivion.

This is just myexperience. Sport maynot be for you. Maybeyou would get more of arelease from reading orcooking.

It really doesn’t matter.

As long as you havesomething you can turnto when all seems lostto help you refocus andswitch off.

I’m a work in progress.In terms of recovery I’dsay I was at about the80% mark.

Whilst there are manythings and people I canthank for that, I can’tunderestimate the rolethat sport and footballin particular hasplayed.

Jamie Milligan

Exercise and my Mental Healthroadtorecovery

JUST OVER ten years ago,my life to some would havebeen considered verynormal. I was holding downa full time job, socialisingwith friends regularly andhappily plodding along inthe race we call life. Forsure, I’d had my fair shareof ups and downs, amarriage split when I was22, the separation of myparents when I was a child,things that are oftenconsidered to be almostnormal life experiences inthis day and age.

On one ‘normal’ evening,I'd put my son to bed ataround 7pm, and wassitting alone watching tv.When all of a sudden, theoddest of sensations cameover me, an overwhelmingsurge of confusion andintense worry. My headfelt like it was spinning outof control, my breathingwas shallow and my bodywent into what I could onlyexplain as ‘shock’. Havinghad no knowledge ofmental health issues backthen, I was convinced mytime was up.

I managed to drag myselfup on to my feet and mademy way in to the kitchenwhere I splashed cold waterover myself, soaking myface and hair and most ofthe kitchen in the processwith no consideration formy surroundings. Thisfeeling of a loss on controlcontinued, I found myselfslowly clambering to thefront door, opening it andtrying to get some fresh air.

All I remember from thatmoment is seeing the streetlights, blurring in myvision, like something froma dream state in a moviewhere everything is wavingin vision. I was petrified. Iclambered up the stairs tomy bedroom, I wasconvinced that I was aboutto die, my heart wasslamming against my

chest, and I could feel mypulse throbbing in myneck, my son was fastasleep, I went over to hisbed and gave him a kiss onhis forehead, a kiss which Iwas convinced would be alast.

That was my first everexperience with a PanicAttack, and from thatmoment in my life, I’d gonefrom ‘ordinary’ to‘extraordinary’.

I spent months in a state ofconfusion, seeking medicalattention, spending moneyon products which claimedto ‘CURE’ anxiety. Seekingreassurance from everyperson I spoke to, ‘Was Iok?” “Did I look ill?”. Thiswhole situation had beenborn due to the fear of thatfirst initial experience withpanic, I never wanted tofeel that way again, I wasterrified at the prospect ofa repeat.

Over the course of severalyears that followed, mysituation only becameworse. I lost my job, due tohaving too much time offand disappearing mid shift,I developed such a strongfear to those feelings ofpanic and anxiety that I’dbecome housebound and asocial recluse. I spentaround six months of mylife with the only journey Imade was from living room,to bedroom and anoccasional bathroom trip.The state of my mind wasincomprehensible, theeffect it had on my bodywas like nothing I’d everexperienced.

After trying variousdifferent treatments,including private therapy(which was costing money Isimply couldn’t afford), Iwas in a desperate state,my partner was at the endof her tether, the effect itwas having on mychildren’s lives and my own

physical state wasundeniable.At the depths of mydespair, with no otheroptions, I felt that my lifewas never going to improve,and I know so many peoplefeel this despair so oftenand they see no way out. Iread something on theinternet about usingexposure therapy toovercome agoraphobia,which I now classed myselfas experiencing.

LIGHTBULB MOMENT

It made absolute sense, theonly way to really overcomea fear is to face it, andrepetition of facing this fearwill eventually eliminateand dispel those irrationalfears, right? The nextproblem I faced, which Ialso now know to becommon, is finding themotivation and thestrength to take on theseexposures.

I was so convinced thatthis was something thatmade absolute sense forme, that I took to theinternet, in particular toYoutube. I’d seen videos ofpeople on there who wereexplaining things that I’dfelt, things that I thought Iwas the only person hadever felt. I had a connectionwith these people, theyseemed to be able to relateand understand the fearsand the sensations I wasexperiencing to the lastdetail.

I contacted a small numberof people and created asmall close knit communityonline via Youtube, weeach agreed to try outexposure therapy andmake films of ourexperiences, to share andsupport one another. Itbecame something thatchanged the way I felt, andto this day, I still believe Iwouldn’t be here now if ithadn’t been for this group,

the strength and themotivation it gave me toapply myself to this form oftherapy.Since those days ofcreating that smallnetwork, I have started myown business, remarried ina packed church, andtaken part in activities thatI feared I’d never have thepleasure in doing again.

I’m not claiming to becompletely free of anxietybut the improvements tomy daily life and myoutlook on the futurechanged drastically.In conclusion, after arecent setback in my lifecaused by the loss of mymother last April, my lifewas beginning to spiral into the reclusive andsensitised self that I oncewas. I noticed myselfslipping, and so AnxietyUnited was born.

EXPERIENCE IS OURTEACHER; WHAT WELEARN, WE MUST SHARE

One month ago, I decidedto create a network, awebsite for thoseexperiencing mental healthissues to engage withothers, to share advice, tosupport each other. Inhaving the option to talk tosomeone who could relateexactly to what I felt allthat time ago, was whatgave me the motivation andstrength to progress.

Anxiety United is a freeplatform bringingstrangers, thoseexperiencing anxiety, andthe curious together tobuild a wealth of mentalhealth knowledge.

For more information onthis new project visitwww.anxietyunited.co.ukor find us on twitter

@AnxietyUnited.

ANXIETY CRIPPLED ME BUT NEW WEBSITECAN HELP ME AND OTHERS RECOVER…

SPORT AND exercise havebeen inextricably linkedsince scientistshypothesized that exercisehad an effect on the brain.It turns out to be so, moreso than we originallythought. There is plenty ofresearch out there today,which explains the effect ofyour exercise of things likewellbeing, mood, health,neurology as well as beinggood for us physiologically.So, where is thisrelationship betweenexercise and mental healthand put simply, how is ithelping?

Firstly the desire to startexercising, or to continueto do participate inexercise is linked tomotivation. Moreimportantly intrinsicmotivation has been foundto be a good predictor oflong term goals and theability to participate over along period of time. As aresult of this there is a lotof support for the SelfDetermination Theory.

Self Determination theoryis based upon the beliefthat depending upon thesource of motivation therewill be a differing outcomeaccording to their reasonsfor participating insport/exercise. Intrinsicreasons are usually for thepleasure of doing sport, yetself determined/externalimplications involving thechanges to body, therecognition in the sportand financial advantages.

The self determinationtheory suggests thatanything but internalmotivations leads tonegative consequences.These negativeconsequences couldmanifest themselves inrewards such as financialgain and trophies (Garcia-Mas et al 2010). I do haveone or two evaluativepoints however; this is

only applicable to theselect few who manage tosucceed amongst the mosttalented in their sport andthus does not apply to theaverage gym-goer. I alsowould suggest that if youask a professional sportsperson, they might denythe extrinsic consequencesand label them as 'a bonusof the hobby they love'.

So what about the'ordinary gym-goers, theZumba wigglers and theopen road runners? What'sin it for them, how isexercise impacting uponthem?

Research suggests thatunhealthy life choices area large public concern andthe risks associated arewell documented. Whereare the underlyingcurrents in healthbehaviour and the changeswe make, and whatbenefits are they havingupon mental health.Barrier Self efficacy is theterm given to behavioursin which we may targetourselves and makeourselves feel anxious ordepressed with low selfefficacy.

It's suggested that as ourbarrier self efficacyimproves, so do otherhealth choices such aseating habits. Forexample, if exercise is tobe used as a form ofrecovery then, in theinitiation stages they haveto confident enough abouttheir competency to settheir goal of say, twoZumba classes a week,then as they move furtheralong their journey, thepsychological ingredientsat play differ as to how faralong they are in their'recovery' or their journey.

The psychologicalingredients necessary tomaintain the goal, such asresilience, must be present

in the event of a set back.Once this pathway hasbeen etched into theindividual's cognition thenwe may see neurologicalimpact because not only isthe exercise changing thebody, and changing theeffect of the body on themind, but it is literallychanging the mind in analtogether different sense.

Neurology of exercise.

WHO research suggeststhat 60% of the worldpopulation do not achievethe recommended 30minutes of exercise a day.

Research suggests thatexercising for the leastamount of time canimprove cognition, stress,anxiety, self esteem anddepression levels. On amore chemical level, Brainimaging techniques haveshown that exercise canimprove monoamine (yourbodies natural defenceagainst depression,anxiety, Parkinson'sdisease, PTSD (PostTraumatic Stress Disorder)and bulimia).

Neurotrophins (the proteinnecessary to encouragecell function),neurogenesis in thehippocampus (rebirth ofbrain cells), plasticity (theability for your neuralpathways to changethrough experience),increase blood flow,increased production andavailability ofneurotransmitters (theelectrical pulses allowingyour brain cells to fire andtransmit information) anddecrease brain atrophy(loss of tissue in thebrain).

The relationship betweenexercise and the brain inrecovery is an importantone. Not only does itprovide a distraction intimes where anxiety may

be proving difficult tooverride but it also givesthe brain a chance toneurologically improvewhich consequently haspositive healthimplications.

The Brain is one of themost important organsand as such everyopportunity to keep ithealthy should be taken.Opportunities might notmean a five mile run, butjust walk with a dog or amental exercise such as achallenging word puzzle.The relationship betweenthe neurology and theexercise is a complex one,one not yet fullyunderstood, but what mostpeople do understand isthat 'feel good feeling' afterhaving done exercise.

Speaking from personalexperience I neverunderstood that 'feel goodfeeling' or that 'positiveburn', but I sure did wheni found my confidence toattend a Zumba classregularly, and now I havethe confidence to maintainthe resilience in set backsto ensure I reach my goal.

I am not motivated byrecognition, or anyfinancial gain, but I ammotivated by theimplications towards myhealth and consequently, Iam feeling additionalbenefits in terms of mypositivity, reward, and selfregard.

Stephanie Wetherhill

THE JOGGER AND THE SCIENCE…

THIS WEEK I took a couple of days off work for only thesecond time since I began to experience OCD.

It wasn’t so much a concession that things were gettingtoo much for me, but more of a need to recharge mybatteries and regroup after relentlessly tackling thiscondition head on for three and a half years.

Anyone with a mental illness will tell you that there aredays when even getting out of bed is a miracle in itself.

Fighting internal demons can be truly exhausting.

My family, friends and work have been largelysupportive of my struggle. My parents have doneeverything in their power to help support me, eventravelling to Newcastle at six o’clock on a Saturdaymorning to take in an OCD exhibition.

My friends, to their eternal credit, haven’t treated meany differently and, as far as I am aware, don’t see thisillness as an issue.

My work, too, have supported me by doing things likechanging my shifts to allow me to work more sociablehours.

Despite this mini hub of empathy and support, mydecision to take a step back for a couple of days hasreaffirmed my belief that there is still considerablestigma attached to having a mental illness.

Although family members mean well, being told to “getyour head straight” and “push the thoughts to the backof your mind” is both a little patronising anddisheartening.

I don’t expect people to have read as many books onOCD as me or share the same sort of first -handaccount, but a quick Google search every so oftenwouldn’t go a miss.

Returning to work tomorrow is going to mean a similarsort of grilling, with a meeting and, potentially,disciplinary action on the horizon-I’ve been off threetimes in six months.

Now I respect that companies have standards andpolicies that they must adhere too, but for Christ sake, Ihave a chronic mental illness.

It’s a condition that is recognised as one of the mostdebilitating in the world and one which blightseverything I do.

I’m not looking for sympathy here. I hate the thought ofhaving concessions made for me, but whether I like it ornot, I do require that little bit of extracare/understanding.

I will never compare illnesses, but I work with a friendwho suffers from Muscular Dystrophy. He-and rightlyso-is given a parking space within the company buildingand has the option of taking days off when coming towork is too much.

Why should suffering from a chronic and severe mentalillness mean I should be treated any differently?

It’s a very simple question and one I will pose to anyonewho I feel doesn’t appreciate the gravity of suffering frommental illness.

This is turning out to be a bit of a rant, but the ideabehind this article isn’t to point fingers or criticise.

It’s quite simply an attempt to give some much neededclarity and understanding to an issue which I feel thereis still, even in 2014, far too much stigma and ignoranceattached to.

Things are beginning to change for the better, but westill have a long way to go before people suffering frommental illness are given the gratitude and recognitionthey deserve for the super human effort it takes tooperate on a daily basis.

JAMIE MILLIGAN OPENS UP ONSTIGMA, RECOVERY AND HOPE…

ATTITUDES towards Mental Healthin Sport have continually beenimproving due to some prolificsporting stars adding their weight intoanti-stigma campaigns.

In Scotland, both Sir Chris Hoy andGraeme O'Bree have spoken publiclyabout mental health and thiscandidness has helped others tofollow suit.

The Scottish FA have now launched anew league in 2014 for thoseexperiencing difficulties with mentalhealth.

It's a terrific step forward fromScotland's national Football body.

The proposed National Mental HealthFootball League will allow differentteams to compete in an environmentwhich will benefit both their recoveryand physical health, whilst allowingthose taking part to engage inFootball at a competitive level.

It will hold four competition days overthe course of a season with teamsplaying a selection of gamesthroughout and will take place inCentral locations all across ScotlanIf you are interested in participatingor simply to find out more pleasecontact David McArdle, Scottish FADisability Football DevelopmentOfficer, atDavid.McArdle@scottishfa.co.uk

*****MEDFEST is a film festive with adifference.

It's run by trainee psychiatrists fromall over the UK.

Every February/March a selection ofmedical schools from all across thecountry host a selection of short films,clips, animations which are thendiscussed by an established panel.

The aims of Medfest are to both ignitean interest in psychiatry and inspirepeople through film.

The events are free and you don'tneed to be studying medicine tobenefit from attending this uniquefilm festival.

All across the UK there are dates asMedfest tours the country, just headon to www.medfest.co.uk for furtherinformation and all the informationyou need.

*****Last month, Jonny Benjaminlaunched the #FindMike campaign.

The humble project, in associationwith Rethink Mental Illness, had twopurposes.

Firstly, Jonny wanted to find the manwho had talked him out of taking hisown life several years ago on WaterlooBridge.

Inspirationally – he wanted to thankhim for helping him at his lowestmoment and finding the compassionto help him in his hour of need.

The other aims of the #FindMikecampaign was to increase awarenessof suicide and encourage more andmore people to talk about it.

One in four people will experience amental health problem at one point intheir lives and campaign and thiscampaign filled many with hope.

It had a positive conclusion andJonny was reunited with his Mike inwhat proved to be an emotionalreunion.

Watch the video here and listen outfor more on this story. You mightneed a few tissues with this one -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG-NnvPyEaw

*****RUBY Wax is coming to Glasgow inApril as she tours the ComedyFestival with a one off appearance atthe Citizens Theatre on the 5th April.

The comedian, who is known for hercampaigning on mental health, willdeliver her show – A sane new world.

The show helps us to understand whywe sabotage out sanity and looks athow our brains work and can berewired to find calm in a freneticworld.

Of course, Mental Matters, will bethere on the night to review theperformance but you live locally thentickets are now available online andfrom £15 concession rate.

Just head to www.citz.co.uk forfurther details.

*****February 1st marked ten years of thephone support service, BreathingSpace.

The crisis support line worksalongside the NHS in Scotland andoffers an understanding ear for thoseexperiencing mental distress to call inand have a talk.

It's important that you do open upand talk if feeling low or suicidal andthe helpline has helped many in it'sten year tenure.

Events which took place encouragedScots to 'stay connected' and lookafter their mental wellbeing by stayingin touch with friends and family.

Time to Change also held a dayencouraging people to speak out andstart conversations about their MentalHealth.

Events like this are helping to reducestigma on a daily basis and long mayit continue.

MENTAL HEALTH NEWS

Do you:

· Have a friend in crisis and wonder how to respond effectively?· Want to be supportive and helpful, but just don’t have the

answers?· Knowing someone who is talking of suicide, but just don’t know

how to help them?

A Mental Health First Aid course can help!

Many people, just like you, have families and friends with a variety ofchallenges, but don’t know how to respond. If you can relate, and wouldlike to learn the skills to help someone with a mental health problem,why not consider a Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid course.

· NHS Health Scotland certified course· 12 hour course· Similar approach to general ‘first aid’· A participation based course full of activities, film clips, case

studies and discussions· Now being offered at a variety of locations around Scotland by

Minds Matter Training

To find out more or to register for a course visitwww.mindsmattertraining.co.uk