MANAGING THE MIND

IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

Toolkit
A guide for managing your mental health and
wellbeing.

#MANAGINGTHEMIND #OASTALK #MENTALHEALTHMATTERS

CONTENTS

3. RECOMMENDED APPS TO SUPPORT YOUR

MENTAL HEALTH

4. CORONAVIRUS AND WELLBEING

5. ORGANISATIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

6. PODCASTS AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS

7. WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE

8. INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FOR PARENTS,

CARERS AND FAMILIES

9. Q & A

16. PANELLIST RECOMMENDATIONS

17. ORGANISATIONS FOR URGENT SUPPORT

Recommended Apps To Support Your
Mental Health

Headspace is a popular app for guided meditations, by Andy Puddicombe. Free

for students with Spotify Premium.
Calm is the current #1 app for meditation, sleep and relaxation.
Whatsupapp provides daily tools to help you cope with depression, anxiety,
anger, stress and to promote daily positive mental health and wellbeing.
SAM App helps you to track, understand, and manage your anxiety; offers 25
different self-help techniques and provides a “Social Cloud” feature to
confidentially connect with other users in an online community for additional
support.
Daylight is a self help app based on CBT techniques.
Mood Tools helps you to understand and manage depression. Offers helpful
videos and thought diaries.
Youper AI Therapy enables you to track your mood and engage in conversation
with an AI that uses CBT and mindfulness techniques.
MeeTwo Mental Help provides a safe and secure forum for young people wanting
to discuss any issue affecting their lives.
Clear Fear uses the evidence-based treatment CBT to focus on learning to reduce
the physical responses to threat by learning to breathe, relax and be mindful as
well as changing thoughts and behaviours and releasing emotions.
Calm Harm provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm.
Move Mood uses the evidence-based treatment Behavioural Activation Therapy
to help you improve your mood by encouraging you to increase your motivation to
carry out a variety of tasks in order to help you to move forward, take control and
feel positive.
Mind Shift lists symptoms of anxiety. Offers strategies to manage worry, panic,
conflict, ordinary anxiety, and three specialised categories of anxiety: test anxiety,
social anxiety, and perfectionism. Also contains relaxation exercises.
Coronavirus And Wellbeing

Public Health England - Guidance for the public on the mental health and
wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19)
Government advice on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during
the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Every Mind Matters - Coronavirus and wellbeing
Includes ten tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus, and advice on
maintaining your wellbeing while staying at home.
Mental Health Foundation - Looking after your mental health during the
coronavirus outbreak
Some tips to help you, your friends and your family to look after your mental health,
including how to avoid rumour and speculation which can fuel anxiety.
Mind - Coronavirus and your wellbeing
Information including practical advice for staying at home, taking care of your
mental wellbeing, and finding support for benefits or housing.
Rethink Mental Illness - Covid-19 and mental illness
Online hub of practical support and information for people living with, or supporting
people with mental illness.
Samaritans - If you're worried about your mental health during the
coronavirus outbreak
Support and guidance for anyone worried about their mental health.
Student Minds - Coronavirus resources
Guidance for the university community on looking after your mental health, including
ways you can support friends and family, guidance for those experiencing
xenophobia and racism, and for those with ongoing mental health difficulties.
The Coronavirus Helpful Hub
Support and advice on self care and managing your mental health through the
pandemic, from organisation Blurt It Out.
organisations for young people

Mental Wealth Academy

A new partnership offering a proactive and preventative programme of non-
clinical mental health services for 18-25 year-olds across Oxfordshire. For the
next six months, in response to the effects of the COVID pandemic, this service is
being extended to 16-and-17-year-olds too.
Young Minds
The UK’s leading charity committed to improving emotional wellbeing and mental
health of young people.
Anna Freud Centre On My Mind
Co-produced by young people, this service aims to empower young people to
make informed choices around their mental health and wellbeing.
Students Against Depression
Offers information and resources validated by health professionals, and advice
from students who have experienced it themselves.
Stem 4
Offers a range of support and apps, including Clear Fear for Anxiety, Calm Harm
for Self Harm and Move Mood for low mood and depression.
The Mix
The UK’s leading support service for young people with a free confidential
helpline.
Brook
A national charity offering both clinical sexual health services and wellbeing
services and education for young people.
Kooth
An online mental health community, with crisis support.
podcasts and motivational speakers

'Feel Better, Live More' by Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Episode on sleep with Matthew Walker (author of Why We Sleep)
'Just About Coping' by MHFA's Simon Blake
‘The Resilience Sessions’ by Blesma
'How To Fail' by Elizabeth Day
'Unlocking Us' by Brene Brown
'All In The Mind' by Radio 4's Claudia Hammond
'Mad World' by Bryony Gordon
Johann Hari 'This could be why you’re depressed or anxious', TED
Dr Dominique Thompson 'What I learnt from 78,000 GP consultations with
university students', TEDxBath
Natasha Devon 'Mental Health: What next?', TedxYouth@Bargate
Dick Moore 'Dancing or drowning in the rain?', TedxExeter
Nick Vujicic 'Overcoming Hopelessness', TedxNoviSad
James Shone visited Abingdon school recently to give a talk on wellbeing. He
spoke to parents about his model of UFO. This mnemonic was a great support
to him and brought him hope and strength through a very challenging chapter
in his life.
Wellbeing In The Workplace

Video on the Stress Container

A video by MHFA England on how to manage your stress container.
Supporting your mental health while working from home
A PDF guide by MHFA England with tips on working remotely.
Mental Health At Work - Coronavirus and isolation: supporting yourself
and your colleagues
Mental Health At Work has grouped together resources to support one another’s
mental health through the outbreak and through working remotely.
City Mental Health Alliance - Supporting colleagues
Resources to help organisations support their colleagues, including how to
manage remote teams in challenging times.
Video on reducing feelings of isolation
By MHFA England.
7 simple tips to tackle working from home
By NHS and Every Mind Matters.
Every Mind Matters - staying at home tips
By NHS and Every Mind Matters.
Managing the work-life balance
By the Mental Health Foundation
Support for employees
A list of useful links for employee support by Time To Change.
Wellness Action Plan
Support your team and yourself with free Guides to Wellness Action Plans from
Mind.
Information And Support for
Parents, Carers And Families

Young Minds
Support and resources for parents, and Parents Helpline Telephone 0808 802
5544 (9:30am - 4pm, Mon - Fri).
Anna Freud National Centre For Children And Families
Support and resources for parents.
Papyrus UK
Prevention of young suicide. Advice and information for parents, carers,
professionals and friends of young people at risk of suicide.
Charlie Waller Memorial Trust
Support and resources for parents.
Combined Minds
By Stem 4; helps families and friends to find ways to provide the right environment
to help the individuals they support affect their own change.
Public Health England
Supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the
coronavirus outbreak.
Emerging Minds
Resources for families.

Abingdon School students also have a dedicated Wellbeing page on Firefly where
they will find a huge breadth of resources and information. Our school counsellors
are also on hand with whom students can book appointments.
Q&A

We recommend that if you are concerned about your mental health, or someone
else’s, you first seek advice from your own GP in the first instance and see NHS
guidance on seeking support. Please also see the list of urgent support
organisations and helplines at the end of the toolkit.

We were able to put a number of questions to the panel live. Those that we didn't get
time to ask are answered below.

1. How can you help others (particularly men) with mental health? How do we
de-stigmatise mental health issues?
Stigma around mental health still exists, particularly in the workplace and for minority
groups. The most effective thing we can all do is to talk and encourage others to talk
about how they are feeling. This can be reaching out to a friend, family member or
colleague at work, or it can be sharing your own experiences as our OAs have done
in the webinar. We need to normalise these conversations as we all have mental
health and 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health issue at least once in a
lifetime. You can also share anti-stigma campaigns on social media - check out Time
To Change, Samaritans and CALM, which campaigns against male suicide.

2. What are the most effective online self help tools you would recommend
to pupils (age 11-18) and any for motivating teenagers during this period?
There is a lot of online support available for young people; we have listed some of
the best organisations and apps that help teenagers and young adults manage their
mental wellbeing in this toolkit. Stem 4 have highly rated apps and a website to
support a range of mental health conditions in young people.
Q&A

3. What role should organisations play to normalise a focus on mental

wellness - has Covid-related remote working helped or hindered?
For some industries, remote working has increased productivity and reduced costs.
Some individuals have been able to reduce their commute time, allowing more time
for leisure before and after work. However, for many, working remotely has
increased isolation and reduced our capacity to connect with colleagues in a
meaningful and helpful way. There are some useful suggestions for how
organisations can normalise mental wellness in our ‘Wellbeing in the Workplace’
section, as well as how to support colleagues when working remotely. Check out
City Mental Health Alliance UK for excellent resources for organisations.

4. How can we best support staff working in schools during this difficult
time and through to the transition back to work?
The Whole School Approach to mental health and wellbeing (introduced by Public
Health England and the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition in
2015), sets out 8 key principles, one of which is staff wellbeing as it is recognised
that staff mental health directly and indirectly impacts students. The Anna Freud
Centre suggests that school leaders and governors should prioritise and monitor
staff wellbeing regularly, have clear support structures in place and train managers
to support staff wellbeing through programmes such as Adult Mental Health First
Aid. Education Support offers the Employee Assistance Programme to help school
staff manage their wellbeing, particularly at this time.
Q&A

5. How do we manage the feeling of lethargy that comes with being

furloughed during the lockdown?

We recommend listening to Dan Knowles discuss the 5 Ways To Wellbeing in the

webinar. These simple daily steps can help to alleviate lethargy. Getting outside
and being active are especially important during this time and can help to increase
our energy levels.

6. Do you believe that food can have a positive impact on mental health?
Is there any connection between diet/alimentation and mental health?

The relationship between food and mental health is a huge topic and research on
the gut as the ‘second brain’ continues to suggest that what, how and when we eat
has a powerful impact on our mood and wellbeing. In simple terms, we know that
eating unhealthy, processed foods are unlikely to make us feel good, whilst whole,
natural foods do. For further reading, we recommend ‘Brain Changer’ by Professor
Felice Jacka and ‘The Happy Kitchen’ by Rachel Kelly and Alice Mackintosh.
Check out the ‘Feel better, live more’ podcast for several episodes on food, diet
and physical health.
Q&A

7. How do you get out of a 'dark place' even when you know the logic and
strategies to get out, but are still struggling?

The most important thing you can do when you’re struggling with poor mental
health is to be self compassionate. We recommend listening to PJ Appleton
explain how he has learnt to manage his depression in the webinar. As PJ argues,
having depression is like getting a cold - there isn’t always a reason behind it and
you can’t force yourself out of it. Managing the day in 10 minute chunks can help,
particularly if the day feels overwhelming. We also encourage those who are
struggling to talk to someone and there is further support from organisations listed
in this toolkit. For example, Blurt It Out has useful resources on depression, while
Kooth and MeeTwo offer online support communities.

8. What techniques can I use to shut off my brain at night as I find it

difficult to sleep due to overthinking?

Due to modern pressures and technological stimulation, it is harder for our brains
to ‘switch off’, let alone when we are stressed, worried or anxious. Professor
Matthew Walker, author of ‘Why We Sleep’ suggests that we begin our preparation
for sleep an hour beforehand to help our minds unwind and prepare for quality
sleep. He explains this very well in his interview with Dr Rangan Chatterjee on the
‘Feel better, live more’ podcast (see list of podcasts), which we highly recommend.
There are also effective sleep meditations on the apps, Calm and Headspace.
Q&A

9. How do we rebuild confidence in young adults who've had their

university experience crushed, and tackle their lack of self esteem and
confidence?

We recommend listening to Tommy Nicolson talk about managing our own

expectations on the webinar recording. He explains how failure, rejection and
disappointment can be reframed as learning opportunities. Practising the 5 Ways
To Wellbeing and being self-compassionate are good ways to build up self esteem,
as well as trying CBT techniques to reframe negative thoughts. Check out the
organisations and apps that offer support to young people who have lost out on
these major milestones. Universities should also have welfare officers available
together with nurses and sources of further support. Do tap into these.

10. What forces the physical responses (Sam) says can happen in
response to our thoughts? Is it adrenalin?

The stress response starts in the brain, where the amygdala sends an alarm signal
to the hypothalamus. This then communicates to the rest of the body through the
automatic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system triggers the
fight/flight/freeze response by releasing adrenaline, making our hearts beat faster
and our blood pressure rise. You can read more about this process and the HPA
axis here.
Q&A

11. How do you differentiate between teenage behaviour (frontal lobes

development) and mental health issues?

It can be very difficult to differentiate a classic sulky attitude and signs of a mental
health problem. It is important to remember that the adolescent brain goes through
significant changes and development (See Sarah-Jayne Blackmore’s TED talk on
this). Combining this with modern day pressures creates the perfect storm for a
mental health issue to occur, and around 75% of mental illness starts before the
age of 24. This guide has a list of useful organisations for parents/carers on how to
support a young person and how to look out for signs of a mental health problem,
particularly Young Minds.

12. What are the key characteristics of a learning environment which

promotes mental good health and maximises learning?

Many classrooms today embed the ‘Growth Mindset’ into teaching and learning,
encouraging students of all ages to approach tasks without fear of failure. This
helps to foster resilience and positivity, which are key to good mental health. Many
schools are also adopting emotional and social learning techniques to teach
children emotional literacy and regulation from an early age. It is now more
recognised that emotional health is the foundation from which children learn; if we
can teach them to understand and manage their own feelings, they will be in a
better position to maximise their learning. You can read more about this here. For
older pupils, it is also beneficial to have plenty of opportunities for sports and the
arts to develop expression, creativity, teamwork and self esteem.
Q&A

13. How well do schools prepare pupils to take care of their mental
health? Could they do anything better?

Schools will vary on their provision and focus for mental health support. Most
schools will have a system where there is a form tutor and head of year, of
housemaster/ mistress, who is available for pastoral support. These are usually a
very good first point of contact. Schools are also obliged to teach the new RSE
2020 at secondary level which includes mental health awareness and support.
Many schools are increasing the number of staff who are trained in Youth Mental
Health First Aid too. Natasha Devon also has an excellent website which includes a
reading list and further advice and support. GPs are also an excellent resource
should parents and carers have further concerns and would like to access the
support of more agencies such as CAMHS.

14. How do we help a teenager suffering with depression who doesn’t

want help and refuses counselling?

Your GP will be a good line of advice and support here. We recognise that
supporting a young person with poor mental health is extremely challenging,
especially when it is your own child. Looking after your own mental health as a
parent/carer is vital. There are organisations and apps listed in this toolkit that are
specifically for young people, so share these with your child and reassure them that
support is available to them, if they choose to access it. Please also check out our
resources for parents and carers.
Panellist recommendations

Dan Knowles (1988)

Further guidance on the Five Ways to Wellbeing from Mind, NHS, Mindkit.
Find out more about Dan’s work at Oxfordshire Mind or for information on
services and support outside of Oxfordshire, click here.
Dan also recommends The Oxfordshire Mind Guide - a comprehensive
directory of mental health services and support across Oxfordshire.

Tommy Nicholson (2015)

For more information on Tommy’s work visit RTHM.
Check out the podcast series, 'How To Fail' by Elizabeth Day to hear how
highly successful and famous figures have dealt with their own experiences of
failure.
Tommy recommends the following organisations to support student mental
health at university - Student minds, Student Space, The Guardian, Mental
Health First Aid.

Sam Murrell (2011)

Sam recommends the following information and guidance on using Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy techniques to manage anxiety and worry; Psychology
Tools, Get Self Help, Looking after yourself.

PJ Appleton (2008)
For further advice and support, PJ recommends Blurt it out, Managing
Depression, Climbing Out Of Depression by Sue Atkinson and Reasons To
Stay Alive by Matt Haig.
Organisations For Urgent Support

Young Minds
Crisis messaging service Text ‘YM’ to 85258
Parents helpline Telephone 0808 802 5544 (9:30am - 4pm, Mon - Fri).

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

Telephone 0800 585858 (5pm - midnight)

SHOUT
Crisis text messaging service (24/7, free)
Text SHOUT to 85258

Samaritans
Telephone 116 123 (24/7)
Email jo@samaritans.org

Sane
Telephone 0300 3047000 (6pm-11pm)
 Toolkit collated by

Natalie Hunt
Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator
natalie.hunt@abingdon.org.uk
@ab_wellbeing

Bethany Summers
Events and Communications Officer (Alumni Relations)
bethany.summers@abingdon.org.uk
@oldabingdonians

With thanks to webinar panellists Dan Knowles (1988),

Tommy Nicholson (2015), Sam Murrell (2011) and PJ Appleton (2008), and
Head of Wellbeing, Rev'd Paul Gooding.