Introduction to Mental

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

“Good mental health means being generally able to

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

Mind
 Definitions of mental health

Mental wellbeing describes your mental state -

how you are feeling and how well you can cope with
day-to-day life.
 
Our mental wellbeing is dynamic. It can change
from moment to moment, day to day, month to
month or year to year.’ Mind
What does good mental health look like?

If you have good mental wellbeing, you are able to:

• Recognise the good in yourself, such as your

positive attributes and achievements you have
made.
• Feel and express a range of emotions.
• Feel engaged with the world around you.
• Live and work productively.
• Cope with the stresses of daily life and manage
times of change and uncertainty.
Mental health Continuum
 Types of mental health problems

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating problems
• Schizophrenia
• Phobias
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Personality disorders
• PTSD
 How can I help someone experiencing extremely
different feelings?

• Try not to judge

• Talk to the person about how they feel
• Encourage them to get help
• Ask them how you can help
• Help them stay safe
• Look out for warning signs
 What is Stress ?

“Stress is the adverse reaction people

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

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating problems
• Schizophrenia
• Phobias
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Personality disorders
• PTSD
How can I help myself or someone else?

• Self-care
• Treatment options
• Recovery
• Peer support
Managing conversations
How might you start the conversation?

• Show your support

• Ask how you can help
• Be open-minded
• Don’t just talk about mental health
• Show trust and respect
• Look after yourself
• Be patient
Mental wellbeing is just as
important as physical wellbeing,
and you need to maintain both in
order to stay fit and healthy
How you can look after your wellbeing

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

• Talk about the way you feel

• Identify your triggers
• Do something you enjoy
• Take time to relax
• Make a plan to stay well – Wellness
Action Plan
• Think about what helps you if you start
feeling overwhelmed
• Be kind to yourself – we are all
human!