Over 18 and need a Bit of Professional Help? You Can Refer Yourself!
If you are registered with a Leeds GP, experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, stress, panic or depression and not already receiving NHS mental health services, IAPT is available to people 17 years of age and over and you can refer yourself by clicking here IAPT Self Referral
Leeds IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) is a group of mental health care providers from the NHS and third sector comprising of Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Community Links, Northpoint Wellbeing and Touchstone.
Depression, anxiety or any kind of emotional stress are part of everyday life and can be a real challenge. Sometimes people are able to deal with this by themselves or with the help of family and friends by making simple changes. However, some professional help may be needed and Leeds IAPT can provide this. You don’t need to see your GP to be referred to this service.
IAPT is not a crisis or urgent response service. If you feel you need help in a crisis/urgent response situation, please either contact your GP, dial NHS 111, ring Samaritans on 116 123.
Mental Health Crisis/Urgent response service
Advice on what to do in a crisis can be found on the Leeds Mindwell Website HERE
MindMate (for young people under 18)
How are you feeling?
If you’re a young person, life can be challenging. Family life, friends, school and many other things can leave you feeling stressed, sad, lonely or worried. The most important thing to remember is you’re not alone and looking for support and advice is exactly the right thing to do. MindMate can help you understand the way you are feeling and find the right advice and where support is available. Click on the link www.mindmate.org.uk.
The MindMate website also has resources for parents or carers of young people.
Keeping Your Mind Healthy and What to do if You Are Struggling
Coronavirus (Covid-19) – We are all facing an unprecedented and challenging time and this may make us feel anxious, fearful and helpless. This is completely understandable. You may be worried about how Covid-19 will impact your wellbeing and that of your family and friends. The NHS Every Mind Matters campaign has expert advice and top tips on how to look after your mental wellbeing during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. It also includes guidance if you’re feeling worried or anxious about the outbreak. Please visit NHS Every mind matters.
Mental Health Practitioners in GP Practice
What is a Mental Health Practitioner?
Sometimes referred to as a First Contact Mental Health Practitioner, this member of staff is an experienced professional who can support you with either a diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health concern. This could be a number of mental health feelings and symptoms, such as anxiety, low mood, loneliness, grief, hallucinations or stress.
Click here to view a short video explaining who they are and how to make an appointment to see them.
How to Look After Your Mental Health – Top 10 Tips
It’s important to take care of yourself and get the most from life. Below are practical ways to look after your mental health. Making simple changes to the way you live doesn’t need to cost a fortune or take up a lot of time. Anyone can follow this advice. Why not start today?
- Talk about your feelings – talking can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled.
2. Keep active – regular exercise can boost your self-esteem, help you concentrate, sleep, look and feel better. It keeps your brain and other organs healthy and is a significant benefit to improving your mental health.
3. Eat well – your brain needs a mix of nutrients in order to stay healthy and function well. A diet that’s good for your physical health is also good for your mental health.
4. Drink sensibly – some people drink to deal with fear or loneliness, but the effect is only temporary, when the drink wears off you feel worse because of the way the alcohol has affected your brain. Drinking is not a good way to manage difficult feelings.
5. Keep in touch – there’s nothing better than catching up with someone face to face, by phone, via the internet or dropping them a line. Keep the lines of communication open: it’s good for you!
6. Ask for help – none of us are superhuman. We all sometimes get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when things don’t go according to plan. If things are getting too much and you feel you can’t cope, ask for help!
7. Take a break – a change of scene or a change of pace is good for your mental health. A few minutes can be enough to de-stress you. Give yourself some ‘me time’!
8. Do something you’re good at – what do you love doing? What activities can you lose yourself in? What did you love doing in the past? Enjoying yourself can help beat stress
9. Accept who you are – we’re all different, it’s much healthier to accept that you’re unique than to wish you were like someone else. Feeling good about yourself boosts your confidence to learn new skills, visit new places and make new friends. Good self-esteem helps you cope when life takes a difficult turn.
10. Care for others – caring for others is often an important part of keeping up relationships with people close to you. It also helps to see the world from another angle, which can help to put our own problems in perspective. Caring for a pet can improve your wellbeing too.