trent_pts

Mental Health Foundation for support and information:

Mental Health Forum for a place to discuss issues and talk to others:

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Get Self Help for worksheets and information about disorders and CBT treatment

The Samaritans Nottingham to have someone to listen and talk to

TrentChat (for students) to have someone to listen and talk to

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/blog/tips-for-talking-to-your-friends-about-your-mental-health

Exercise and mental health

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 12:15:02 GMT

As the weather gets chillier, it’s still important to keep active even though the days are shorter!

Physical exercise: what exactly is it and why do we need it?

Being active doesn’t necessarily mean having to go to the gym, or playing a sport; there are so many ways of doing physical activity, so find the one that works for you! But first, let’s break it all down. What is physical activity? How does it help and how much should you be doing?

Physical activity is any movement of your body that uses your muscles and energy. Generally, the average adult should do between 75 and 150 minutes of exercise a week, which is up to 2 and a half hours. This can be moderate intensity exercise, like walking, riding a bike, or gently swimming, or you can increase the intensity to more vigorous activities like running, or cardio workouts. There are four main categories: daily physical activity, purposeful exercise, play, and sport. Daily physical exercise like walking to work, carrying bags or climbing stairs counts toward the 150 minutes of exercise goal. Exercise can also be a purposeful activity done to improve health or fitness such as jogging or cycling; whereas play is unstructured physical activity that is done purely for fun or enjoyment. The final type, sport, is a structured activity that can include all sorts of games such as football, squash, netball, cricket, or swimming. This is a fun and interactive way of exercising that doesn’t always feel like exercise and can vary in intensity. Making exercise fun, rather than something you feel that you have to do can be a positive motivator to keep going and keep moving.

How does it help?

Physical activity can also play a role in our wellbeing, which refers to our mental state. While wellbeing and physical exercise don’t have many direct links with each other, the two work closer together than one may think.

Physical activity can have a large impact on our mood. A study by Kanning and Schlicht in 2010 found that when participants rated their mood immediately after physical activity such as going on a walk or doing housework, they felt calmer, more content and awake compared to those who rated their mood after inactivity such as reading a book or watching television. They also found that when mood was initially low prior to doing physical activity, the effect on mood was greatest.

Exercise can also impact and increase self-esteem, which is how we feel about ourselves and our perception of our self-worth. If our self-esteem is down, it can affect not only our mental wellbeing but our ability to cope with stressful situations as well. This relationship between mental health and physical exercise has been found in all age groups, regardless of age.

Impact on stress is also popular; when we experience stressful events, our body’s stress response retaliates and hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline raise our blood pressure, increase our heart rate and prepare our body for an emergency response. By increasing your heartrate, you can provide your body with stress relief by imitating the effects of stress and helping your body practice working through those effects. Exercise can also help you work through the daily tensions of your life, it’s been suggested that by focusing on your body’s movements you may find it easier to concentrate on a single task after exercise.

How much physical activity should you be doing?

As mentioned earlier, the average amount of exercise an adult should be doing a week is between 75-150 minutes. However, in 2015 only around 65.5% of men and 54% of women were actually meeting the recommended physical activity levels (Health and Social Care Information Centre, 2015). These statistics can have implications for mental health as well as physical health as we know that there is a link between mental wellbeing and physical activity. However, there are some things to consider before you get started. For instance, if you’re taking regular medication, some prescriptions can have effects on your heart rate or fluid levels depending on the active ingredients. If you’re recovering from an eating disorder, some people may use exercise as a positive part of recovery, while others may find that they are over-exercising. Finally, because exercising usually increases your heart rate and you get breathless, many people feel similarly to how they do when they have a panic attack, and it can be very distressing. With these factors in mind, we suggest that you talk with your GP before starting to get active and make sure that it’s the right choice for you. Low intensity exercises are also an option such as yoga or water aerobics – it’s still physical activity just without increasing your heart rate.

Want to know where to start?

Overcoming barriers

It can be very scary making big changes to your life and lifestyle, and some common barriers people encounter are cost, injury, lack of energy, fear of failure and even the weather can stop people from keeping pushing on, or getting started. Body image can also act as a barrier for participating in physical activity, people who are anxious about how their body will look or how they will look (I know I put off starting going to a gym for a while until I went with a friend because I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know what I was doing). For women, attending a female-only exercise room can really help, or going at a quiet time to figure it out at your own pace without worrying about others.

Exercising with a friend can also help reduce anxiety about how your body looks, and can help relax your mind. The environment can also play a major role; gyms with mirrors can heighten anxiety, as with windows or space where you might feel ‘on show’.

Making time for physical activity is important, as well as being practical – you may have to rejig your schedule around to fit in the time, or you may find external support from friends and family helps. In addition, think about what kind of activity would suit you best, think about if you’d like to exercise at home, or a different environment. You could also consider if there’s a specific part of your body you want to exercise more than others, or if you want to strengthen your whole body. Once you’ve narrowed down what you plan to do, it’s time to make it part of your daily life. It doesn’t have to be huge drastic changes, it can just be parking your car at the end of the car park and walking a little further into work, or walking up the flight of stairs instead of the lift. Starting slowly can allow you to gradually build up your ability and focus on goals such as stamina. Many free apps are available like Apple’s Health app or Google Fit to help you keep progress of your activity and allow you to go back and see where you started. It’s also incredibly important to set yourself goals to measure progress, as well as motivate you. Working toward a set goal is a great way to motivate yourself by setting a distance or time you want to be able to exercise for.

Taking the first step can be tricky, but making small changes to include more physical activity in your day-to-day life can help boost your mood and help reduce stress.

Here are some extra resources available for starting and keeping up with physical activity

NHS: The NHS Choices website has advice available to those interested in more information about how to start with exercise such strength and flexibility videos, advice for taking up new sports and exercises for older people. The website is here: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/

The Great Outdoor Gym Company: outdoor gyms where some gym equipment is provided in outdoor spaces for people to use free of charge: www.tgogc.org

How to Support your Loved One with Alzheimer’s, While Looking After Yourself

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 19:33:45 GMT

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative condition that can be extremely taxing, on both the person diagnosed with it, as well as their loved ones caring for them. It is a global challenge, with nearly 50 million people living with dementia all over the world. September was World Alzheimer’s Month, but we should consider Alzheimer's all year round. This post wants to help carers know the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, as well as how to support yourself as a carer.

Knowing the signs and symptoms

Dementia can affect people differently, sometimes exhibiting the main symptoms, but sometimes not – which is especially seen in the early stages prior to diagnosis. Someone with dementia will most likely have cognitive symptoms which affect thinking and memory. They’ll usually have some problems with day-to-day memory, or concentrating, planning, or organising. For instance, they may have difficulties making decisions, or carrying out a sequence of tasks such as following directions. Some people also find following a conversation difficult, or they can’t find the right word to say. It’s also quite common for people to have trouble remembering the day or date, or they sometimes are confused about where they are. These sorts of issues are commonplace in people with dementia, and being supportive and providing a safe space to talk can help those struggling come to terms with their diagnosis. Try to avoid to keep testing someone on previous memories or people, nor should you remind them of when they remember memories incorrectly – this may cause greater distress.

Different types of activities

Of course, different people will enjoy different past-times but below are some suggestions for various activities to do with the one you care for. Ensuring that the activity is meaningful and enjoyable is important, as well as remembering that you don’t have to finish every activity – it’s alright to stop and pick up where you left off another day. Encouraging them as you both complete the activity together is also important to help with confidence and to stay active with their interests.

Outdoor activities

If the person you’re caring for enjoys being outdoors and in fresh air, doing activities outside can give them that contact with nature, plants and animals whatever the weather. Gardening is a good low intensity activity to do outside, but even just taking indoor-projects such as painting, drawing, or reading outside can make a difference. Walks around the neighbourhood or a local park can also be enjoyable activities to do outside, or going to get a coffee and a leg stretch. Walks in a memorable area can provide a sense of familiarity while getting a leg stretch, and there are also dementia-friendly organised walks.

The link to the walks in Derbyshire: https://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/things-to-do/sports-health-activities/walking-for-health/dementia-friendly-walks.

Guided walks in Nottingham: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/notts/our-services/exercise-and-physical-activity/best-foot-forward/

Musical activities

Many people with dementia remember music lyrics and tunes even when their condition has progressed and it can trigger powerful memories and emotions. Playing tunes of musicals or composers can help those who have Alzheimer’s have a sense of familiarity and comfort, and be fun, engaging and relaxing.

Games and activities

Online games and activities can also be a good way to do projects that require fine motor skills without the frustration of not being able to fully do it. For instance, some people who enjoy arts and crafts may not be able to use scissors properly, or be able to glue without help from a carer; using apps on computers and tablets can be a way to work around the frustration and create digital masterpieces. Technology doesn’t always have to be used, card games and board games can also be a good way to have fun together. Some other activities to do together could include reminiscent projects, such as putting together photo albums or memory boxes with familiar items that have purpose and meaning.

How to support yourself while being a carer

1. Make time for yourself

Taking regular breaks and having time apart can be healthy for both you and the person you care for, and giving you that space to breathe and think. Remember to also be kind for yourself, support is available at Alzheimers.org’s Dementia Connect support line, which is specifically for carers.

2. Keep a daily routine

Ensuring the wellbeing of your loved one is important, but so is the care of your own wellbeing! Including activities in your week that make you both happy such as light exercise, or listening to music can help the time pass by, and cope with difficult feelings such as anxiousness. It can also help to create some structure in your day by using a calendar or a memory board to plan activities such as outings or events and have an idea of how the day is going to run.

3. Keep Connected

Staying connected, and using the support of friends and family can be extremely beneficial for mental wellbeing, and with the ongoing pandemic, it can be very easy to feel alone. Keeping in touch either by video chat, phone calls or emails can provide you with the space to talk about your emotions. Meeting face-to-face can also be a good way as we ease out of the pandemic and slowly get out more and see more people.

4. Stay healthy and active

Eating a balanced diet is a key part of staying healthy; it can be fun if you try out new recipes with your loved one if possible and make them part of the experience. Staying active with exercise is also incredibly important for mental wellbeing. Dancing, gardening, yoga and walking are some good ways to implement daily exercise activities into your day and keep moving. If the person you care for enjoys spending time outdoors, you can both go for a walk in a local park for some fresh air and contact with nature as well as stretching your legs.

What can I do?

We encourage you, if you don’t already, to learn and educate yourself about dementia. Spreading awareness about the condition is a good way to reduce the stigma, provide people with accessible resources and educate those who have to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimers.org has some fantastic resources such as print publications, accessible resources and practical tools.

The link to see these resources is here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month .

There’s also a Dementia Connect support line which is manned by dementia advisers if you’re ever in need.

Pandemic 101: University Life

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 11:30:02 GMT

The pandemic: a student's perspective

As the pandemic nears a year and a half of age, it’s hard to think back to how differently the world ran before, with weekly university nights out, few virtual events, and no lateral flow tests. However, many people have found major differences in their mental health since the beginning of the pandemic due to the switch to e-learning, increased feelings of uncertainty and the periods of isolation and quarantine.

Lockdown

If you’re a university student feeling upset about how the global pandemic changed your life, you are not alone. A survey conducted by the National Union of Students in 2020 found that out of more than 4,000 students, over half claimed their mental health has been negatively affected or deteriorated during the pandemic. However, only 20% of students have sought mental health support. Of course, there are many reasons students may not seek help, but lack of resources should not be one of them. If your mental health has suffered during the pandemic, you can self-refer to our organisation, which will connect you to our therapists and figure out the next step in regards to treatment.

Disconnected

In addition, there are various effects Covid has had on students, from loneliness and isolation to financial struggles, to general anxiety about getting ill or family members catching the virus. Each one of these concerns and emotions is valid, and an understandable side effect to the global pandemic. Stress due to financial strain and overall uncertainty can also be hard to deal with, especially when facing it alone; this pandemic has forced a lot of students to isolate over the past year, with little ability to feel normal. However, when these feelings make it hard to function on a daily basis, it’s time to seek help: either by talking it out with family and friends or talking to your GP about the next steps which may be referring you to a service.

Feelings of Powerlessness

In addition, because of the pandemic, university students who would usually attend lectures and seminars in-person instead spent the whole year at a computer screen. This change has led to increased levels of anti-socialness and depression, as well as anxiety. However, the emotional damage is not the only part that hurt students, as everyone who returned was asked to pay the full price of tuition costs, regardless of the change in learning quality. In addition, student accommodation agencies refused to discount rent when the pandemic hit which resulted in further financial stress, and the constant uncertainty of another spike can have effects on students trying to navigate the new adult world. These increased stressors have affected students’ mental health and forced them to make difficult decisions regarding coming home to family when living at university in case they expose family members to the virus.

University is a busy time and ensuring your mental health is cared for will make your time as a student that much more enjoyable. TrentPTS offers a variety of support and treatment therapies which can help with low mood and feelings of anxiousness. Suffering alone can drain your energy alongside the mental illness and taking care of yourself by referring to a service and working with a therapist can start your journey to feeling like yourself again.

The poem below was written by a student’s perspective of the pandemic, and how some readers may have also felt, or still feel.

No Place Like Home

Panic.

I’m cemented.

Never feeling fully stocked.

Running out of the essentials to survive.

Fearing what will happen if you step foot outside.

The unknown of when you will be able to see your friends.

Home is where the heart is, but now home is where staying alive is.

The only thing that make you smile is thinking of the past.

Your college town you love so much is now unattainable.

The walls of your room are shrinking smaller and smaller.

You somehow miss the absolutely awful dining hall food.

The journey to and from the kitchen seems like a lifetime.

Your friends across the country are light-years away now.

The only thing keeping you going is being able to go back.

Home is where the heart is, but my heart is far away from home now.

-Katie Gardipee

If you are a student and struggling with depression, anxiety stress or any suicidal thoughts, please use the following self-referral link to connect to our services.

Useful contacts

Samaritans

The Samaritans give people confidential emotional support. In some areas they have local branches where you can go for support.

Telephone: 116 123 (UK) (24 hours)

Address: PO Box RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, P.O. Box 90 90, Stirling FK8 2SA

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Website: www.samaritans.org

Saneline

This is a national helpline. The offer emotional support and information for people affected by mental health problems.

Telephone: 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm – 10.30pm daily)

Textline: available through their website

Website: www.sane.org.uk

Shout

If you’re experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support, text Shout to 85258. Shout can help with urgent issues such as suicidal thoughts, abuse or assault, self-harm, bullying and relationship challenges.

Text: Text Shout to 85258

Website: www.giveusashout.org/

When It's Time For That Chat

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 11:00:04 GMT

Opening Up to Family and Friends about Mental Health

“Talking about your mental health with the people you trust is often the first step to feeling better.” -Daisy, 20.

Opening up about any hardships can be tricky, but it can be especially hard to discuss the struggles and difficulties of poor mental health. There are many reasons people are afraid, such as those who you open up to may not take you seriously, they could ask uncomfortable questions, possibly try to lecture you or they may have enough on their plate. Whatever your reason, just remember that depression, anxiety, stress and panic disorders are real mental health disorders, and by giving them a glance of what you’re feeling, they may be able to help lift the weight.

A few ways to open up may start with looking to people who aren’t as close to you as your sibling, partner or parent. For instance, talking with a co-worker, teacher, church or other religious group can be a bit easier and serve as a practice session before opening up to those especially close to you. If you’re still a bit too nervous for those kinds of conversations, it might help to write it down, get it out of your system and give it to your family or close friend. It’s a good idea to find a suitable time and place to have the conversation, it can feel a bit nerve-wracking but finding somewhere comfortable and quiet can make it easier by removing unnecessary distractions. If you’ve found someone on television who’s said something that you can relate to, it may make it easier to use them as an example and to help explain your feelings, especially if you’re struggling with finding the right words to say. Once you’ve had a discussion with them about your mental health, they may want to help, and to learn how to help and this will differ for every person. You may just want someone to listen to you and offer emotional support, while maybe you know that you want some practical help from a professional; it’s okay to not know what you want yet. Taking this first step and getting your feelings out of your head is a large step in the right direction.

However, sometimes familial support isn’t always available, but treatment centres will always be there for you, and TrentPTS offers many services that will work with you to get your mental health back on track. Some people would also rather open up to friends rather than family, and the suggestions regarding how to have this conversation are similar when talking about it with friends.

According to psychological research, young people under the age of 24 are more likely to report mental health difficulties relative to older generations due to higher levels of stress. This can influence the care and support provided by professionals; depending on your age, it may be easier to talk to different kinds of people. For instance, when opening up, older people may feel more comfortable talking to a professional instead of friends or neighbours (but if you’re older and unsure about how you’re feeling, it may help to have a chat with a trusted family friend and check-in with yourself). However, younger people generally feel more comfortable discussing mental health with friends before asking for professional help. Sometimes it can be hard when in the face-paced environment of school, or you may be scared of judgment which is a completely normal concern.

Organisations like Young Minds collated a list of tips for talking to friends about mental health (Young Minds, 2019). Similar to when talking with family, they suggest you plan ahead and make sure you’re in a comfortable environment for opening up, and also talk about what they can do to support you. If you don’t want to answer some of their questions that’s alright, you can answer them in your own time and your friends should respect that. It’s also good to set some boundaries on what you find helpful and unhelpful – for instance you may not find jokes about mental health helpful at all, while others use it as a coping mechanism. However, those who do not respect you or your requests may not have you best interests in mind and don’t feel the need to stay friends with those who make you feel worse. It can be really helpful to open up, and talking about your struggles with trusted friends or family can help you take that step of asking for help.

Opening up to people can be daunting, but by planning out what, when and how you want to have your conversation, it can be less stressful and provide you with an extra sense of control. Treatment centres like TrentPTS are also always available if you’d like to refer yourself in, and they can help suggest treatment options and how to best support you.

Here are some websites that you may find helpful

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/opening-up-about-depression/

https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/January-2017/Opening-Up-to-Others-about-Your-Mental-Health

There are also some additional services that you can contact if you’re in crisis and need some emotional support.

CALM (The Campaign Against Living Miserably)
They raise awareness of suicide. Their helpline and webchat offers emotional support, advice and information to men and their families.

Telephone for outside London: 0800 58 58 58.
Telephone for inside London: 0808 802 5858.5pm – midnight, everyday.
Webchat: through the website
Website: www.thecalmzone.net

Samaritans

The Samaritans give people confidential emotional support. In some areas they have local branches where you can go for support.

Telephone: 116 123 (UK) (24 hours)
Address: PO Box RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, P.O. Box 90 90, Stirling FK8 2SA
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org

Shout
If you’re experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support, text Shout to 85258. Shout can help with urgent issues such as suicidal thoughts, abuse or assault, self-harm, bullying and relationship challenges.

Text: Text Shout to 85258
Website: www.giveusashout.org/

Good Mental Health is Possible, Even with ADHD

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 11:00:03 GMT

Part 3 of the ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression Series

A common myth in popular psychology is that good mental health is near impossible when we have a disorder. There is quite a bit of misinformation around that paints good mental health as constant joy and perfect functioning. This is simply not true. Everyone is going to experience stress, everyone will have ups and downs, everyone is going to have low moods from time to time.

Things can seem harder when you already have ADHD, a divergence from typical functioning. We can feel like we’re destined to have a harder life and experience anxiety or depression. But this doesn’t have to be the case. While some people may just be naturally good at taking care of their mental health (just like some people are really good at sports or painting or public speaking) most people will need help learning how to care for their mental health.

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of mental illness and it can be hard to find your way back to good mental health. This is true for people with and without existing disorders and neurodivergence. Some of the help you may find online or in other resources will be geared towards typically functioning people, so it can be discouraging when those things don’t work for you. But there are ways to improve your mental health that are tried and tested, designed specifically for people with different functioning types.

For instance, buying a daily planner may not work for you. But littering your refrigerator with post-its or writing reminders on your hand might. Trying to keep yourself active by weight lifting or going for runs might be too much for you to juggle into your daily life, but you can try walking to the shop, to get coffee, or other common tasks you need to do outside of your home.

Sometimes it’s preferable and better for your mental health to lean into aspects of your ADHD. Embrace your naturally evolving interests and let yourself be okay with not doing hobbies that are no longer pleasurable. Try to get necessary tasks done to keep yourself healthy and in a clean environment for your health, but let yourself embrace some of your impulsive thoughts as long as they aren’t detrimental to other elements of your life (for example: don’t just abandon your job to spend a day in your pyjamas, but if you want that bag of sweets, go for it). Embrace ADHD, just remember to protect your mental health by finding what works for you to keep organised, stay physically healthy, and reach out for support like therapy, potentially medication for added mood stability, if you haven’t been diagnosed try getting a diagnosis so you can get better accommodations for at work or school (quieter work spaces, the ability to extend deadlines, more flexible hours, etc.).

It can also be very easy in those with ADHD to go through phases of enjoying activities (a new musical instrument, a new sport, learning a new skill, researching a new topic), wanting to only engage in that activity and then suddenly drop that activity with no interest to continue it. These activities may come back into your focus and then leave again but that isn’t the problem. The issue in this is that many people with ADHD will make themselves feel bad because they spent money on the activity or they feel like they have to continue on with it or engage with the activity consistently over the course of their life. These “I should” thoughts are ways that we shame ourselves, especially when it comes to engaging with activities that should be pleasurable. Sometimes keeping something consistent in your life is simply not what’s best for your mental health.

All in all, ADHD is not a horrible condition that will doom you to a life of poor mental health. Obviously this post is not an exhaustive guide to improving your mental health with ADHD, but there are many resources available to you to help improve your mental health, including services available here at Trent PTS.

Useful links and more information

The ADHD Foundation for tips for dealing with ADHD symptoms, how ADHD presents in adults and children, and what ADHD is:

https://adhdfoundation.org.uk/adults/

The American Psychological Association for information about gender differences in ADHD and issues with some medication:

https://www.apa.org/topics/adhd

Links for getting help or treatment

Trent PTS for self-referral:

Mental Health Foundation for support and information:

Mental Health Forum for a place to discuss issues and talk to others:

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Get Self Help for worksheets and information about disorders and CBT treatment

The Samaritans Nottingham to have someone to listen and talk to

TrentChat (for students) to have someone to listen and talk to

https://adhdfoundation.org.uk/adults/

ADHD Treatments and Self-Help Options

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 13:04:48 GMT

Part 2 of the ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression Series

ADHD symptoms can provide unique problems for people in everyday life (i.e. time blindness, procrastinating, fixating on specific tasks, inattentiveness, lack of motivation to do necessary tasks like laundry or washing dishes). Because of this, some treatments for people with ADHD and anxiety/depression can be less effective.

But this doesn’t mean that there are no options to improve your mental health. Some treatments will simply need some adjustments or a longer course of treatment. For instance, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been found to be an effective treatment for ADHD (i.e. Problem-solving, cognitive restructuring, behavioural activation). Essentially CBT allows us to train our brains in order to avoid falling into the Anxiety/Depression cycle, find a way out of the Anxiety/Depression cycle, and become more capable of keeping up with tasks.

The nice thing about getting CBT and having someone talk you through the exercises is that you have someone to set out what needs to be done, describe why these things are effective, and specifically describe the steps that need to be done. Common activities in CBT include writing down thoughts, recognising negativity and rerouting the thoughts, or building a schedule for activities that people may find difficult to do. While these seem like tasks and activities that you could do completely independently, people with ADHD can find these things impossible without having a proper course of treatment to help keep people engaged in the CBT.

The second aspect of treatment for aspects of ADHD that can cause anxiety and/or depression is medication. While medication specifically for ADHD can be difficult to come by (especially if you were not diagnosed as a child or have not been diagnosed formally at all), medications to treat the anxiety or depression are more readily available after speaking to your GP about your specific issues. The important thing about medication is that some medications will not be effective for you as an individual, but others may be.

Research has found that multimodal treatment (combining two or more kinds of treatment) is the most effective pathway for people with ADHD. While only trying one kind of treatment at a time may alleviate the negative symptoms and decrease anxiety and depression, trying both (as long as the medication isn’t worsening symptoms, you can keep trying them until you find one that works for you) is likely to work much better.

Research has also found that discussing your struggles and improvements with other individuals with similar issues (like ADHD) is particularly helpful in not only improving mood but also helping to keep you engaged in your treatment.

Naturally, you may want to augment your treatment with self-help options specifically for people with ADHD. Common tips to help make you feel healthier and more organised include creating visual reminders in your home to remind you to complete tasks (I personally enjoy: making myself a list of mini goals like eating at least twice a day and spending five minutes tidying a space; creating five goals to complete over the span of 5-15 days depending on how busy I am), treating yourself when you achieve your goals (go out to a nice lunch, buy something you’ve wanted for a while, buy some new hair dye, etc.) and trying to invest in nutritious food and spending time caring for yourself. These things are not a replacement for therapy and/or medication but rather ways to try and make your body feel better as well as keeping yourself organised.

In the end it is important to know that while ADHD is a part of you and makes up some of the aspects of who you are, the problem isn’t you. The feelings of negativity, hopelessness, or worry are not your fault. There are a lot of factors of modern life like work, the environment, politics, or trying to juggle everything at once that generate anxiety or low-moods in many people, not just people with ADHD. Your ADHD symptoms may make fitting into the box of modern life difficult, but there are a lot of avenues that can help make things more manageable.

Useful links and more information

The ADHD Foundation for tips for dealing with ADHD symptoms, how ADHD presents in adults and children, and what ADHD is:

The American Psychological Association for information about gender differences in ADHD and issues with some medication:

https://www.apa.org/topics/adhd

Links for getting help or treatment

Trent PTS for self-referral:

Mental Health Foundation for support and information:

Mental Health Forum for a place to discuss issues and talk to others:

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Get Self Help for worksheets and information about disorders and CBT treatment

The Samaritans Nottingham to have someone to listen and talk to

TrentChat (for students) to have someone to listen and talk to

https://adhdfoundation.org.uk/adults/

ADHD and the Anxiety/Depression Cycle

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 12:41:32 GMT

Part 1 of the ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression Series

Anxiety and depression are, contrary to popular belief, very common mental health issues. Everyone in any age or stage of life is vulnerable to these things and help is always available. People who have ADHD (in any presentation) have been found to be especially vulnerable to both anxiety and depression because of a vicious cycle that we can all get caught in.

Because of the way that ADHD affects our lives (i.e. being seen as “scatterbrained”, having sudden changes in mood or energy levels, feeling impulsive, procrastinating, seemingly having little or no desire to do necessary or “boring” tasks, or time blindness) we can often feel quite a lot of stress, especially if we have gone undiagnosed. We may feel shame from ourselves or others for seeming “lazy”, “unmotivated”, or “flaky”. The stressors in ordinary life like work or engaging with friends or family can be especially stressful for people with ADHD. This creates a lot of vulnerability for high levels of anxiety and low mood.

Stress is not always harmful. There are healthy amounts of stress that people can experience that can increase productivity and better our problem-solving abilities. However, when people begin to feel stressed about future events or hypothetical events and that stress begins to feel uncontrollable and constant, we enter the realm of anxiety.

People with ADHD may begin to feel they worry about nothing or become anxious because they believe they have forgotten something important. This is because we may often be forgetful or unaware of time simply because of the way our brains are wired. We may also be anxious that other people have poor opinions of us because of our ADHD. For these reasons, as well as genetic, environmental, or individual differences in life, people with ADHD are much more likely than the average individual to have long term anxieties.

Low moods on occasion are also very common and usually the result of being too stressed or experiencing upsetting events. Depression is a long-term manifestation of low-mood combined with poor opinions of the self, feeling hopeless, and having low expectations for the future. Because of the struggles of life and the shame/anxiety that people with ADHD can feel, it is very easy to slip into a depression, which in turn can perpetuate both more anxious feelings and worsen symptoms of ADHD (see paragraph three).

This Anxiety/Depression cycle can not only start because of ADHD symptoms (especially when support, coping mechanisms, or a proper understanding from others is missing and/or shame-inducing or stigmatised thoughts are present in life) but also worsen the impulsive and inattentive symptoms that can make life in the modern day so difficult. The anxiety and depression elements of the cycle also feed into each other, which is why it is always important to know that you can find help.

Some treatments may not be as effective for people with ADHD, or simply need adjusting or supplementary elements (more time, additional support systems, medication, cutting out drinking or use of recreational drugs, etc.). It is important to know which kinds of treatments are most effective for people with ADHD and to know specifically what the biggest issues are that generate anxiousness or depression.

More information about ADHD, anxiety and depression will be provided in follow-up posts.

You are not alone and we’re here to help.

Useful links and more information

The ADHD Foundation for tips for dealing with ADHD symptoms, how ADHD presents in adults and children, and what ADHD is:

The American Psychological Association for information about gender differences in ADHD and issues with some medication:

https://www.apa.org/topics/adhd

Links for getting help or treatment

Trent PTS for self-referral:

Mental Health Foundation for support and information:

Mental Health Forum for a place to discuss issues and talk to others:

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Get Self Help for worksheets and information about disorders and CBT treatment

The Samaritans Nottingham to have someone to listen and talk to

TrentChat (for students) to have someone to listen and talk to