Independent advocacy is a way to help people have a stronger voice and to have as much control as possible over their own lives. The independent advocate helps the person/group to get the information they need to make real choices about their circumstances and supports the person/group to put their choices across to others. An independent advocate may speak on behalf of people who are unable to do so for themselves but will not make decisions on behalf of the person/group they are supporting. Independent Advocacy organisations are separate from Mental Health Services.
Independent Advocates are available for all those being treated for mental health disorders and not just those under the Mental Health Act.
People can experience discrimination as a result of their sex, race, social class, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation, religion and age. This can, in turn, lead to the differences that exist in people’s health.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde wants to ensure that everyone who uses the health service or works for us is treated fairly. Our Equalities in Health website explains what we are doing to achieve this.
Laws are now in place which are designed to protect people from unfair discrimination due to their personal characteristics. Referred to as ‘protected characteristics’, these include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, sex, race, religion & belief and sexual orientation.
Welcome to the Heads Up British Sign language (BSL) section.
This webpage is specifically for BSL users living in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area whose preferred method of communication is using sign language. Research has shown that many sign language users have difficulties accessing written health information due to language and communication limitations. All of the resources featured below are in BSL enabling empowerment for the Deaf community.
These resources are provided as one of our methods of improving communication with the Deaf community.
Positive Signs – Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing for Deaf Community
This suite of short films is one of the prevention measures with the aim to improve access for Deaf people. This also supports improvement of their self-management maintaining and preserving their own mental health. This suite of films also highlights to health and care staff how to improve their awareness of the particular needs of Deaf people and the culture they inhabit.
Understanding mental health
These films are conversational pieces in BSL and subtitles between two deaf people exploring and describing poor mental health. This also covers the pathway for Deaf people where to receive help if they recognise the symptoms as described in the films.
Accessing mental health services
Positive mental health and wellbeing
A documentary style interviewing Deaf BSL users from all walks of life focusing on improving their own mental well being.
Below are two individual emotional stories depicting practices of the mental health pathway exploring missed opportunities and barriers for deaf people, as well as positive experiences of using interpreting services to access mental health support.
Jo’s story
Sam’s story
Further translations requests and contact details
Below is further information where BSL users can get help:
Breathing Space – BSL Services – In time of crisis, BSL users can use Breathing Space to share their concerns using a video relay service.
If you would like to have any materials/resources that are on the Heads Up webpage be translated into BSL, please contact Paul Hull by email at Paul.Hull@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
At NHSGGC we are committed to Deaf people receiving fair and equitable care, otherwise you can contact Paul McCusker by email at Paul.McCusker@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Please also have a look below for further information about Mental Health Conditions in BSL.
A-Z Mental Health Conditions – BSL
Below is a selection of videos for BSL users on a range of mental health conditions.
Addictions
Someone has an addiction or addictive behaviour when doing, taking or using something gets out of control to the point where it could be harmful to them.
Alcohol and drug problems are very common. If you use drugs and/or alcohol and they are causing problems in other areas of your life such as your job, relationships, health, finances or emotional well-being, then this may be an issue for you. There are many other common addiction problems such as gambling, and nicotine, and it’s possible to be addicted to just about anything, including: work, internet, sex, shopping.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Bipolar Disorder
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mental health problem that affects your mood. It is characterised by prolonged changes to the person’s mood. These usually last several weeks or months and are far beyond what most of us experience. The person might experience:
Periods of feeling very low and down
Periods of feeling excessively happy and energetic for no apparent reason
Sometimes the person may have unusual experiences, strange thoughts or might behave out of character during these periods.
These episodes would usually affect the persons day to day life and make it difficult for them to function as they normally would.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Depression and Anxiety
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Depression
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn’t worth living.
Eating Disorders
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Anorexia Nervosa
A type of eating disorder where the person will restrict the amount of food they take in with a view to losing weight or maintaining a low body weight that is unhealthy. It is frequently associated with an increased pre-occupation with their weight and possibly perceiving themselves as being fat or over-weight even when this might not be the case.
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Bulimia Nervosa
A type of eating disorder where a person goes through periods where they eat a lot of food in a very short amount of time (binge eating) and then are deliberately sick, use laxatives (medication to help them poo) or do excessive exercise, or a combination of these, to try to stop themselves gaining weight.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, and is not a description of the text on this website.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling that we can all get but sometimes it can become excessive and stop you from doing the things you want to. These feelings can become a problem when they cause distress or make us feel uncomfortable. There are various types of anxiety disorders depending on how often they occur or if they are triggered by certain things. Examples might be when the feelings of anxiety can occur all the time for no apparent reason with lots of worrying thoughts and physical symptoms such as a racing heart, feeling breathless, knot in your stomach, increased sweating. This is called Generalised Anxiety. Sometimes these symptoms can occur without warning for short periods of time for no apparent reason. These are called Panic attacks. Sometimes the feelings of aniety can be brought on by specific things such as a fear of heights or crowded places or spiders etc. These are described as Phobias.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Sleep Disorder
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Sleep Disorder
Occasional sleep disturbance is common and quite a normal experience familiar to us all. Everyone experiences difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep at some time in their lives. This often occurs at times of change or times of stress. Insomnia is a condition where you have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep for 3 or more nights per week and persisting for at least 6 months. There might also be daytime mood and performance effects.
People with insomnia often experience:
Difficulty falling asleep
Difficulty staying asleep
Frequent night time awakenings
Feeling very tired the next day
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. In this condition, the person suffers from obsessions and/or compulsions that affects their everyday life.
An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.
A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour or mental act that you feel you need to carry out to try to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings brought on by the obsessive thought.
If you have OCD these thoughts cause lots of anxiety and they can be extremely difficult to ignore. You might find that you spend lots of time worrying about what your thoughts mean. You might also complete behaviours to try and stop your feelings of anxiety.
Not everyone who experiences obsessions will have compulsive behaviours but often compulsive behaviours are very subtle and feel like a natural reaction to obsessive thoughts. You might perform a behaviour that seems unrelated to your original worry, for example repeating a certain word or phrase to yourself to “neutralise” a thought.
Some people can only suffer from obsessions, whilst others suffer from a mixture of both obsessions and compulsions.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Panic Disorder
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Panic Attack
Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense anxiety which appear to have no obvious triggers or reasoning. They can happen when a person least expects it and can be very distressing and frightening for the person. They can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as a racing heart, feeling faint or dizzy, sweating, trembling, feeling shaky, breathlessness and agitation. The person may feel like they are losing control or dying.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Postnatal Depression
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Postnatal Depression
Postnatal depression (PND) affects around 10% of mothers. This is much more serious than the period post birth known as ‘baby blues’ which usually lasts between one to three days. PND can develop slowly and may not be noticeable until several weeks after the baby’s birth, or may continue on from the baby blues period. The symptoms of postnatal depression are similar to those in depression at other times. These include low mood, sleep and appetite problems, poor motivation and pessimistic or negative thinking. It can have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the mother and the child.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Postpartum Psychosis
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Post-Partum Psychosis
It is a severe episode of mental illness which begins suddenly in the days or weeks after having a baby. Symptoms vary and can change rapidly. They can include high mood (mania), depression, confusion, unusual experiences and strange thoughts. Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric emergency. You should seek help as quickly as possible.
Postpartum psychosis can happen to any woman. It often occurs ‘out of the blue’ to women who have not been ill before. It can be a frightening experience for women, their partners, friends and family. Women usually recover fully after an episode of postpartum psychosis.
It is much less common than Baby Blues or Postnatal Depression. It occurs in about 1 in every 1000 women (0.1%) who have a baby.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Phobias
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Phobias
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It is an extreme form of fear or anxiety triggered by a particular situation (such as going outside) or object (such as spiders), even when there is no danger. For example, you may know that it is safe to be out on a balcony but feel terrified to go out on it or even enjoy the view from behind the windows inside the building. Likewise, you may know that a spider isn’t poisonous or that it won’t bite you, but this still doesn’t reduce your anxiety.
Someone with a phobia may even feel this extreme anxiety just by thinking or talking about the particular situation or object.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder which you may develop after being involved in, or witnessing, traumatic events. A traumatic event is one where you are in danger, your life is threatened, or where you see other people dying or being injured. Examples of traumatic events include road traffic accidents, assaults and sexual assaults, being involved in a natural disaster such as an earthquake, witnessing or experiencing war, torture, or being held hostage.
It is usual for a traumatic event to cause upset and distress. Most people will recover with the support and care offered by family and friends and by using the ways of coping that they would normally use to deal with stress. However, some people will experience distress that is more intense and longer lasting and may result in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD include nightmares relating to the event, avoidance of things that may remind the person of the trauma, flashbacks, feeling on edge and always on the lookout for danger, and negative changes in mood and thoughts.
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Trauma
The situations we find traumatic can vary from person to person. There are many different harmful or life-threatening events that might cause someone to develop PTSD. A traumatic event is one where you see that you are in danger, your life is threatened, or where you see other people dying or being injured.
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Psychosis
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Psychosis
Psychosis is a term used to describe a number of unusual experiences:
hearing or seeing things that other people can’t hear or see (hallucinations)
holding unusual beliefs that people from a similar background would think strange or irrational (this includes delusions and paranoia)
being so jumbled in thoughts or speech that other people can’t easily make sense of what you are meaning (thought disorder)
experiencing periods of confusion – for example: becoming very distracted and finding it difficult to pay attention or make decisions
Psychosis can happen to anyone, up to 10 per cent of people will at some point in their life hear a voice talking to them when there is no-one there. Lots of things can contribute to a person experiencing psychosis such as stress, physical illnesses, using drugs or alcohol and mental illnesses.
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects thinking, emotions and behaviour. It is the most common form of psychosis. Schizophrenia usually affects people for the first time when they reach early adulthood – from their late teens to early thirties. Symptoms include:
Hallucinations – hearing, smelling, feeling or seeing something that isn’t there.
Delusions – believing something completely even though others find your ideas strange and can’t work out how you’ve come to believe them.
Difficulty thinking – you find it hard to concentrate and tend to drift from one idea to another. Other people can find it hard to understand you.
Feeling controlled – you may feel that your thoughts are vanishing, or that they are not your own, or that your body is being taken over and controlled by someone else.
Other symptoms include:
Loss of interest, energy and emotions.
Problems with motivation and organising yourself.
Problems with routine jobs like washing, tidying, or looking after yourself
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Stress
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Stress
Stress is normal and it affects everyone. It usually happens when you are in a situation that puts you under pressure. It can happen when you have lots to think about or do or when you don’t feel you have much control over a situation. It usually happens when you have things to do that you find difficult to cope with. Many situations can cause stress including relationships, work demands, financial worries and so on. It can have an effect on our emotions, thoughts, behaviour and physical wellbeing
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Suicide and Self-Harm
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Self-Harm
At times in our life we can all find it difficult to cope, sometimes we harm ourselves or think of ending our lives. Self-harm is a way of coping with very deep distress. The ways in which people harm themselves vary and can be physical such as cutting or less obvious such as putting themselves in risky situations or not looking after their physical or emotional needs.
NHSGG&C BSL A-Z: Mental Health – Suicide
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
There are six Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCP) across the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, who manage a wide range of local health and social care services delivered in health centres, clinics, schools and homes.
East Dunbartonshire HSCP – Bearsden, Milngavies, Torrance, Cadder, Campsie Glen, Kikintilloch and Twechar
East Renfrewshire HSCP – Neilston, Uplawmoor Newton Mearns, Barrhead, Giffnock, Stamperland,Clarkston, Eaglesham
Inverclyde HSCP – Greenock, Inverkip, Gourock, Port Glasgow, Kilmacolm, Quarriers Village, Wemyss Bay
West Dunbartonshire HSCP – Balloch, Renton, Bellsmyre, Alexandria, Gartochan, Bowling, Old Kilpatrick, Clydebank
Are you providing regular help to a partner, neighbour, relative or friend who is experiencing mental health issues and could not manage otherwise?
Maybe you don’t think of yourself as a carer – few people do – however to a degree we are all carers. We look after our children when they’re small, we look after our homes, we take an interest in our wider family, friends, neighbours etc. We lend a hand if someone asks us to help out but when ill health strikes, particularly mental ill health, you can feel that your whole world has been turned upside down. It can be complex, challenging, even difficult at times. Families and carers play a key role in the recovery of those with mental health problems and are entitled to help and support. With appropriate advice, information, resolve and determination you can play an invaluable role in helping someone recover from their difficulties.
It is important that you too are recognised as an equal partner in the care of someone you are looking after. NHSGGC uses the partnership-working model called the Triangle of Care so this takes place.
More Information
Triangle of Care
The Triangle of Care approach was initially developed by carers and staff seeking to improve carer engagement in acute inpatient services. It has now been extended to cover all mental health services whether they are an inpatient, community team or specialist service such as eating disorders or forensic mental health services.
There are six key standards to the Triangle of Care which all mental health services are working towards.
Carers and the essential role they play are identified at first contact or as soon as possible thereafter
Staff are ‘carer aware’ and trained in carer engagement strategies
Policy and practice protocols on confidentiality and sharing information, are in place
Defined post(s) responsible for carers are in place
A carer introduction to the service and staff is available, with a relevant range of information across the care pathway
A range of carer support services is available.
The Carers Trust has further information about the Triangle of Care and what it can mean for you.
Looking after yourself
Things you can do, as a carer, to look after yourself?
The hints and suggestions below have been put together by fellow carers.
It’s okay to ask for help
Learning and getting the right information is essential
Take time out for yourself
It’s okay to be upset and emotional
Talking to someone who can understand and empathise with your situation can really help
Use support groups
Find out how others cope
Focus on positive things
Share your view with service providers – having your voice heard can be empowering.
Health and Well-Being
As a carer it is important to remember to look after your own physical, social and emotional health needs This may at times feel impossible, however, these areas may assist you in your caring role.
Physical – Ask for a health check at your GP surgery or some carer centres can direct you to have one carried out. Look after your physical health by eating a well-balanced diet. Aim to get enough sleep, and try to get some exercise which will help you relax, feel better and improve your health and wellbeing.
Social – Try to get time out from your caring role to socialise with family members and friends. Maintain or develop new interests or hobbies. If you are on your own speak to a carers centre who can advise you about social opportunities.
Emotional – You might find it helpful to access advice and support from agencies such as Social Work, CMHT, local voluntary agencies or a dedicated carer centre. Talking to other carers who have experienced similar situations to you can often help. Emotional and educational support can also help especially if you feel that you have no one to turn to. Sometimes talking to professionals can help too if you feel you need more than just a listening ear your GP can direct you to agencies which offer CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) or talking therapies in your local area.
Recognising your role as a carer
Many people do not see themselves as a ‘carer’ in a formal sense. Many people view caring for someone as a duty.
Carer’s Rights/Legislation
The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 provides you with the right to request an Adult Carers Support Plan. This is a plan which can help you look at what you need in order to provide you, as a carer, with support and the chance to have a life outside of caring. You can request this via the local Social Work Department or speak to the Social Worker or Community Psychiatric Nurse in the local Community Mental Health Team. You are entitled to this Adult Carers Support Plan even if the person you care for does not want you to have one; this is about you the carer and what you need.
If you are 18 and under you may be considered to be a young carer and can, under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 be entitled to a Young Carers Statement. You can contact your local Social Work Department about this or if you attend a young carer service speak to the workers there.
It never fails that a crisis probably happens at the most inconvenient time – late at night, over a weekend, or when you are planning a break. At such times it is not easy to respond in the best or most appropriate way.
It is helpful therefore to try to think about some of the worst-case scenarios in advance, and how might you respond, who might you call on and where to keep this information safe and handy. It’s like having a plan of action you can turn to help you through.
Make sure you have the numbers of our out of hours’ services that are available in your area. Similarly have the numbers for relatives and friends who can be called on at short notice, either to give you support in your home to deal with the emergency. It is good if these people are with you once the crisis/emergency has ended as you might like someone to talk about how you feel.
Keep contact numbers of the all the services involved in the care and treatment of the person you care for, make sure these numbers are in a safe and handy place. If storing them in your mobile, make sure it is charged, or keep written copies.
Any plans you make for dealing with emergencies should be agreed between you and the person you care for when that person is well. This is not always easy as many people do not want to think about being ill again. However, if you have a backup plan it may actually be helpful in avoiding a more serious crisis.
A Carer is anybody who provides support and care to someone who has an illness, disability, mental health problem or an addiction. In most cases, this is an unpaid role. Being a carer can be difficult and have an impact on the person’s life. There are a range of supports available and carers are also entitled to a formal assessment of their needs
Please note that this video is from a range of BSL videos published by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Welcome to NHSGGC Digital Therapies for computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (cCBT)
Thank you for visiting our cCBT page, dedicated for you, our GP colleagues.
Here you will find details on how to refer your patients to our Digital Therapy programmes, either Beating the Blues or SilverCloud.
All referrals are sent via SCI Gateway, please use the drop down menu to select your choice of programme to refer your patient to.
Please also remember, that Beating the Blues (for depression), is un-supported and the patient will work through this digital therapy on their own.
SilverCloud, however, has tailored digital therapy programmes for you to select from the drop down menu.
Please be advised that 4 new programmes are not yet on SCI Gateway, so please add information onto the referral and we will add your patient to the highlighted programme. (New programmes; – OCD; Panic; Phobia; Perinatal).
SilverCloud programmes are all supported by the cCBT Team with reviews every 3 weeks until completion.
Should you have any queries, our team can be contacted via their dedicated email address: – ccbt@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
cCBT Programmes
All programmes offered through the cCBT Service are interactive, and during sessions patients can watch video clips, complete exercises and learn CBT techniques which will help them manage their depression and/or anxiety.
Within each module patients are given activities to carry out between sessions, on SilverCloud digital therapy programmes, the cCBT Team members will carry out reviews every 3 weeks. All programmes record patient’s activity and they resume automatically when they next log on.
Who is it for?
Suitable for patients aged 16+ with:
Mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety: including phobias and panic attacks
Willingness to be pro-active in their treatment recovery and to use a computer programme
Not suitable for patients:
With active suicidal ideas or plans
Who are unable to read or write English (reading age below 10/11 years)
In acute phase of psychosis or mania, or with cognitive functioning disorder, e.g. dementia
Evidence Base – Nice and Sign recommendation
cCBT has been proven to be an effective intervention for mild to moderate depression and anxiety, and is recommended by – NICE in its updated 2009 depression guidance: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TA97/Guidance/Evidence
SIGN guideline 114 (Non Pharmacological Treatment of Depression in Adults) recommends cCBT as a treatment option for patients with depression within the context of guided self-help as a level A recommendation: http://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign114.pdf
How to refer to cCBT
To refer patients to the cCBT service:
SCI Gateway > Other mental health services > cCBT
Choose from: Beating the Blues or Silvercloud
In the Additional relevant Information, please specify which programme you think offers the best fit to the patient’s needs
Future dropdowns will include
Space from Diabetes Distress (Wiley)
Space in Diabetes from Depression and Anxiety
Space from OCD
Space from Phobia
Space from Panic
Perinatal Wellbeing
Sleepio
Daylight
Delivery of these programmes is similar to our current programme Beating the Blues.
They are interactive, and during sessions patients can watch video clips, complete exercises and learn CBT techniques that will help them manage their depression and anxiety. Within each module patients are given activities to carry out between sessions.
Where can patients complete the course?
The course can be completed 24/7 in the patient’s home or during working hours at any local library. To do it at home the patient will need an internet connection and a smart phone, tablet, PC or laptop.
How do patients access the programme?
The patient needs an activation link, which will be provided by email by the local cCBT co-ordinator after a referral is received. A patient email address is essential.
The patient then visits the Beating the Blues or the Silvercloud website depending on the programme referred to.
They click on the “Activate Account” link found on the right-hand side, enter their activation code, and follow the on screen instructions.
Patients can be referred directly to the cCBT service and will be able to access the program within 1 week from referral.
What happens when my patient is discharged from cCBT?
When the patient completes treatment the referrer will be sent an “Effectiveness Report”.
This report provides information collected during the completion of the course and includes results from the PHQ-9 and GAD 7 psychological measures that the patient completes at the end of every session.
Managing Risk
Each time a patient uses the programme it will ask if they have had suicidal thoughts. If they answer yes, they will then be asked to rate their level of intent on a scale of 0 to 8 for Beating the Blues, and 0 to 10 for Silvercloud. If this level is above 4, the co-ordinator is required to inform the referrer and provide details.
During the session, patients will be advised to seek help from their referrer or the Samaritans if they have had suicidal thoughts. If they complete the session outside of standard working hours the program recommends they contact NHS 24. When an overnight alert is received, the co-ordinator will then inform the referrer in the morning of the next working day.
Less than 10% of sessions completed have a suicide alert and less than 2% with a serious intent of over 5 on the 0-8 scale.
Further Information
If you have any enquiries about the cCBT service please contact the NHSGGC computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (cCBT) Team via their generic email address:-
Your rights are always important within mental health treatment. However, there may be circumstances when your ability to make a decision about your care is impaired or you require treatment with which you do not necessarily agree. Further to the Patients Rights Act for all in Scotland treated by the NHS, The Mental Health Act (Scotland) has a number of principles for the care provided by Mental Health services as well as safeguards to protect patients’ wishes.
Important Concepts
These concepts are important because they are key to the decisions mental health services will make when deciding how best to respond to your needs.
Mental Capacity
In Scots law, adults are presumed to be capable of making decisions and manage their care. While having a mental disorder, an adult is still assumed to have capacity unless they are unable to meet one or more of the tests of the law. These being unable to: understand information regarding decisions; or retain information to make a decision; or weigh information to make a decision; or communicate decisions. Mental capacity can be important in the treatment of those with dementia or learning disability.*
With respect to the Mental Health Act, decision-making capacity regarding treatment can be impaired as a consequence of a mental disorder.
At every consultation, there will be an assessment and consideration of risk and Mental Health services have a duty to ensure your safety, especially when there is an impairment of mental capacity. For most, risk can be managed in collaboration with Mental Health professionals, but significant risk is also one of the guiding criteria in the use of the Mental Health Act.
Those most at risk usually pose harm or vulnerability to themselves, but Mental Health professionals must also take into consideration risks to others.
This is when a person receives support to enable them to understand information and to express their will. In the context of mental health treatment, this support is often received when under the compulsory powers of the mental health act, e.g. advocacy support.
Substitute Decision Making
This is when an external person is appointed to act in the best interest of someone else. These are commonly Guardians or those with Power of Attorney.
*The test to be applied is different in Scots law S1(6) AWISA:
“adult” means a person who has attained the age of 16 years;
“incapable” means incapable of: (a) acting; or (b) making decisions; or (c) communicating decisions; or (d) understanding decisions; or (e) retaining the memory of decisions, as mentioned in any provision of this Act, by reason of mental disorder or of inability to communicate because of physical disability; but a person shall not fall within this definition by reason only of a lack or deficiency in a faculty of communication if that lack or deficiency can be made good by human or mechanical aid (whether of an interpretative nature or otherwise); and
We’re used to hearing about the importance of looking after our physical health – such as the advice to eat five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables per day – but we’re less used to talking about keeping mentally well. However, there are lots of things we can all do to look after our mental health – whether or not we’ve had any kind of long-term health condition.
We share here a number of practical ways that we can all promote our best possible mental health. And rather than thinking of good mental health as the lack of mental illness or the absence of worry and stress, it should really be seen as a set of coping resources that helps us deal with everyday life better.
Practical ways to look after your mental health
We provide below some practical suggestions of the kinds of steps you can take to keep well and look after your mental health.
There are five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you approach them with an open mind and try them out, you can judge the results yourself.
Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
Be active – you don’t have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find the activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and new confidence.
Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you, or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new relationships.
Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body, and the world around you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”, and it can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
Also, the Mental Health Foundation has produced a guide: “How to Look After Your Mental Health” which you can download for free. This contains 10 practical areas that you can take action on.
The above list is not exhaustive. In order to maintain and strengthen your mental and emotional health, it’s important to pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Check out the section below on Mind Waves as well, with some extra “keeping well” tips and ideas, created by local people.
More Information
Mind Waves
There are loads of great stories of how these five steps to wellbeing can be put into action.
You can find some of these stories on our Mind Waves website, the majority of which are created by our volunteer “Community Correspondents”. Use the Topics tab on the Mind Waves site to explore particular themes and issues and find other top tips:
We all have times when we have low mental wellbeing – when we feel sad or stressed, or find it difficult to cope. Sometimes, there is no clear reason why we experience a period of poor mental health but it is important to give yourself permission to feel your feelings; we all need to be better at acknowledging that there are times when “it is OK to not be OK”.
Whether you have a mental health problem or not, there may be times or situations in your life that are more difficult than others. For example, when we suffer some sort of loss; experience loneliness or relationship problems; or are worried about work or money.
It can be easy to turn towards negative things to cope when you are feeling down, for example: drinking too much alcohol. However, this type of behaviour will probably only make things worse in the long term and so it is important to look after yourself and actively engage in reaching, and maintaining, good mental health and wellbeing. There is a helpful guide from Mind that gives lots of practical pointers.
And how can you help someone else who may be struggling with stress? The award-winning Power of OK campaign from Scotland’s See Me programme gives some very practical advice (videos contains strong language)
What’s causing you stress? Get help
We know that there are lots of things that can cause us stress and impact on our mental health – we provide some information and resources below to help you with some of these issues too. There is also a stress section within Heads Up that has further information and advice.
One resource you may find helpful for coping with stress is the Steps for Stress resource – including a free guide to download, and relaxation videos. But there’s plenty of additional support available on a wide range of things that might be causing you stress. Try searching for specific resources on NHS Inform or via the ALISS info database or check out the resources below.
What’s worrying you? Get support on…
Money worries – Citizen’s Advice Scotland can provide advice on money worries and a wide range of other problems
Affected by murder or suicide of a loved one – contact Petal
Social media, the internet, and mental wellbeing
Many people are finding that social media and the internet can be very beneficial in supporting mental health and wellbeing, but it’s important to find the most positive ways to use these technologies safely and avoid the pitfalls. Our colleagues at Outside the Box Development Services have been working with people who have experienced mental health problems to develop some guidance on getting the best out of the internet.
“For many of us using the internet has become an essential part of everyday life. Sometimes it’s hard to remember how we did things without it. From finding recipes to booking holidays, the internet can make a lot of things simpler. Over time a range of internet services have been developed for people with mental health problems, including online community forums and places for advice and support.
“There are other ways we can use the internet to keep well, such as staying in touch with friends and family through social media. Sometimes we aren’t well enough to see people but we still want to chat to and feel connected to others. This can help us to feel better. However, people with poor mental health are less likely than the general population to use the internet and digital ways of communicating. They are less likely to have internet access at home.
“Outside the Box spoke to people with mental health problems to ask about the barriers that prevent them from getting online. We also heard about the benefits people get when they do have access to digital technology. We’ve used this information to put together some hints and tips about digital inclusion and mental health.
“Speaking with people also helped us to get an idea of some downsides to think about, so we’ve included a section about staying safe online. Digital inclusion is about ensuring that as many people as possible have access to and skills to use things like smart phones, tablets and computers, social media and the internet so they can participate and benefit in the new technology. We hope that many people find this resource useful.”
Mental health charity MIND has information on staying safe online and using the internet for positive mental health support.
