Pretty ugly – Play about Anorexia

The award winning portrayal of Katie Metcalfe’s story is back. Based on her book ‘Anorexia – A Stranger In The Family’, the play deals deftly with this difficult subject using a sensitive mix of pace, humour and multi media.

Theatre can make a huge difference to our experience of the world and this play has the capacity to literally change people’s lives as the letters that were written to the theatre company after its premiere testify. This inspiring story of recovery is touring to venues in the South East, including Guildford, Cranleigh and Kingston, and is suitable for everyone over age 12.

See it at:

• Electric Theatre 27th February 7.30pm   Guildford
• Electric Theatre 28th February 10am & 1pm  Guildford
• Cranleigh Arts Centre 1st March 10.30am
• Cranleigh Arts Centre 2nd March 10.30am & 1pm
• Rose, Kingston 7th March 3pm

To view the poster for this play go here>> Pretty Ugly

Mental Health Education for School children

AN ON-LINE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION ACTIVITY PACK FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN LAUNCHED BY WOKING MIND

www.mentalhealtheducation.org.uk

Woking Mind’s On-Line Mental Health Activity Pack was launched at the Surrey History Centre, Woking, on 12 January 2012. It is the first on-line mental health education pack that does not require teachers to have prior knowledge of mental health, available free. It contains over 100 personal accounts about mental distress.

This work has been led by two local volunteers, Tristana Smith, an Oxford Psychology student and Lexy Rose, a student from the Institute of Psychiatry, working with numerous professionals and organisations who have given their time and expertise for free. In the summer of 2010, Tristana and Lexy started this work in response to the need to challenge the stigma of mental health problems.

One 22 year old service user said: “If my school had used this pack, it might not have taken me seven years to seek help. I might not have missed countless days of school, and constantly underperformed”.

The pack allows young people to understand and empathise with the experience of mental health problems. It contains six modules, covering the main topics within mental health; including self-harm, depression and addiction. The pack fits within the PSHE curriculum. Teacher activity plans contain all the information needed to teach the activities, and formatted student activity sheets are available. It can be downloaded from www.mentalhealtheducation.org.uk for free.

The pack has had input from Surrey CAMHS (NHS child and adolescent mental health services), researchers at the University of Oxford and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, teachers, mental health professionals, and countless individuals with personal experience.

Godalming College Psychology teacher William Baldwin said: “Interactive, informative and easy to use. These resources are a must if we are to break the stigma and lack of understanding that surrounds mental health issues.”

David Rye, Chairman of Woking Mind said: “Mental health problems affect all of us. They cost society over £100 billion in England alone. Countless individuals are prevented from making the positive contribution they otherwise might have. Mental health problems cause great personal suffering to the one in four people who experience them. Friends and family are often left bewildered and upset. Education must be part of our answer to this problem. Ignorance prevents people from knowing help exists. Stigma, prejudice, and discrimination stops people from accessing that help. This pack gives people the information they need, and an understanding of what it is like to experience a mental health problem.”

Woking Mind email: info@wokingmind.org.uk

www.wokingmind.org.uk

Registered charity number 1096503

Walk Fit 2012

KNAPHILL & WESTEND KEEP FIT GROUP

WALK FIT 2012

 

EVERY MONDAY & FRIDAY STARTING JANUARY 9^TH FROM SAINSBURY’S CAR PARK – Knaphill/Brookwood

10am for 1 hour

(MEET BY THE CAR WASH)

THE BENEFITS OF WALKING ARE:

• WEIGHT LOSS
• IMPROVED  FITNESS
• IMPROVED OVERALL MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING
• IMPROVED GENERAL HEALTH

WALK FIT IS FREE JUST TURN UP

• WALK FIT IS FOR ALL ABILITIES
• GROUP      WALKING IS SAFE WALKING

WALK FIT WILL BE LED BY A LICENCEDUKATHLETIC ENDURANCE COACH WITH A HIGHER DIPLOMA IN HEALTH, DIET AND NUTRITION.

FOR MORE INFORMATION TELE:  SYLVIA 0796 6659413

Next Steps Wellbeing Group New Programme

We’ve updated the Next Steps Depression Support Wellbeing Group programme for January to March 2012. Meetings are on Fridays from 9:30-11:30 am at Parkview Community Centre, Sheerwater during term time.  The first meeting of the New Year will be 13th January 2012.  Feel free to join us!
Wellbeing Group Spring 2012 Programme

Double your money!

To coincide with the most generous time of the year, Localgiving.com is launching a £500,000 Match Fund series! They are offering CornerHouse and other local causes the chance to boost their fundraising efforts by matching donations £ for £ beginning 14th December!

In other words, any amount you feel able to donate to us through Local Giving will be matched by them and thereby DOUBLED!

Click to go to our donation page: https://localgiving.com/charity/cornerhouse

Localgiving.com is a social enterprise owned by the Community Foundation Network (CFN) and the Ardbrack Foundation, both registered charities dedicated to supporting local charities. CFN is the national body of the 57 Community Foundations in the UK. In 2009 they distributed £56m to 17,000 local charities.

Give with confidence

Every charity listed on Localgiving.com has been independently vetted by their local Community Foundation, in a process approved by the Charity Commission.

Revive yourself!

Come along to Runnymede Revive, a user-led group who provide a weekly drop-in in Addlestone providing mutual support, information and the chance to meet in a safe place for people in Runnymede with emotional and mental health needs.

The drop-in meets every Monday from 11.30am – 2.30pm at Addlestone Community Centre, Garfield Rd, Addlestone, KT15 2NJ. The drop-in is free, and open to anyone who feels they may benefit from joining the group – no referral is required.

With help from CornerHouse Runnymede, the group has recently been successful in applying to Comic Relief for funding to help meet venue hire costs, equipment, materials and for two day trips for group members.

The funding will also enable Revive to help publicise the group’s activities, raise membership, and improve accessibility to support and information for the local population suffering from mental and emotional ill health.

Tinnitus and Hyperacusis links with depression

Farhait Kiani, Audiologist and Tinnitus Therapist at the Royal Surrey County Hospital came to talk to the Next Steps Depresssion Support group about Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, two hearing conditions closely linked with emotion and stress. It was an informative and encouraging session as the group learned more about the two conditions and the range of interventions available in their treatment, from sound masking devices through to CBT therapy.

The handout download below outlines the content of the session and gives contact details:

An introduction to Tinnitus and Hyperacusis

New daytime emotion gyms

First Steps have published their November Newsletter containing details of new daytime emotion Gyms in Surrey.

First Steps November

First Steps provide the general public, communities and organisations with relevant information and strategies to help raise awareness on Emotional Well-being and to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Lift Up in Court

Lift Up Together, a local user led group based at CornerHouse, had a day out at Hampton Court recently.

Thirteen members in all had a very interesting and enjoyable time looking around the magnificent Palace, and the chance to relax in the grounds and enjoy a nice lunch together.

The cost of the trip was funded as part of a grant received in September 2011 from the Dancer Fund via the Community Foundation for Surrey.

Lift Up Together run a social drop-in at CornerHouse for anyone (16+) feeling down, alone, or simply wanting company or something to do. The group is an opportunity to meet others and have a friendly chat, and somewhere you can be assured of a warm welcome. Every Wednesday from 11am to 3pm.

The group has a resident artist Duncan Twigg who attends each week to help and inspire members with all things arts and crafts. Duncan accompanied the group to Hampton Court and produced some artwork himself.

Hampton Court - http://www.charlestwigg.co.uk

Male depression ‘set to increase’

Could the number of depressed men be about to rise?

Psychiatrists have warned that the number of men with depression could rise because of changes in Western society.

An article in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests economic and social changes will erode traditional sources of male self-esteem.

The authors say men will struggle with the shift away from traditional male and female roles.

The Men’s Health Forum said male identity was bound up in employment.

One of the authors, Dr Boadie Dunlop from Emory University School of Medicine, said: “Women are almost twice as likely to develop major depressive disorder in their lifetime as men, but we believe this difference may well change in the coming decades.”

He argues that traditional males jobs such as manufacturing or physical labour are being lost, either through improved technology or jobs moving to other countries.

On the other hand the article states that as women are now more likely to go to university than men so the number of households where the main breadwinner is female will increase.

“Having to send your wife out and feel like a parasite surely would put up the rate of depression”

Dr Cosmo Hallstrom Consultant psychiatrist

Male identity

“Men’s failure to fulfil the role of breadwinner is associated with greater depression and marital conflict,” the article states.

Dr Dunlop said: “Western men will face a difficult road in the 21st century, particularly those with low levels of education. We believe economic and societal changes will have significant implications for men’s mental health.”

Peter Baker, chief executive of the Men’s Health Forum, said: “This really confirms what we already know about unemployment and that it has a much bigger impact on men, mainly because male identity is bound up as a worker.

“Male social networks are based around work so losing a job can lead to isolation and depression.”

Dr Cosmo Hallstrom, a consultant psychiatrist, said: “If you’ve spent 20 years pouring steel and the mill closes you can’t just go and do something else.

“It seems self evident in a recession with joblessness that it will be bad for physical and mental health and some people will get depression.

“Having to send your wife out and feel like a parasite surely would put up the rate of depression, but overall is it unique to men? I don’t know.”

Mr Baker said men do not seek help when they have depression and were “more likely to self medicate in the pub” than seek professional care.

He said: “As we see more men affected we need to think about how to support and get them back to work.”

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