Further INformation and Charity Activism around mental health:
Importantly, the discourse in our society around mental health is changing, making it much more normal and accepted to be struggling with difficult feelings or decisions at times, and making it a healthy choice to seek help with this. This is replacing an older, outdated discourse in which emotional struggles are seen as a sign of weakness, and people are expected to ‘solve their problems alone’. Research is now showing that allowing feelings, talking about feelings, and seeking help with pain are healthy and adaptive behaviours, leading to increased wellbeing, resilience, and better relationships (Schore, 2012). The definition of ‘mental health’ is thus changing: being healthy does not mean not to struggle or not to need help. This is especially important for men: three out of four suicides are currently still men, as societal discourses around masculinity can still perpetuate outdated ideas of strength, suggesting men should be able to cope with everything by themselves.
Below are some charities/organisations who specialise in activism around mental health, as well as literature and other information.
www.psychoanalysis.org.uk
The Institute of Psychoanalysis is a leading analytic training organisation who also provide a low-cost therapy scheme. More analytic organisations can be found via the British Psychoanalytic Council www.bpc.org.uk - however, I chose to name the Institute here as they are the only analytic organisation to date with an explicit anti-racism statement, which I believe all other organisations also should have.
www.mind.org.uk is the UK’s leading charity campaigning for mental health awareness and support. It provides information on mental health conditions, support available nationally and locally, and legal rights.
Make it stand out
BAATN are the UK’s largest independent organisation to specialise in working psychologically, informed by an understanding of intersectionality, with […] People of Colour who are affected by oppression due to the colour of their skin and global white power.
Heads Together is a campaign by the Prince and Princess of Wales, bringing together leading experts in the field of mental health, to develop a targeted response, and to encourage wider discussion in the public of mental health related issues. The Princess of Wales is working with Peter Fonagy and the Anna Freud Centre, who are leading experts in research on attachment and psychotherapy, focusing on prevention of early trauma, and suitable treatment approaches. This is particularly interesting for parents, or parents-to-be, who are keen not to repeat the same patterns with their own children.
www.headstogether.org.uk
www.royalfoundation.com
www.annafreud.org
Information on Trauma:
A common cause for mental health problems in adulthood can be traumatic experiences during childhood. Childhood trauma can also be a significant contributor to developing many physical health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, obesity, addiction problems and chronic insomnia. Importantly, trauma is not just caused by discrete and obvious events such as physical or sexual abuse, but can be insidious and hidden in many (family) dynamics and interactions: often people have learned to put up with it to the extent that its presence can be unconscious. This also applies to traumas of structural societal oppression, such as racism.
The ACES studies have identified the link between trauma and mental and physical health conditions empirically on a large scale: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_childhood_experiences#Adverse_Childhood_Experiences_Study
And a great video summary by its founder, Dr Vincent Felitti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEFfThbAYnQ
Helpful introductory books on trauma:
Van der Kolk, B. (2014) The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma. London: Penguin.
Broughton, V. (2013) The Heart of Things: understanding trauma, working with Constellations. Sussex: Green Balloon Publishing.
Ruppert, F. (2013) Trauma, Fear and Love. Hove: Green Balloon Publishing.
Literature:
Cozolino, L. (2010) The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy: Healing the Social Brain. New York: Norton & Company.
Broughton, V. (2013) The Heart of Things: understanding trauma, working with Constellations. Sussex: Green Balloon Publishing.
Fonagy, P., Gergely, G., Jurist, E. L. & Target, M. (2002) Affect Regulation, Mentalization and the Development of the Self. New York: Other Press.
Gilbert, M. & Orlans, V. (2011) Integrative Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques. Hove: Routledge.
Ruppert, F. (2013) Trauma, Fear and Love. Hove: Green Balloon Publishing.
Van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, R. S. and Steele, K. (2006) The Haunted Self. New York: Norton.
Van der Kolk, B. (2014) The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma. London: Penguin.
Verhaeghe, P. (2018) On Being Normal and Other Disorders: A Manual for Clinical Psychodiagnostics. New York: Routledge.
Wallin, D. J. (2007) Attachment in Psychotherapy. New York: Guildford Press.
Colleagues for trauma work:
www.clairenewall.com
www.vivianbroughton.com
Addiction self-help:
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
www.uk-na.org
www.coda-uk.com
Samaritans:
www.samaritans.org
LOW COST THERAPY SCHEMES:
I believe that psychotherapy should be accessible to everyone. Below are two low-cost therapy schemes you could try if your income is low: