Returning to our series on Mental Health Awareness in this blog we take a look at Anxiety.

Anxiety can go hand in hand with Depression for many sufferers, although this is not always the case. Anxiety describes the feeling of being tense, worried or nervous and can be a result of stressful life events or a fear that something bad is going to happen. Panic attacks can sometimes affect those who suffer from anxiety.

Some aspects of anxiety are normal and are felt by everyone. What is often termed the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response is the body’s way of responding to a perceived threat and causes certain physical effects such as increased heart rate. With anxiety sometimes this can spiral a bit further out of control and can be felt frequently, without the body having chance to relax once the threat has passed.

Again, please check out Mind’s info about anxiety, which provides more detail on this topic and also some helpful links to support during the Coronavirus pandemic, which has prompted increased anxiety for many. Once again, don’t forget here at Rainbow we can help! Please contact us to access further support.

Watch MIND Youtube Video:  Anxiety | Talking about mental health – Episode 2

Called ‘the black dog’ by well-known sufferer Winston Churchill depression plagues all sectors of society for many different reasons.

Most of us have either suffered from depression or are likely to know a friend or family member who has, making it a very common concern.

Depression is a feeling of low mood that lasts for a long time and impacts you daily. Mildly you can lead a normal life, although things may feel harder to do and seem less worthwhile. Severe depression may lead to feelings of suicide. We all have times when we feel low, but when these feelings persist it may be time to try and access support. A first point of call would be your GP who can assess your mood and explore with you options for treatment, such as counselling or medication or a combination of both.

This is a brief overview of depression – please check out Mind’s website article for more detailed information, including various types of depression such as Postnatal Depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder. And please don’t forget at Rainbow we are here to help! Depression is an issue we work with a lot, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you are suffering or know someone who is.

Read more about Depression at Mind’s website >

Mental health. It’s a phrase that is used increasingly. But some may ask – what exactly is it?

A helpful article by Mind helps to explain mental health problems in general and over the coming months our blog articles will take a look at some common mental health issues in more detail.

Mental health may be compared to physical health in that we all have it and we all need to look after it. Times of poor mental health may affect the way we think, feel and act. Sometimes we may feel completely unable to cope, this may be much worse than a period of physical illness for example.

A mental health problem can be upsetting, particularly if you fear it means it is a sign of weakness or that you feel out of control. Mental health issues are often portrayed negatively in the media, which doesn’t help considering how common they actually are. Awareness raising, such as Mental Health Awareness week, has fortunately done a lot to increase general awareness of mental health concerns. We would also like to address this lack of awareness – watch out for our blog series on this topic, our next blog explains a little more about one of the most common mental health issues – Depression.

Remember support is out there! You are not alone. For more info please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our counsellors today.

Find out more from the following article at Mind, the mental health charity >

‘What is climate anxiety and what can we do about it?’ So begins this interesting article by the Climate Reality Project.

It seems there aren’t many day’s when we aren’t hearing in some way about how climate change is impacting our environment, our weather, our homes and livelihoods. Significant weather change and global warming are blamed for rising flooding and growing extremes of temperature. It’s easy to get anxious about these things, especially when we think about the future for our children and grandchildren.

Climate or Eco-anxiety is described by the American Psychological Association as ‘a chronic fear of environmental doom’ and it’s something that seems to be on the rise. So what can we do about this?

Don’t be afraid to talk about it! You are not alone in recognising that things are not what they once were. Acknowledging how you feel can empower you to work out how you can act to take care of yourself.

Or perhaps channelling your energy into being the change you wish to see may empower you. Take action! Even change in small ways such as recycling, composting or reducing waste all add up to impacting our world. And that’s without mentioning getting involved with the many forms of activism that are out there and growing. Read more >

To make an appointment with a Rainbow counsellor, send us a message or call us on 07511 946 117.