Help2Change promotes mindfulness during Mental Health Awareness Week

To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week 2015, Help2Change is putting on a series of information sessions across the major town libraries in Shropshire.

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is highlighting mindfulness, and more broadly the positive steps people can take to increase their mental resilience.

Mindfulness is a simple, mind-body based training that helps people to change the way they think and feel about their experiences – especially stressful experiences – and is recommended as a treatment for a variety of problems such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, eating disorders and concentration.

Information and advice will be on offer at the six main market town libraries throughout the week, with seven different organisations operating in the field of mental health available to meet and chat with interested members of the public. At some time or other in the week people will be able to talk with staff and volunteers from MIND, Samaritans, Rethink, Trident Reach, Healthwatch, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services and IAPT Services.

Heather Rodenhurst, library commissioning manager for health & well-being, said:

“We’re delighted to be working with Help2Change during Mental Health Awareness Week, as Shropshire’s libraries can help people look after their mental wellbeing in so many ways. For instance, all branches stock Books on Prescription, collections of titles designed to offer assistance with common conditions such as insomnia, anxiety and low self-esteem.

“Library staff can also provide customers with advice on choosing uplifting and mood-boosting reads, while many of our branches offer sociable daytime activities, such as reading groups, Knit & Natter gatherings, and the popular Time to Listen sessions where adults are invited to sit back in comfort and listen to fiction and poetry read aloud. And for those who cannot get out and about, the Home Library Service is a great way to have books and other library resources delivered to your door.”

At Shrewsbury Library there will also be the opportunity to try mindfulness first hand, during sessions run by an experienced trainer. These free sessions are designed to give an introduction to mindfulness, and people will be guided through some mindful practices as well as hearing about the scientific research behind its effectiveness. While the sessions are free, places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To book your place at Shrewsbury Library you can email shrewsbury.library@shropshire.gov.uk or call 01743 255308.

Sessions will be held in the Hobbs Room at Shrewsbury Library on the following dates:

• Tuesday 12 May 2015 at 1pm
• Friday 15 May 2015 at 1pm and 2.30pm.

A session also linked to mindfulness is organised at Oswestry Library on Saturday 16 May 2015, between 2pm and 3pm. It will help you find out more about the benefits of colouring for adults and try it out for yourself. People interested need to pre-book their free place with library staff on 01691 677 388 or email oswestry.library@shropshire.gov.uk.

Help2Change’s mental health and well-being lead Paola Alessandri-Gray, who has organised the offer of events during the week, said:

“Mental ill health in the UK affects more people than cancer or cardiovascular disease. It is important that people who have already developed mental health problems can access appropriate services, however it is also vital to recognise that there are things we can do to promote our wellbeing and increase our resilience and mindfulness is a very simple, accessible and effective way to do this.”

A timetable of events throughout the week is outlined below.

Further information

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is an integrative, mind-body based training that helps people to change the way they think and feel about their experiences – especially stressful experiences – and is recommended as a treatment for people with mental health problems. Mindfulness exercises are ways of paying attention to the present moment, using techniques like meditation, breathing, and yoga. Training helps people to become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and body sensations so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, they’re better able to manage them. Practising mindfulness can give more insight into emotions, boost attention and concentration, and improve relationships.

Mindfulness can be practiced by children, young people and adults. There are different ways to practice mindfulness. Group courses run to practise mindfulness in person and there are online courses too where you can learn through self-directed practice at home. You don’t need to be religious or spiritual to practise mindfulness – it can help people with or without religious beliefs.

Mindfulness and mental health

Mindfulness is recommended as a treatment for people with mental health problems as well as those who want to improve their mental health and well-being. There are also different sorts of mindfulness meditation which can help people in different ways. Evidence shows compelling support for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which helps people to cope with stress, and for Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which is designed to help people with recurring depression. They provide a flexible set of skills to manage mental health and support well-being.

The evidence for mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to affect how the brain works and even its structure. People undertaking mindfulness training have shown increased activity in the area of the brain associated with positive emotion – the pre-frontal cortex – which is generally less active in people who are depressed. More than 100 studies have shown changes in brain wave activity during meditation and researchers have found that areas of the brain linked to emotional regulation are larger in people who have meditated regularly for five years. The evidence for different types of mindfulness is promising and research has grown in recent years.

Learn mindfulness

There are a number of ways you can learn mindfulness. Where you live, whether you suffer from recurrent depression, stress and anxiety, or if you just want to improve your general wellbeing will impact how you choose the best course for you.

There are a growing number of academic institutions, organisations, and individuals teaching mindfulness across the UK. Check out our teacher’s directory at www.bemindful.uk to find a teacher in your area. Alternatively the Mental Health Foundation’s Be Mindful Online Course is a 4-week online course is designed to guide you through all the elements of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (CBMT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It has been proven to reduce anxiety by 58%, depression by 57%, and stress by 40%. In as little as 4 weeks you can expect to be enjoying benefits including reduced stress, depression and anxiety.

The Mental Health Foundation

The Mental Health Foundation is the charity for everybody’s mental health. We are committed to reducing the suffering caused by mental ill health and to help everyone lead mentally healthier lives. We help people to survive, recover from and prevent mental health problems. We do this by carrying out research, developing practical solutions for better mental health services, campaigning to reduce stigma & discrimination and promoting better mental health for us all. You can find out more about our current and upcoming work at www.mentalhealth.org.uk.