Healthy minds: Struggling

Time to get help

If you are struggling then it is time to get help. Here you will find out about mental health problems, stigma around mental health, depression, anxiety and the early warning signs of psychosis.

When is it time to get help?

It is time to get help if you are showing symptoms such as:

long lasting sadness or irritability
avoiding social situations
increasing use of alcohol or drugs to cope with feelings
feelings or hopelessness or being trapped
detachment from reality, paranoia or hallucinations
reckless or risky behaviour
increasing feelings of anger, hostility or violence

What are mental health problems?

Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions. Most people who experience mental health problems can get over them or learn to live with them, especially if they get help early on (Mental Health Foundation).

Mental Health Foundation

Signs and symptoms of mental health problems

Learning a few things about mental health problems might help you to feel more confident about talking and listening. To find out about common mental health problems go to Rethink.

Stigma: Do you find it hard to talk about mental health

Rethink are a charity who aim to end mental health discrimination.

Mental Health Foundation

Don’t call me crazy, call me mad.

What is depression?

Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, and affects your everyday life.

In its mildest form, depression can mean just being in low spirits. It doesn’t stop you leading your normal life but makes everything harder to do and seem less worthwhile. At its most severe, depression can be life-threatening because it can make you feel suicidal.

Daniel and depression

Depression: Understood

BBC – Depression understood

What is anxiety?

Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life and some of these times it can be perfectly normal to feel anxious, like when you are about to sit an exam or have a job interview.

Anxiety is our bodies way of keeping us safe and protect us from danger; fight (your way out of something), flight (run a way) or freeze (hide or stay still). Anxiety makes us more alert and our body sends blood to where it’s needed most so we can act quicker. Sometimes this is useful – so we don’t get injured, however sometimes feelings of anxiety can impact on our ability to live life as fully as we want.

NHS – Anxiety, Fear and Panic
Rethink – Anxiety disorders – How to manage anxiety attacks

Ted Talk

How to stop feeling anxious about anxiety:

What are Eating Disorders?

An eating disorder is a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations.

Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your weight or body shape.
Anyone can get an eating disorder, but teenagers between 13 and 17 are mostly affected.
With treatment, most people can recover from an eating disorder.

Find out more information about Eating Disorders on:

The UK’s Eating Disorder Charity – Beat (beateatingdisorders.org.uk)

Rharian Fields :: NAViGO

Anorexia :: NAViGO (navigocare.co.uk)

Bulimia :: NAViGO (navigocare.co.uk)

What is FREED?

FREED is First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders. It is a service for 16 to 25-year-olds who have had an eating disorder for three years or less (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or another eating disorder).

NHS England » First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED)

First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders | FREED (freedfromed.co.uk)

FREED :: NAViGO (rharianfields.co.uk)

Signs and symptoms of psychosis

Psychosis is a detachment from reality, however there are some signs you may see which could help you get help quicker.

Early warning signs include:

emerging unusual beliefs Suspicion
mistrust Perception that the world outside
self or others have changed or are acting different
belief that thoughts are sped up or slowed down
loss of energy or motivation

The two main symptoms of psychosis are:

Delusions – where a person has strong beliefs that are not shared by others; a common delusion is someone believing there is a conspiracy to harm them.
Hallucinations – where a person hears, sees and in some cases feels, smells, or tastes things that do not exist outside their mind.

Find out more on about psychosis on:

Mental health services

Call 01472 256256, option 3 for any mental health problem in North East Lincolnshire. You can also go to the Navigo website for adult mental health services.
North East Lincolnshire Mind Safespace is a new support service for people in Grimsby who may be finding things hard. The Safe Space offers instant, emotional and practical support for vulnerable people.
For children and young people’s mental health services go to Young Minds Matter .

Page last updated: 10 Oct 2023