Equilibrium Magazine for Wellbeing Issue 58

MAGAZINE FOR WELLBEING

2015

ISSU

E 58

>> Therapeutic Colouring >> Walk and Talk Group >>Another Miracle Cure? >>Enfield in Nature>>Discrimination in the Work Place>> MIND & the Black Dog>> Art, Science & more

Issue 58

EQUILIBRIUM 2

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EQUILIBRIUM 3

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Hello and welcome to our Christmas/ New Years issue of Equilibrium! Whether you’ve just discov-

ered our magazine for the first time, or are a loyal reader, we hope you enjoy this issue’s offerings.

We’ve got some lovely new guest contributions, which we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Do keep them

coming! We would love to hear your feedback; please do tweet us @teamequilibrium. If you’d

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the teamFacilitator/ Editor: Kate Massey-Chase. Editorial team: Dev, Ian, Angela, Nigel, Richard, Mohamed and Isobel.

Summer/ Issue 38EQUILIBRIUMPhoto: AnthonyEQUILIBRIUM 4

Edinburgh College is support-

ing mental health charity SANE’s

nationwide Black Dog Campaign

(sponsored by chartered surveyors

Ryden), to help encourage positive

discussions about mental health. The

college is providing a home for the

black dog, Angus, to help reduce the

stigma around depression and other

mental illness, and support staff and

students to find help.

During his time at the college from

October until July, Angus will visit

each of the four campuses to allow

students from across Edinburgh

and the Lothians to engage with the

campaign. He has started his journey

at the college’s Granton Campus,

where he was unveiled by principal

Annette Bruton.

MIND & the Black Dog CampaignEdinburgh College gives Black Dog a home to help raise mental health awareness

Summer/ Issue 38 www.haringey.gov.uk/equilibrium EQUILIBRIUMEQUILIBRIUM 5

SANE’s Black Dog Campaign aims

to reduce the stigma surround-

ing mental illness and encourages

people to seek help early, rather

than suffering in silence. To bring the

campaign to life, statues of black

dogs like Angus have been placed

in locations across the country.

Students and staff at the college

are being encouraged to take part

in the campaign by taking selfies

with Angus to share on social media

with the hashtag #BlackDogEC and

to share their own stories of mental

illness and recovery.

Majorie Wallace, chief executive of

SANE, said: “We are delighted that

Edinburgh College has adopted

Angus, and pleased to see that

the Black Dog Campaign is gath-

ering pace in Scotland. We hope

that Angus will help the students of

Edinburgh College to develop the

confidence to talk more openly

about their mental health and seek

help more easily. We look forward

to working them in developing

their campaign over the coming

months.”

Susan Inglis, Edinburgh College

equalities, policy and research

manager, said: “We are excited

to be hosting SANE’s Black Dog

campaign. We understand that

balancing college life with other

external pressures can be difficult

for our students and staff, and that

some may think that they have to

suffer in silence. I hope that Angus

will provide the talking point our staff

and students need to engage with

each other about mental health,

and lead to positive outcomes.”

Fraser Shand

Summer/ Issue 38EQUILIBRIUMEQUILIBRIUM 6

CAN A CHILDHOOD ART ACTIVITY

Mischa Fellez Johnston

BE THE NEXT REVOLUTION IN ADULTHERAPY?


Being raised in an abusive environment,

and suffering from PTSD, and ADHD has

transformed me from victim, to seeker,

to thriver. My Father was an alcoholic,

and my Mother was bi-polar. Crushed

under the weight of their afflictions, one

of my brothers is homeless and addicted

to drugs, and the other is dying of stage

four cancer at the age of 40 (unresolved

helplessness takes all forms). I somehow

made it out intact, and met my beautiful

husband who loves me because of my

past, not despite it even though I still must

face my PTSD, and ADHD on a regular

basis. When I say, ‘my PTSD, and ADHD’,

I mean that I have embraced it. I finally

own it. At one time, it owned me.

As a child, art became my only refuge

from the torrent of emotional, and physi-

cal abuse in my home, and I still use it to

cope everyday. It was, is, and always will

be the center where the stability of my

psyche hovers. I tirelessly pursued art for

two decades, consuming every style, and

medium I could grasp. Seeking mastery

of my calling in life became a catalyst for

my healing. I then realized that sharing

the respite of art with the mental health

community would be the final step to

wholeness. I would leave a legacy of

comfort in my wake, not chaos like those I

was raised by. It was an epiphany! Turning

our past pain into something beneficial

for others, so that it is no longer useless, is

how we can become a powerful force for

change in this world.

I began the creation of a therapeutic

adult coloring book for PTSD, and ADHD

patients. The book, ‘Meditative Imagin-

ings: A Curative Coloring Experience’,

embodies a completely original perspec-

tive on classic coloring styles, and has

been hand drawn, re-sketched numerous

times, and lovingly inked over so that the

designs radiate a comforting, personal

touch with a level of effort and originality

that can be found no where else.

cont.


A revolutionary form of art therapy,

utilizing a cherished childhood

activity, adult coloring books have

become an amazing tool for PTSD

patients, sufferers of ADHD, in group

therapy, and even for people need-

ing to work on their fine motor coordi-

nation. I want everyone in the mental

health community to become part

of this contribution. By empowering

other trauma survivors to persevere in

their lives through creativity, we are

inspired to embrace our own healing

as well.

Depending on the mood, a variety of

artistic implements can be perfectly

paired with adult coloring books.

Colored pencils provide the color-

ist with more shading, and intricate

detail within their finished pieces.

On the other hand, crayons grant

an improvisational, and childlike

freedom for the colorist to explore. If

you’re feeling brave, coloured pens

bring a bold, and striking experience

to the art table. Of course, you can

always combine all these mediums

or even add your own imaginatively

drawn details to each illustration.

Colouring reassures a nostalgic feel-

ing of accomplishment, making us

proud to explore our talents, and

inspiring us to rediscover our joy

again! By embracing the peaceful

process of colouring, we all begin to

reconnect with the child inside, and


merge with the present moment where

there is no longer room in our swirling

minds for the manic oppression of fear

from our past, and future. Like dancing,

colouring has no rules and only exists

to be enjoyed. It’s a place where we

are fully free to escape to a world of

creative meditation and breathe in the

beautiful simplicity of self-care.

I believe in community and that with

the aid of allies and advocates like

you anything is possible. By continu-

ally choosing to inspire tranquility in

our human society with our time on this

earth, we break the ancient bonds that

our fears have tried to shackle us with.

A new day can now begin with us.

If you’d like to share in this heal-

ing venture with me, you are most

welcome to check out the campaign

link below, to donate to the cause,

or share the campaign wherever you

think it would be a contribution in the

world. Thank you to all my fellow seek-

ers, and survivors for your

continued strength, and commitment

to the mental health community. We

shall overcome, and rediscover our joy

together!

Wordpress Art Blog link: http://

mischafellez.wordpress.com

EQUILIBRIUM 10

PHOTOGRAPHY: SARA MCCALLUM

EQUILIBRIUM 11

The group meets every Wednesday at

2pm. The session lasts 1.5 hours over vary-

ing places, with half an hour for refresh-

ments. The Walk and Talk Group is led by

a walk leader who has a passion for walk-

ing and a keen interest in her local parks

and rivers. Canning Crescent offers these

sessions to all adults who are 18-65 with

mental health issues, such as schizophre-

nia, bi-polar affective disorder, psychotic

depression and other psychiatric disor-

ders.

Exercise is good for the body and mind. It

is a great approach for therapy. Walking

and talking is a more relaxed environ-

ment than the office. Walking and talking

sessions are conducted outdoors while

walking together.

We walk in different parks across north

London, such as Trent park, Alexandra park,

Finsbury park… We also walk along rivers.

Last summer we played tennis in Bounds

Green and in winter we visited art galleries

in the West End. Some walks also use tube

or bus journeys to reach suitable walk

routes. We walk while sharing our struggle

and life situations. We walk and talk about

other opportunities in terms of courses,

other walk and talk groups in Haringey

and voluntary work. The walk and talk

group motivates all patients to go out and

enjoy the meeting.

For me, the Walk and Talk Group

produces massive benefits to my physical

fitness and mental wellbeing.

Contact details:

West Haringey Community Support and

Recovery Team

Canning Crescent Health Centre, 276-292

High Road, Wood Green,

London, N22 8JT

Tel: 020 8702 3200

Mohamed

Walk and Talk Group Canning Crescent Centre – Haringey

Summer/ Issue 38EQUILIBRIUM

Enfield in NaturePhotos: Taran Parke-Antonis

Summer/ Issue 38 www.haringey.gov.uk/equilibrium EQUILIBRIUM


Mental Health & Discrimination in the Work Place

I believe people with mental health

issues are not getting the right support

for employment and are still discrimi-

nated against in the work place. We

have always been here, even before

biblical times, so why do we still face so

much stigma?

Progressing from volunteering

The charity shop is an established part

of the high street (e.g Mind, Cancer

Research, Oxfam, British Heart Founda-

tion and The North London Hospice).

I see a lot of people from the mental

health system working in charity shops

on a voluntary basis but they do not

progress into paid work in the shops on

the high street, not even on a temporary

basis at Christmas.


ANGELA

Support from the council

In the housing department in the local

council, there is a panel to represent

people with mental health issues for coun-

cil flats. People with mental health issues

don’t just automatically get a council flat;

they have to be assessed first over a period

of time to show that they can live indepen-

dently. They look at things like: can you

take your medication regularly, can you

cook, maintain personal hygiene, keep the

flat clean and deal with repairs?

I think there should be a panel to represent

people with mental health issues in the

employment department of the council.

I suggest that they do work that does not

involve a lot of training, e.g messenger,

receptionist or cleaner. I also think there

should be flexibility – if it does not work out

they should not be penalised for trying.

Otherwise it can not only be a huge knock

to their self esteem, but also mean they

lose their benefits and face poverty. I have

applied for jobs where they said I was too slow.

Success Stories

Sometimes I hear about success stories,

where some people get a full-time job and

are completely out of the mental health

system. However nobody finds out how

they did it. When I left college, I got a job

with the Civil Service.

The careers officer from my college

phoned me at my home to find out how I

got the job, so that she can advise other

students what to do. This was in the 1980s.

I gained my work experience by temp-

ing. At the interview I was assessed about

current affairs and I had to talk about

the work I was doing in an international

merchant bank, as a filing clerk. The prob-

lem is, the ones who move on from the

mental heath system do not come back to

the centres, so you do not get to find out

how they did it. You do not get to find out if

they had to tell the employer that they had

mental health issues, and ask questions

cont.


like: How did they deal with gaps in their CV?

When they were not well, what do they do

if medication has to be changed? How do

they get to their appointments?

Part time work

I did get some reception work at the Claren-

don Day Centre. I got £10 for 3 and a half

hours a week, and this got me a reference.

The ‘permitted work lower limit’ allows

people with disabilities to earn £20 a week

for an unlimited period. The ‘permitted work

higher limit’ allows you to earn up to £104

a week (after tax and national insurance).

In the 2015 Budget by the Department of

Work and Pensions, MP Ian Duncan Smith

said people on Employment and Support

Allowance (ESA) who are deemed fit for

work related activities will have their benefits

stripped back. They could find their £102.15

a week payments have dropped even if they

have serious medical conditions.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said low paid

workers will ‘unequivocally’ be worse off than

better earners after George Osborne took

a ‘sledgehammer’ to the welfare bill (The

Mirror, 09/07/15).

Rejection by Olympics

The Paralympics started in 1948 by British

World War II veterans. I see this as very posi-

tive for representations of disability. However,

in the 2012 Olympics in London there was

a disappointing story about Miss Wilkinson

Burnett, a paralympian canoeist who was

axed because her condition was in the mind.

One of Britain’s best hopes for a medal in

next year’s Paralympics has also been told

that she can no longer compete because

her disability is psychological rather than

physical (Daily Mail, 08/09/15). I feel that

Miss Wilkinson Burnett who has ‘conversion

disorder’, has been discriminated against for

having mental health issues. I see this as a

significant rejection.

Well done, Reed Agency!

I think the Work Programme by Reed is very

good. This organisation finds vacancies for

people looking for work. They teach good

interview techniques, tell you how to dress,

show you how to do a professional CV and

prepare you for the interview. They also do

training on a variety of vocational subjects,

such as ‘Food and Hygiene’ for catering.


Self Employment

At 25 Carlos D’Souza was diagnosed with

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD). ADHD is a group of behavioural

symptoms that include inattentiveness,

hyperactivity and impulsiveness. ADHD

can occur in people of any intellectual

ability, although it is more common in

people with learning difficulties. People

with ADHD may also have additional prob-

lems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders’.

Medication is often the first treatment

offered to adults with ADHD, although

psychological therapies such as cognitive

behavioural therapy (CBT) may also help’

(NHS Choices).

Carlos D’Souza had difficulty at school

at school because teachers thought his

disruptive behaviour was because of lazi-

ness. He is now 32 and graduated in Sports

Medication and Injury prevention. Today

he manages the condition using therapy

and by following a strict diet. He now has

his own personal training company called

‘The Carlos Method’. D’Souza is trying

to help shift the stigma of mental issues

through work by telling his story to help

others to be open about their condition

(Tottenham Independent 28/8/15)

Conclusion

Anita Hudson, the chief executive of Mind

in Haringey has made a comment on this

subject: “I would like to see more help

for people with mental health problems

in not just getting employment but to stay

in employment.” Mayor of London, Boris

Johnson, said: “There is a lack of under-

standing and support from employers in

London for those who suffer mental health

problems” (The Tottenham Independent,

09/10/15).

I think that people with mental health

issues should be given the opportunity to

do a work placement where necessary.

My problem was that employers kept

complaining that I was too slow. I think the

employment advisors at Job Centre Plus

should be better at getting people with

mental health issues into work, and organi-

sations to help people with mental health

issues back into work should be supervised

to make sure they deliver on their promises.


Another miracle cure? Cancer Bush (Sutherlandia Frutescens)

I recently had a discussion about the

benefits of St John’s Wort, and in that

conversation was mentioned a plant

with medicinal properties which I’d

never come across. The plant had

the slightly dubious title of ‘Cancer-

Bush’. Its original Southern Africa

name is ‘Kankerbos’, and to be totally

thorough, it’s latin name is Sutherlan-

dia Frutescens.

A little research reveals it has been

used for centuries to treat cancer and

a variety of other ailments by Southern

Africans. It contains a powerful immune

boosting property which has been clas-

sified as an adaptogen (an adaptogen


Nigel Prestayn

is a herbal substance or “tonic” that

helps the body to adapt to environmen-

tal and internal stress by changing body

metabolism.)

So what it is? Cancer bush is a flowering

shrub of the pea family which grows up

to 1.2m high and is found in its natural

state only in the drier areas of the West-

ern and Northern Cape provinces of

Southern Africa.

I interviewed a colleague, Richard, who

has been taking this product regularly for

over a year:

Q. Richard, where did you here about

cancerbush?

A. The first time I heard about cancer

bush I was on my way to Woodgreen

looking for homeopathic remedies for

depression and anxiety. I’d been recom-

mended a shop there and when I arrived

the first thing I saw was a poster on the

wall about ‘Cancer Bush’, with a list of its

many benefits, which instantly impressed

me.

Q. How long have you been taking

Cancer Bush and why did you start taking

it?

A. I’ve been taking cancer bush for over

a year now. I began taking it because I

was looking for something homeopathic,

with no known side effects, and in partic-

ular I was looking for something which

would reduce my stress levels.

cont.


Q. What benefits have you found since

you began taking cancer bush?

A. My nightmares have completely

slowed down. Prior to taking it I would

have dozens of nightmares. Then I found

the more I took the Cancer Bush, the less

I had these nightmares. I took beyond

the recommended dosage and found I

would have just the single odd dream in

the night. And in the daytime everything

seemed a lot easier. I found I was actu-

ally looking forward to living life.

The list of benefits from this plant is

extensive. It is claimed to help cancer,

anxiety,arthritis, asthma, backache,

chronic fatigue syndrome and Depres-

sion, to mention a few! Of course when

we’re met with such claims, we naturally

feel a degree of scepticism. Each day

there seems to be a new product on the

market which proclaims a miracle cure

for this or that ailment.

Cancer bush is known among the Sotho

culture as ‘motlepelo’, meaning ‘bring-

ing back the heart’ - a traditional treat-

ment used by the Sotho for emotional

shock and stress. Apparently an ‘infusion

of cancer bush was given to Zulu warriors

returning from battle “to take the war out”

- as a calming tea’ (www.cancerbush.

com).

It is also believed that this medicinal plant

may hold the key to the treatment of

millions of poor people living with HIV and

Aids, helping to relieve the symptoms.

For the first time in South Africa’s medi-

cal history, the plant is to undergo clinical

trials to assess its immune-boosting prop-

erties. Anecdotal evidence is already

mounting, suggesting that this plant can

improve the quality of life for thousands of

people both with HIV and full-blown Aids.

Summer/ Issue 38 EQUILIBRIUM21

PHOTOGRAPHY: SARA MCCALLUM


As the New Year approaches the annual

assault of advice for slimming and trim-

ming begins again, inaugurating the season

of faddy dieting and gruelling exercise

regimes. Women today are bombarded

by a cascade of literature and images

prescribing the physiognomy of the ‘ideal’

female. Slender models leering down from

billboards, magazines bursting with chis-

elled cheekbones, stick thin mannequins

posing in shop windows; it is impossible to

escape the onslaught of this prescription of

beauty. While the fashion industry is often

held responsible for body image obsessions

and its devastating effects, it is a complex

issue that needs to be examined in its social

and historical context.

Although I will focus on issues of female

body image, this is not to diminish similar

pressures on men. From protein powders to

gym memberships, there is an entire indus-

try devoted to preying on male anatomical

insecurities. We have created a culture and

economy in which we identify one another’s

imperfections and prescribe endless reme-

Body image,mental health and the fashion industry


dies for our apparent ’defects’.

One of the most interesting features of our

image obsessed culture is the way it mate-

rialises not from birth but later in life. We

encourage our offspring to treasure their

distinctiveness, yet later in life this philoso-

phy evaporates. The child who was once

inspired to cherish her lumps and bumps

is now offered diets, exercise regimes and

even drastic surgeries to help shed the

‘flab’. At the dawn of adolescence, girls are

suddenly confronted by a world command-

ing flawless perfection. Instead of idolising

figures like Angela Merkel and Michele

Obama, celebrities like Cara Delavigne and

Angelina Jolie become heroes of worship.

This is not say these two women do not

deserve acclaim, but for their professional

achievements rather than their sculpted hips

and breasts. If we are going to teach our

children to accept all shapes and sizes this

philosophy must be continued later in life.

The fashion industry has a lot to answer for.

Skeletal models parade across catwalks and

Body image,mental health and the fashion industry

Isobel Duxfield

cont.


tiny girls are draped across glossy maga-

zine pages. This industry has propelled a

perverted perception of the female form

in which protruding bones are considered

‘chic’, gaunt faces ‘elegant’ and bowed

legs ‘graceful’. Indeed fashion guru, Karl

Lagerfeld’s declaration that ‘nobody

wants to see a curvy figure on the

runway’ exposes the vehemence of this

culture. It appears that today the route to

happiness is through a size 4 dress. The

devastating effect on women, particularly

young females, is profound. Unable to

achieve a size zero frame we are left feel-

ing unattractive, even ugly, relentlessly

comparing thighs and buttocks with these

airbrushed seraphs.

However the fashion industry’s size zero

culture is not directly and exclusively

culpable for insecurities with our physical

appearance. The relationship between

this multibillion pound sector and female

body image multifaceted. Indeed argu-

ably this size zero ethos merely satisfies

existing social attitudes. This is a position

supported by editor of British Vogue, Alex-

andra Shulman, who recently claimed

that catwalk culture cannot be consid-

ered the tipping point from dissatisfaction

with body image into something more

harmful. To an extent Shulman is right.

Demand for excessively thin models is

not the sole source of negative percep-

tions of oneself, leading to damaging

emotional and psychological problems

(such as self-harm or eating disorders).

Mental illness is a lethal concoction of

deeper unhappiness and insecurity. While

the fashion industry’s promotion of a slim

frame is clearly an aggressive force body

for dysphoria, it must be recognised as

a cog in a wheel, not the source of the

problem.

Nonetheless the fashion industry is still in

need of reform. Following recent pressure

from lobby groups steps are now being

EQUILIBRIUM 24


taken to reduce the use of malnour-

ished models. In September it was

announced an all-party parliamen-

tary group, led by Conservative politi-

cian Caroline Noakes, will investigate

the option of laws prohibiting under-

weight models on UK catwalks.

This echoes similar movement across

the channel where French authorities

have barred the employment of ultra

thin models, with fines of up to £55,000

for agencies found contravening the

new conventions. We are already

witnessing changes. In June Yves

Saint Laurent’s advertisement featur-

ing underweight models was banned

by the Advertising Standards Authority.

This is part of wide ranging regulatory

reform in France aimed at tackling

the worrying glorification of unhealth-

ily slim physiques. If the world’s fash-

ion capital is reforming their prac-

tices, surely it is time we followed

suit. However, while the prohibition of

underweight models and other reforms

may signal progress they merely

scratch the surface of our deep rooted

obsession with body image.

The media also shoulders a significant

proportion of the blame for propel-

ling idealisation and objectification

of the female form. Popular maga-

zines exuberantly make a spectacle

of celebrity physiques, pointing out

excess flesh and lambasting style

faux pas. We revel in this cruel sport;

mocking Madonna’s love handles,

sneering at Angelina Jolie’s stretch

marks and derisively noting Beyonce’s

double chin. Disturbingly, even Serena

Williams, arguably the greatest female

athlete on the planet, whose muscles

have helped her secure count-

less championship titles, is regularly

denounced for her larger figure.

EQUILIBRIUM 25

cont.


The media has even instilled body image

as a prevailing feature in today’s poli-

tics. We have come to define the profes-

sional capability of female politicians

by their physical appearance. Although

the accessibility of politics for women

has improved dramatically over the last

century, media representation of female

politicians is perpetuating an archaic

attitude to women’s professionalism,

where they are deemed inferior to their

male counterparts. When David Cameron

speaks at prime minister’s questions, the

colour of his tie is not deemed newswor-

thy; yet Tessa Jowell and Harriet Harman’s

outfit disasters dominate media coverage

of their appearance in the Commons.

Body image is an increasingly perturbing

issue. This objectification of our anatomy

has become ingrained in our society with

women encouraged to pursue physical

perfection. It permeates all levels of 21st

century society with devastating effects

for sexual equality and even mental

health. Women are instructed consciously

and subconsciously in the importance

of their appearance. So maybe this New

Year requires a focus on a more holistic

wellbeing, not merely chasing physiques

like our airbrushed idols. While there is no

problem in trying to get outside more, or

cut back on sugar this January, we must

remind ourselves we are not defined by

our externalities.


PHOTOGRAPHY: TARAN PARKE-ANTONIS

Neil WaltonBook Release:

“Recovery began when I could laugh at my disorder”

A Section for Laughing has been released into the wild.

This kindle book celebrates the author’s recovery and Neil Walton encourages you to pick up the pen. “I was fortunate to have held onto my ‘humour marbles’ - now it’s time to play with them.”

Check www.bipolar-expedition.co.uk for more info


Do you have a mental picture of how

your life ‘should’ be? Do you ever find

yourself judging your experience as

‘not right’ and comparing it to how

you feel you ‘should’ be feeling or

what ‘should’ be happening?

Thoughts like…

“Things should be different”, “I should

be doing this”, “I shouldn’t be feeling

this way”, “It’s nearly Christmas, why

don’t I feel excited?”, “I’m on holiday,

I should be happy”.

Christmas, comparisons, the media and mental healthThoughts on having a more realistic Christmas this year


Internal comparisons

I have a tendency to make

comparisons and judgements about

how I feel my experience ‘should’

be. This doesn’t usually happen

consciously. Instead it takes place

in the flow of automatic thoughts

that runs like a tape through my

mind when I’m not really paying

attention.

Anyone who has experienced it

will know that these comparisons

are not very pleasant experiences.

It’s made worse by the fact that

thoughts like this can (often without

us really noticing) lead to further

negative thoughts and judgements

about ourselves, the world and the

future. This can lead to a downwards

spiral into a low mood – one that

you can’t work out where it came

from or how to get rid of it.

“I feel low this morning” leads to…

“This is a really rubbish thing to be

feeling” and on to…

“I shouldn’t be feeling low, everyone

else is happy” …

“What’s wrong with me that makes

me feel this way?” …

“Why can’t I ever just be happy?”….

“Nothing is ever going to change”.

What if you were able to catch your-

self and stop making those initial

automatic comparisons?

Instead of this downwards spiral

making your negative mood more

deeply entrenched, what if you

could be more accepting towards

your initial low mood?

Instead of making things much

worse by judging, comparing

and trying to intellectualise your

emotions what if you could just try

Clare Rose Foster


taking a positive action to help your-

self feel better - or just wait for the

experience to pass?

Learning to recognise and catch your-

self when you start to feel this way

can help you to prevent things getting

worse. You can do this by accept-

ing the initial feeling and giving it an

opportunity to pass without trying to

‘solve’ it through thinking. Have a look

at my Mindfulness Based Cognitive

Therapy (MBCT) series for more detail,

particularly blog 2.

External comparisons

This automatic comparison is some-

thing that I do all by myself without

any external pressure – people who

have or have had depression have a

tendency for it. It’s also something it is

really easy to do without thinking and

without recognising you’re doing it.

Before you know it you’re feeling low

and you don’t even know exactly how

you got there.

But there’s more fuel for making

comparisons these days than there

has ever been before. Now we also

have the projected experience of

others to contend with. Social media,

particularly Facebook, gives people

an opportunity to project the version

of their life that most closely fits their

‘ideal’ to their friends, family and

acquaintances.

We don’t just have that internal

image of how our lives ‘should’ be

that we constantly and automatically

compare to our actual experiences.

Now we’ve got an external (although

probably equally unrealistic) image

of how everyone else’s lives are. And

from this point, the negative spiral of

judgement to internal recrimination to

anger, frustration and misery can be

the same.

Christmas and comparisons

Christmas is a time when even people

who don’t usually suffer from depres-

sion are much more at risk of the

negative spiral that can be triggered

by making comparisons.

Just look at the way the media, the


shops and the advertising compa-

nies celebrate. For well over a month,

we are bombarded with images and

ideas about what the perfect Christ-

mas should be. As far at the media is

concerned no one is lonely, no families

fight and everyone is cosily wrapped

up in warm woollen knits. The trickiest

thing that might happen is a teenager

won’t wear his Christmas hat or a mother

gets slightly flustered over the turkey.

Never mind though, everything is almost

instantly resolved with a hug and a

rueful look.

Day in day out over the Christmas

period we are almost forced to make

that comparison between our actual

lives and feelings and what we’re being

told they ‘should’ be.

Look, my experience matches!

Many of us respond by trying to recre-

ate this ideal and sharing our crea-

tions on social media. This picture of

me in a woolly scarf drinking a mulled

wine matches how things ‘should be’ at

Christmas. I feel better about my experi-

ence now. Look, it matches!

This in turn just feeds the external pres-

sure that others are feeling. As a soci-

ety, we’ve created a monster. A story of

Christmas grown through our television

screens, shop windows and advertising

and kept fed through our own attempts

to recreate it on social media.

But it’s a lie. Experiences in those

few weeks are as varied as there

are people. No one experiences the

‘media’ Christmas. Things always fall

short of that because that version of the

world doesn’t exist. We are being forced

to measure our experiences against

something fake. And when they fall short

we make ourselves feel worse by allow-

ing that negative spiral of thoughts and

judgements to get in.

This year, don’t let comparisons make

you feel worse

This year, have a real Christmas. It might

not be great, it might be mainly a lot

of fun, it might be totally rubbish – but

however it goes don’t make it worse by

letting yourself get sucked in to comparisons.


Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy

taught me techniques to deal with

some of these automatic comparisons

and judgements.

So what can you do?

Recognise it’s happening

One of the most important things seems

to be catching yourself making these

automatic comparisons in the first

place. Writing them down can help

you to view them as intrusive thoughts

rather than reality. This can help you

next time they start to take hold in your

mind.

Recognise that it’s a fantasy world

being created and identify everything

that is feeding into it.

If you find yourself scanning Facebook

and feeling jealous or inadequate then

you’re making comparisons and are at

risk of that negative spiral. Remember

that those people are representing their

lives in the same way that the media

tells us the story of how we should be

experiencing the season.

Adverts in particular are very insidi-

ous and a sense of how things ‘should’

be at Christmas can sneak its way

into your brain however hard you are

trying. Next time you see a Christmas

advert, imagine them all made of Lego

or painted in watercolours. This way it’s

easier to recognise that they’re telling a

lovely story. That’s all it is - a story.

Taking action

Recognising that you have started

making comparisons and if you don’t

stop they are going to make you feel

low is a big step in itself.

If you notice them taking hold, chal-

lenge them. Create yourself a mantra –

“I’m not going to let myself get sucked

into this comparison game again, I’m

comparing my experience to some-

thing that doesn’t exist”. Instead, be

gentle with yourself. Make yourself a

list of things that give you pleasure,


however small, and do one of those if

you find yourself feeling low. Distract-

ing your mind can prevent it from

spiralling down. Take a ‘breathing

space’ to stop that thinking and refo-

cus your awareness on the here and

now.

Be real. Talk to your friends and family

about what’s actually going on. Enjoy

the good but don’t feel you need to

pretend things are perfect.

Prevention

This isn’t always easy, but there are

things that can help you to keep a

clearer head. For me, alcohol makes

a massive difference. If I drink more

than a glass of wine on a night, I really

notice its impact on my mood and

ability to manage it a couple of days

later. If I drink more than one night in

a row it’s even more apparent. Every-

one has to manage their own relation-

ship with alcohol, hormones, food and

sleep – but at least recognising their

influence can help you regain control

of that mind spiral.

The Mindfulness series I linked to

earlier can give you some tools to

help become more aware of both

how your mind is acting and what

actions you can take. Take a look at

weeks 7 & 8 in particular.

Have a real Christmas and an authen-

tic New Year!

Enjoy all the good moments this

Christmas. When you find things

difficult move away from making

comparisons and be gentle with your-

self. Try not to make it worse by letting

yourself get sucked into comparing it

with a fantasy.

Good luck - and don’t beat yourself

up if you do find yourself making those

comparisons more than you want to -

we all do it and it is not an easy thing

to stop!


What if there was no NHS... ... to support our mental health?

In the UK, we have the NHS to turn to

when we need it. It is a free service for

resident in the UK, paid for by taxes. So

in other words you would not have to

pay anything for the services when you

need to use them. If you are working

you have to pay for your prescriptions,

otherwise you do not need to. I often

wonder what would happen if you had

mental health problems but no NHS? It

wasn’t until I visited India that I realised

how fortunate we really are to have this

service, especially when it comes to

mental health conditions. We are very

lucky to have to have the NHS.

Maybe I should explain: when you have

a mental health condition you often

need ongoing support (i.e. counselling,

seeing the psychologist or psychia-

trist, going into hospital). This is usually

not a quick fix thing. According to the

Guardian, it costs £70 billion a year to

maintain the country’s mental health

services. An OECD (the Organisation for

Economic Co-operation and Develop-

ment) study shows 40% of the 370,000

new claims for disability benefit each

year are caused by mental health

issues.

What would happen if we had no

NHS? Basically we would have to pay

for everything at the point when we

needed it. The economic and social

cost of mental health problems in

EQUILIBRIUM 34


Dev

England was £105 billion in 2009-10, taking

into account costs for health and social

care, loss of output and human costs.

If, for some reason, the NHS never had

happened then everyone would have to

pay for the entire service. A person with

a mental health condition would have to

try and work no matter what the sever-

ity of his or her condition, or might end

up homeless. These services cost a lot of

money. If a person who has no control over

their mental health condition would have

to be supported by their family, and this

could mean a great deal of the household

income would go into looking after that

family member, even before living and

travel expenses and other requirements.

In developing countries and countries with

very expensive medical costs, people

and their families can be in grave difficulty

trying to pay for mental health services.

Sometimes they are even abandoned

at hospitals, or they experience severe

malnutrition or physical abuse. This unfor-

tunately quite common in parts of India,

where my family are from. If that does

not happen they are often left to fend for

themselves on the street, where people

ridicule them in any manner possible.

There was once case I know of in India

where a family of eight were living in a

small, unfit place, and had to look after a

mentally unwell family member. This led to

two of the older children giving up educa-

tion in order to look after the family and

the remaining siblings. You can imagine

the living conditions of the family would

be below standard living conditions, possi-

bly leading to them begging for money.

The key reason for this is that there is NO

support system for mentally ill people. This

sounds very severe and shocking to be

the case in the 21st century, but it does

happen. It’s something that I have seen

on my trips to India. Luckily this would not

happen here. But if the NHS was not here

this is what we could expect (although

probably not as severe, as there is not such

extreme poverty in this country). If you look

at life before July 5, 1948 and especially

during and before the Edwardian periods

you will see what life was like before the

NHS. If you look further back, during the

Industrial Revolutions, you will see some

evidence of situations that resemble what I

have written about in this article.

EQUILIBRIUM 35


Poetry Corner

I live here so I don’t have to live here

I want to live in a place Where sections are pieces And unit means number. Doors unlock, windows open, taps run and Showers flow. Lunch time is fun time and I can pour my own tea. Where shaving my legs and Going to the toilet Is seen as person hygiene. Not viewed with suspicion. Walking is a way to get from A to B Rather than 90 to 80. CPA, TTA and OT are just letters and Ensure means to make sure. Fish is served in a fillet, Not perfectly round measures, And dropping a chip in the floor is an accident, Not a triumph. No ringing bell wakes me up And no torch shines in my eyes. Where I’m not a patient, But a person.


Francesca Baker

When pathetic fallacy gets it wrong

The sun quivered down upon us A loosely weaved blanket of golden light. It grazed my shoulders with warmth And licked his knees.

The sweet scent of honeysuckle Mixed with fresh grass and burnt hay Bewitched me in with its charm. A giddy blend of bliss.

I saw cauliflower clouds up In the streak blues of sky And smiled as the leaves ruffled As the breeze tried to settle.

Our breath was balanced. As he breathed in I breathed out. ‘Teamwork.’ I thought.

I was happy.

He rolled onto his side And broke the rhythm. ‘It’s over’ he said.

No thunder clapped. No lightening streaked. The sun blazed on. But his heart had gone cold.

Her toe nails are painted blue like a deep night sky With little specks of glitter Like stars.

Her heels are cracked, like shattering skin A splitting mud surface in the heat Dried up.

A crooked little toe looks rubbed and knocked Just there, on the side Like a pebble.

She flexes her ankle up, skin creasing Points her toes out as if to say ‘That way!’

For her feet will carry her on Far away and to her future Far from me.


Throughout September and October,

award-winning charity Create has been

bringing together disabled and non-

disabled students in Milton Keynes to

develop inspiring new artwork to encour-

age increased use of the redways.

The health and social benefits of access

to green space has been well-publi-

cised over recent years with Natural

Health England reporting that if every-

one was given equal access to green

space, the estimated saving to the NHS

would be £2.1 billion. Access to these

green spaces is not equal, however.

The Diversity Review published by the

Department for Environment, Food and

Rural Affairs found that those with learn-

ing disabilities and young people are

much less likely to access the natural

environment despite health and social

benefits being particularly advanta-

geous to these groups.

To increase accessibility for local young

people, award-winning arts char-

ity Create is enabling students from

White Spire School and mainstream

students from Milton Keynes Acad-

emy to enhance the Milton Keynes

redway system by designing a series of

artworks. The redway system is a set of

shared paths for cyclists and pedestri-

ans spanning 270km. The project has

been designed by Create in consulta-

tion with intu Milton Keynes to enable

local young people with and without

disabilities to collaborate creatively

and, in the process, feel welcomed into

these green spaces by involving them

in the decision-making around their

improvement.

Guided by Create’s professional visual

artist Daniel Lehan, the young people

have started by building and decorat-

ing clay birds, constructing a ‘bird hotel’

and producing models of other wildlife,

which they will paint and collage. These

designs will be used as inspiration by a

professional artist, being commissioned

by intu Milton Keynes, for a new artwork

to be included in the redways. The

young people’s original artwork will be

displayed at intu Milton Keynes during

January 2016 after being included in a

two month exhibition at KPMG in Canary

Wharf London.

YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES CREATE FEATHERED FRIENDS FOR MILTON KEYNES’ REDWAY

EQUILIBRIUM 38


This project is part of Create’s crea-

tive: connection programme which

brings together young people with

and without disabilities in creative arts

workshops led by professional artists.

The programme encourages friend-

ships between young people who may

not normally have the opportunity to

socialise, tackling disability prejudice

and helping students to build confi-

dence in their communications skills.

These collaborative creative experi-

ences enable young people to see

past the stereotypes and assump-

tions that can break down community

cohesion.

Co-Founder and Chief Executive of

Create, Nicky Goulder, commented,

“It’s fantastic to see this project bring-

ing together young people from

different backgrounds and fostering

relationships between those with and

without disabilities. Not only that but

we’re seeing how the creative arts can

be used to get young people engag-

ing with their local natural environment

and experiencing the benefits. We

hope that their artwork will inspire the

artist who is creating the final piece

and strengthen the sense of commu-

nity within the Milton Keynes redway

system for everyone to enjoy.”

Shelley Peppard, general manager

at intu Milton Keynes, added: “We are

delighted to be involved in this project;

it’s lovely to see these young people

working together to create something

so positive for the local community.

This artwork will vastly improve areas of

Milton Keynes’ redways; we want these

green areas to be somewhere that we

can all be proud of and that will attract

more people to enjoy being outdoors,

and the benefits that come with that.”

EQUILIBRIUM 39

Equilibrium Magazine for Wellbeing Issue 58

Documents

Transcript of Equilibrium Magazine for Wellbeing Issue 58