Equilibrium Magazine for Wellbeing & Mental Health / Issue 60

MAGAZINE FOR WELLBEING

CELEBRATION EDITION >> Lithium-Rich Foods >> Comedy & Mental Health >> Being Assertive

>> Wellbeing News >> Art, Science & more

2016

>> What is Health?

ISSUE 60

>> VR & Paranoid Delusions

Equilibrium Patron Dr Liz Miller Mind Champion 2008

What Equilibrium means to me‌.

WEB ALERTS If you know anyone who would like to be on our mailing list and get the magazine four times a year (no spam!) please email: equilibriumteam@hotmail. co.uk (www.haringey.gov.uk/ equilibrium).

Equilibrium is devised, created, and produced entirely by team members with experience of the mental health system.

Photo copyright remains with all individual artists and Equilibrium. All rights reserved. 2011

Graphic Design: Anthony J. Parke

I enjoyed writing a short article for the mental health magazine Equilibrium based on my personal experience of having a mental illness for the last 20 years. The office environment and people were all friendly and gave support on tap, especially when you got stuck for ideas or needed technical help using the computer. The other contributors present all shared a mental health history, so gelled well together and we were made to feel very welcome.

Norman I found Equilibrium at a crucial point, where I found an open door to try a new healing form of writing and expression. Honest, happy, healthy.

One thing I have to say, I go at my own pace and learn little lessons on computers, in art and writing, communicating, and ultimately a chance to get some self-confidence and self-esteem back after being belittled and degraded and abused. I found the open light of Equilibrium at the end of a dark tunnel of life. Equilibrium gives me a purpose. Thank you.

Blessings. Richard The magazine means a lot to me for the reason is that it allows me to write about various aspects of mental health and wellbeing. This is one of the only places where you can talk about this sticky matter and issues surrounding wellbeing. Working here also allows me to meet like-minded people, who are passionate about talking about their experiences of their conditions. Seeing these issues being published spreads information on mental health, and other topics, even further.

Devzilla Equilibrium has been a fantastic form of expression for me. I have the choice to write about what I want and I can put my ideas into practice.

I have been with Equilibrium since 2007 and I never run out of ideas of things to write about. I have enjoying writing articles, and reviews about plays, books and galleries. The Equilibrium team has changed from time to time, but we still manage to produce four copies of the magazine a year.

Angela

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EDITORIAL Hello and welcome to our 60th anniversary issue of Equilibrium, twenty years after the magazine first started! We’ve come a long way since then, and although the magazine is now only online, we were delighted that this special edition could be printed. Some of our participants have been coming since the start and some only joined this summer. Everyone brings their own unique ideas and we enjoy the variety of ages, experiences and cultures within the team. We are also pleased how many contributions are sent to us by people across the country (and sometimes the world!), so please do keep them coming. Tweet us @teamequilibrium or email equilibriumteam@hotmail. co.uk. We hope you enjoy the team’s hard work, and a special thanks to Anthony for his brilliant design skills.

Kate, Editor/Team Facilitator

DISCLAIMER Equilibrium is produced by service users. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without the prior permission of the Equilibrium team. Products, articles and services advertised in this publication do not necessarily carry the endorsement of Equilibrium or any of our partners.

Equilibrium is published and circulated electronically four times a year to a database of subscribers; if you do not wish to receive Equilibrium or have received it by mistake, please email unsubscribe to equilibriumteam@hotmail.co.uk

THE TEAM Facilitator/ Editor: Kate Massey-Chase.

Editorial team: Dev, Ian, Angela, Nigel, Richard, Emily, Manto, Richard.

CONTACT US Equilibrium, Clarendon Recovery College, Clarendon Road, London, N8 ODJ. 02084894860, equilibriumteam@hotmail.co.uk. We are in the office on Friday afternoons 2.30-4.30, but you can leave a message at other times and we’ll get back to you.

CONTRIBUTIONS Wanted: contributions to Equilibrium! Please email us with your news, views, poems, photos, plus articles. Anonymity guaranteed if required.

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Miranda.com

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Wellbeing News New NICE guidelines to deliver the best care for people using NHS mental health services.

‘Traumatic brain injury and offending: An economic analysis’ – report by The Centre for Mental Health

The facts:

The report looks at the link between

-1.8 million people used NHS mental

offending and traumatic brain injury, and

health services in England last year

the consequent costs. It finds there is a

-More than 100,000 of them spent some

significant link between the two, as 60%

time in hospital

of adult offenders have experienced a

-Between 2003 and 2013, almost 1 in 5

traumatic brain injury, six times the rate of

people using mental health inpatient

the general population. The report finds

services died by suicide within three

that a traumatic brain injury increases the

months of being discharged.

likelihood of offending by at least 50%.

-People moving between services are particularly vulnerable What do the new guidelines suggest?

2016 World Happiness Report

-Staff need to build good relationships

Every year the United Nations measures

with patients as early as possible, when

the quality of life for citizens around the

they are transitioning between services

world through surveys and data analysis.

-There should be named practitioner

The UK came 23rd out of 158 countries.

from the patient’s home area, to work

Here’s the top ten:

closely with the hospital team, if they

1. Denmark

have been moved to a hospital far from

2. Switzerland

where they live

3. Iceland

-People with mental health problems

4. Norway

should be involved in decisions when

5. Finland

they are going into and out of hospital

6. Canada

-Patients should be offered tailored education sessions in the lead up to and after their discharge, which involve their family/carers and focus on helping them cope with their triggers and symptoms.

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7.

The Netherlands

8.

New Zealand

9. Australia 10.

Sweden Cont.

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Schools concerned that young people’s mental health needs are not being met

ous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.” New research published in the Lancet in July, now

An Association of School and College

suggests that one hour of activity is

Leaders’ survey found that 55% of 338

needed to offset harmful effects of

school leaders reported a large rise in

sitting at a desk for eight hours. The World

pupils with anxiety and stress, and almost

Health Organisation’s guideline, adopted

65% said they struggled to get mental

by Public Health England, recommends

health services for pupils. The survey

150 minutes of exercise a week but this

found that over the past five years:

new research, based on data from more

- 79% of heads saw an increase in

than one million people, suggests that

self harm or suicidal thoughts among

office workers who sit for long stretches

students.

need to do an hour a day.

- 40% reported a big rise in cyber-bullying - 53% of those who had referred a pupil to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) rated them poor or very poor.

- Overall, 80% of respondents wanted to see CAMHS expanded in their area.

(Judith Burns, BBC News, 5 March 2016)

Rise in mental health problems amongst teenage girls According to the Department of Education, which spoke to 30,000 pupils aged 14-15, more than one in three teen girls suffer from anxiety or depression. It’s a rise of 10 per cent in the past decade,

Sitting is killing us Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity

leading experts to call it a “slow-growing epidemic.” Out of the girls surveyed, 37 per cent had three or more symptoms of

Solutions Initiative and inventor of the

psychological distress, for example feel-

treadmill desk , famously told the Los

ing worthless or unable to concentrate,

Angelos Times in 2014: “Sitting is more

compared to 15 per cent of boys

dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacher-

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(Radhika Sanghani, 22 August 2016, The Telegraph).

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Mental Health Research Charity, MQ, announces £1 million in funding for psychological treatments research MQ have announced funding, from their PsyIMPACT programme, for five new projects to drive forward our understanding of how psychological treatments work, across a range of mental health conditions. At Sussex University they will research the link between autism and anxiety; at the University of Oxford they will be looking at tackling PTSD in emergency workers; at the University of Glasgow they are exploring if a new American technique could preventing repeated suicide attempts; at Warwick Medical School they are looking at treating psychosis using virtual reality; and at the University of Ghent they are exploring new techniques to disrupt depression and stop it coming back through attention training.

This is great news, as currently only 11.3% of UK mental health research is spent on improving psychological therapies.

Could sleep deprivation treat depression?

Scientists have discovered that, when we are deprived of sleep, the brain’s neurons become so muddled with electrical activity that new memories cannot be properly formed. It is a process that appears to be crucial for our brains to learn and remember things.

But psychiatrist Christoph Nissen, who has been researching this field at the University of Freiburg, believes therapeutic sleep deprivation could be a radical treatment for major depression, through changing the patient’s brain connectivity. He said: “If you deprive people with major depression of sleep for one night, about 60% show a substantial improvement in mood, motivation and cognitive function.

We think it works by shifting these patients into a more favourable state.” It’s not used very much because many patients relapse after the subsequent night’s sleep, but the research could still be useful in developing new treatments. (Ian Sample, 23 August 2016, The Guardian)

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What is Health?

Interview with Gemma Self FRANCESCA BAKER

O

ver the last few years there’s been a shift in society’s understanding of

what health is. Whether it’s wellness, wholesome living, fitness or vitality, people today are after more than just not being ill, but and want to live an overall healthy life.

Unfortunately, the healthcare systems in the UK doesn’t yet work that way. The NHS is an incredible institution (treating a million people every 36 hours) and we’ve all got stories of how it’s saved loved ones, and the concept of free healthcare for all is the envy of the world over. However, what this means is that we sometimes tolerate care that is lower than our expectations, poor communication and late treatment, rather than question why.

And essentially, it exists to fix problems, Miranda.com

rather than preventing them. What about healthcare that provides services based

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upon the outcomes that matter to

necessary to drive down waiting lists

people? That’s what Gemma Self is

and allow for the funding to support a

aiming to do with Reimagine Health, a

changing demographic of people. But it

healthcare consultancy start-up based

means that ‘Organisations compete on

upon the Value Based Health principles

money and processes. What is missing is

that are bubbling away in the UK and

whether we are making a difference for

gaining momentum. Having worked in

patients’ wellbeing.’

the NHS for eight years, Gemma recog-

NHS organisations are multi-million

nises that it is an amazing system, with

pound establishments that have to

huge roles and responsibilities. It is that

balance the books to treat patients. But

scale which makes it so hard for the insti-

knowing the impact these organisations

tution to change, even when the desire

are having on patients also matters.

is there. Set up in 1948 and employ-

Value Based Healthcare combines

ing 1.3 million people, the cultures and

the two. Value in this context is not just

practicalities mean that even if people

about saving money, but defined as

know that they want to move towards

an equation which brings together the

such change, the reality of making it

measurable impact upon a patient,

happen is difficult.

divided by the cost of delivery. Currently

But this is old fashioned according to

we pay for the treatment of things which

Gemma. She says: ‘Healthcare needs to

could have been avoided. For example,

be delivered in a way which resonates

rather than training, education, commu-

with today’s society and who we are

nity support or early intervention, when

now. Health is wellness, not absence of

people are experiencing less severe

illness. It is about looking at the whole

symptoms, it often ends up that treat-

person rather than a part of a body or a

ment only happens later on.

condition.’

Gemma tells me that: ‘For example,

The NHS is stretched; we all know that.

we know that an older person who has

The last ten years have seen the NHS

fallen once and been discharged is

focusing on a system that counts things:

more likely to fall again. We see it in our

bed numbers, waiting times, processes,

hospitals daily. People are discharged

staff numbers, and money. This was

back to environments which are not

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always set up to enable them to be safe.

The NHS payment structure currently funds hospitals every time someone is admitted.

We don’t have a payment structure that allows specialists to do the right thing for that person’s wellbeing. Imagine if we gave the specialists within a hospital a pot of money to help prevent falls and rewarded them for evidencing a reduction of falls in the population of older people that they serve.’

If we consider that healthcare is responsible for trying to improve the population’s wellbeing rather than solely treating ill health, then we could consider that many visits to hospital could have been prevented with the right intervention early on. A system that

Miranda.com

wants to achieve this would pay specialists to prevent people to be admitted into hospital, rather than every time they do.

This is one of the principles of Value Based Healthcare. Getting the money up-front and working on prevention through a package of care that prevents admission, potentially an extended and expensive one, means that patients are living healthier lives, organisations are reducing costs, and helping to support the population to be healthy.

What Reimagine Health is trying to do is embed this change in mind set and funding

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structure. Increasingly organisations recognise that this is the ideal, but it’s hard to get there from the current state. Changes have to happen at every level to deliver system-wide health improvements. Reimagine Health’s mission is to develop innovative approaches working to deliver a health service that an ever-changing society needs. Gemma says that ‘I went into healthcare management and leadership because I wanted to make things better. I want to have an impact upon people and do something meaningful within society.’

Summer/ Issue 38

Working with a London borough,

I really believe that this is the way of

Gemma set up a Value Based Health-

doing things.’

care pilot contract, setting a precedent

‘With skills, passion and drive you can

for how this is done in the UK. She was

achieve anything – with the right

also selected to study Value Based

network and support. Personal aware-

Healthcare with experts at Harvard Busi-

ness leads us to know what questions to

ness School. Recognising the challenge

ask and where to build those relation-

of integrating this way of working into

ships for mutual benefit. Partnership and

the giant organisation that is the NHS,

collaboration is at the heart of what I

she is approaching this with the lens of

want to do. It’s unlikely that I know the

lessons learned from her personal life.

answer - let’s try and find out together.’

Passionate about connection, yoga and living with authenticity, she will be bringing her experience of commissioning, delivery, and implementation, volunteering experience in Africa, and build the partnerships and networks that can

Miranda.com

get change happening. Honesty, transparency and vulnerability is being called out for across the system, patients and leadership. People, culture and systems can get very quickly into routines, and Gemma aims to help guide those people to the answers that might work.

‘I am not going to change the system by myself – but by spreading the learning, setting up test beds, and providing my advice and experience I will start the ball rolling for a whole system change.

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Why it Took Me Twenty Years (and Three Breakdowns)

To Finally Feel Part of the Real World SCARLETT RAVEN

I HAVE SUFFERED FROM DEEP ANXIETY ISSUES MOST OF MY LIFE. IT’S NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT PAINTING HAS KEPT ME ALIVE.

I

wanted to create a piece of art

others. I didn’t like myself for a long

that not only represented my own

time. I thought I was disgusting. It

personal battle with mental illness,

was exhausting for me and very diffi-

but which also highlighted the strug-

cult for those around me.

gle of others.

The first thing I did when I woke up

The result was a painting called One

was panic. It was a habit. My body

In Four, which I donated to MIND to

was one big habit.

commemorate their 70th anniver-

I wasn’t aware that this behavior

sary this year. The title refers to the

was the manifestation of an illness

number of people who experience

until three years ago when I was

mental health issues at some point in

diagnosed with OCD with acute

their life. That’s a huge percentage

anxiety disorder. It was a relief. I’d

of the population.

been anxious for 20 years without

I first remember feeling different

even realising it, and I’d dealt with

at primary school. I thought every-

my problems on my own badly.

thing I touched would contaminate

Creating art is both a therapy and

cont.

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Black Poppy

also a by-product of my condition. For years I hid myself in painting.

My OCD became worse when I was around people. So I spent a lot of my life escaping into an imaginary world.

My art allowed me to concoct a whole new universe without fear, without anxiety. Even now, painting allows me to breathe and for the selfdoubt to stop.

It was my own coping method without me knowing it. My heart-rate changes when I paint, it’s almost a form of meditation. It’s when I don’t paint for a while that I notice my anxiety and mood change.

Because of my past behavior, friendships and relationships were virtually impossible. I was very lonely. There were times when I’ve lost the ability to speak, to move, when I felt all my dignity had been ripped from me.

It wasn’t until my third breakdown that I finally got help.

It took six months of seeing a therapist before I could speak properly. She made me realise that I wasn’t a bad person; I was just riddled with anxiety.

My mentor, Marc Marot, first discovered me at my lowest ebb and has shown

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Summer/ Issue 38

unshakeable support and belief in me

ings to see the process, the decisions,

from the moment we met.

the pain, the mistakes and the suffering

Now I use my art to reveal the complex

underneath. The technique is a form

parts of myself by showing the process

of augmented reality, and I now use it

that underlies my work. By scanning my

to add an extra dimension and expe-

work with an app called Blippar you

riential insight into all my paintings. It’s

can strip away the layers of my paint-

become an integral part of my art and something I work on very closely with Marc.

The painting I created for MIND is deeply personal.

I did a lot of crying while painting it.

Happy crying and sad crying. My whole life is within the work.

It was really hard seeing the stages of my mental health and my dete-

One in Four

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The Last Laugh

I’ve known. But he would never talk about his condition. It was a generational attitude. Those sorts of things just weren’t out in the open in those days.

Society’s reaction to mental illness has changed drastically in recent years, and that’s down to the work of MIND and its ambassadors, like Stephen Fry, being so candid. I feel like I owe a lot of my survival to this new openness. I’m not afraid of talking about my condition. In fact,

rioration. Other people wouldn’t notice

it’s one of the most important

it. I don’t look unwell. But I know I am. It

conversations I have with people.

reminded me how tough life has been and

Working with MIND on this project has also

proudly how strong I’ve been.

re-enforced the knowledge that I am not

This painting gave me my history back,

alone, that other people have the same

showed me what an amazing life I’ve had,

fears, the same problems.

despite being unwell.

Humans are complex creatures. We are

My father was bi-polar but wasn’t diag-

intelligent and we feel deeply. I now finally

nosed until later in his life. He was a musi-

feel part of the real world, both the good

cian and experienced a lot of self-doubt

and bad of it. I am finally learning what

and turned to drugs to numb his pain, both

being in a relationship and being loved

on stage and in every day life. He was

means. I wasn’t capable of that before.

constantly afraid of letting people down,

I’m really lucky I’ve got friends who don’t

but he had the biggest heart of anyone

judge me. The friendships I do have are

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completely unbreakable and real and

illness under control. I am preparing

honest.

for a major new UK exhibition in 2016

I’ve just turned 30 and I don’t usually

called The Danger Tree.

make a big deal about birthdays but I

I’m even starting to like myself a bit.

did this year because I spent it with my

Perhaps I’m not that bad after all.

wonderful boyfriend. I’m the happi-

One In Four, original oil paint-

est I’ve ever been. I’ve found the love

ing on canvas by Scarlett

of my life and I’m moving in with him.

the painting can be unlocked

I suppose I’m in shock: I’m in love, my paintings are being seen in galleries across the country and I’ve got my

Raven. The layers beneath via Blippar. Once the app is dowloaded, point the camera at the painting to reveal the augmented reality within the artwork.

Dulce et decorum Est

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Photographic images courtesy of Gem...

“

I’ve been having a difficult time recently, and one of the few things I’ve found to really help has been taking photographs. It forces me to look up (and down) at the world around me, taking me out of my own head. It also helps me reconnect with my creativity, as I strive to get the composition of the photo just right.

”

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Those Who Laugh, Last EMILY SHERRIS

T

he relationship between comedy and

able to laugh at the quotes and gestures

mental health has been researched

that had always resonated with

and explored so conscientiously that

me. It was a relief to find that

even those who are not au fait with the

this affinity with humour

minutiae of human psychology know that

had been rekindled.

those with mental health issues often use

On the other hand,

humour as a comedic buttress. Some

some people seem

may rely on the revitalising effect gener-

to hunger for a

ated by sitcoms or stand-up. Rik Mayall

more intense,

and Michael McIntyre were always able

holistic distrac-

to imbue my morose days with gorgeous

tion. Witticisms

hilarity. However, there was a time when

crafted by others

these comedy paragons were unable to

will only scratch the

give me the medicine I needed. This is the

surface. It may not

only time I have been

have any effect on their

unable to laugh, and it was the loss of this

wretchedness at all. These

inclination that made me realise I needed

are the people that want to

to get help. Fortunately, this cessation of

demonstrate how funny they are.

sensitivity was short-term. One delight-

They want to feel the ecstasy dervishing

ful day, I realised that, once again, I was

through them on stage. There are those cont.

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EQUILIBRIUM 19

who would prefer to write a thesis on

The gulf created by this module struc-

stand-up, and there are those that

ture illustrates the difference I have just

inspire this appreciation. During my

mentioned: some people are voyeurs

second year of university, I was enticed

and some people want to entertain

by the stand-up comedy module. I was absolutely horrified when the lecturer told

an audience. This split is particularly discernible amongst those dealing with mental health issues.

Whenever this topic is explored, writ-

us that we

ers and connoisseurs seem to use the

would

same heroes to corroborate the same

get the

link: Ruby Wax, Stephen Fry, Robin

oppor-

Williams, etc. Although these three

tunity to

icons are fantastic examples, I think there are many unsung, creative hopefuls that don’t get the reverence they

compose and deliver our own five minute comedy routine.

Luckily, the more introverted students were given

deserve.

Let’s begin with Richard Gadd, a comedian that vacillates between frenetic jellyfish mime and introspection. Whether he’s punning into a threefoot microphone or leafing through a notebook, it is quite clear that the person behind the canned jokes and

another more alluring assignment: a

the potty-mouthed rhetoric has an

2500 word essay on Victoria Wood.

agenda. Towards the end of his contri-

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Summer/ Issue 38

bution on ‘Diary of an Open Shot’, he

Lastly, I would like to introduce Naomi

shows a more anxious side when he

Petersen. Her material focuses on

admits how much he enjoys making

a specific manifestation of anxi-

people laugh and how he ‘takes it personally’ when he is unable to elicit this grateful response. His most recent material is fuelled by his experiences with anxiety, depression and insomnia.

From Chortle finals to the Edinburgh Fringe, Richard has finally decided to

ety: agoraphobia. Naomi has deviated from the more familiar stand-up expectations by sculpting an alter ego called Rosie. This alias is the theatrical personification of Naomi’s real-life anxiety. We could argue that, in some

use the knowledge gained from his trib-

ways, Naomi has surpassed the racon-

ulations to illuminate and desensitise.

teur. This format allows her to commu-

Paul McMullen is another comic that

nicate neurotic emotions by showing

is trying to curtail the negativity associ-

the audience how a sufferer might

ated with mental health issues. In the

react to them.

past, he has experienced the ramifications of alcohol addiction. Like Richard, however, he has used these adversities to convey palatable dark humour.

He was rendered unemployed and homeless, but this doesn’t mean that he can’t talk about the effects. In fact,

Laura Ingell Wilder once claimed that ‘a good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing’. Stand-up comedy is an empowering institution that can also be used to allay

Paul’s spot at the Fringe will give him the

judgemental or skewed assumptions.

chance to destigmatise the misconcep-

Wilder is completely right: laughter can

tions that many people still believe.

change everything.

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Artist: Mikela Henry Lowe

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Unmasked Women, an exhibition that channelled the Black British female experience was hosted between the 2-4 Sept. by CoolTan Arts. In order to spark a much-needed conversation about mental health within the Black British community, Unmasked Women aimed to creatively document and showcase the work of several black female artists, whilst creating a safe and open platform for further discussions.

Artist: Azarra Amoy

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Sculpture

As a Form of Art Therapy NORMAN

I

have found creating sculpture an

help but be inspired. As an outpatient

enjoyable means of safe therapy to

who has been a regular service user of

occupy myself and aid my recovery

the local mental health drop-in centre in

within the mental health system. With

Haringey over 10 years, and been in regu-

loads of sources to draw from in terms

lar contact with psychiatric professionals

of the number of museums and galler-

and on medication, participating in art

ies dotted around London, and other

has been the ideal way to share with other

town and cities within easy reach, with

users something in common, regardless of

most offering free admission, we can’t

our status or background.

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The question you may ask is: Where do

to yourself; if you get disheartened take a

you start? If you have been in the mental

break from it and get some perspective

health services for a few years, whether

before you resume making art.

that’s from having fallen ill for whatever reason – like suffering psychoses, falling

Whilst working on one of my sculptures,

deep into a fantasy world, or experienc-

the piece wasn’t progressing how I envis-

ing suicidal tendencies, or ending up on

aged it and I ‘binned’ it sadly. But two

anti-psychotic drugs – these experiences

days later I retrieved it from the recycling

may ring a bell. When you’re feeling well

bin and decided to continue regardless of

enough you may participate in activi-

how it looked. After the resurrection, I felt

ties for recuperation. There are creative

refreshed and had more enthusiasm by

options available, like ceramics, screen-

lowering my expectation of the end result

printing and photography, open to the

and reduced overall pressure on myself. It

regular users at the Clarendon Day Centre

can be good to persevere and the satis-

or the Chocolate Factory in Haringey;

faction of completing a piece can be

there are many outlets to express yourself.

really good for your self-esteem, as it gives

If you live elsewhere, look and see what is

you a sense of achievement.

available in your area.

When making sculptures, basically if you can imagine an idea on paper, think how it will look in 3-dimension, as something tangible you can touch and revolve. By the way, you might come across anxiety whilst in the production process, but remember “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, so be kind

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ROCK

BALANCING Anthony J. Parké

I first came across rock balancing in San Francisco’s bay area where I watched Bill Dan balancing his stunning creations. Fast forward 15 years and I’m in Morte Hoe, Devon, making my own creations. There is something deeply meditative when balancing; there is an inner peace as the mind stops its incessant loop and you begin to ‘listen’ to the rocks. Rocks grind and grate until a silence arrives when you find the magical ’tripod’: the three points on a surface which make the balance possible. It’s an extraordinarily satisfying process. if you’re near two rocks, listen to them, and they will teach you silence.

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Summer/ Issue 38

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Mental Illness (some diagnoses) DEV

T

he term mental illness can vary

ous ways: some severely and some

depending on the person’s point of

mildly. According to the charity Mind, 1

view. The common or basic dictionary

in 4 people in the UK will experience a

definition is: “a condition which causes

mental health problem every year, and

serious disorder in a person’s behav-

according to the Naional Alliance of

iour or thinking”. According to Mental

Mental Illness in America, 1 in 20 people

Health America there are 200 “classi-

live with a serious mental illness, such as

fied types of mental health problems”.

schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Young

These conditions affect people in vari-

Minds’ website states that “1 in 10 chil-

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dren and young people aged 5 - 16 suffer

episode usually occurs before the age

from a diagnosable mental health disor-

of 30. Research indicates that about one

der - that is around three children in every

person in every 200 people experiences

class”. They continue to state: “between 1

bipolar 2 disorder [where the hypoma-

in every 12 and 1 in 15 children and young

nias are not as high]”. Saying this, people

people deliberately self-harm”. In this

live with this condition without it affecting

article, I will talk about some of the main

them.

disorders. It would be a rather long article if I wrote about all the mental health disor-

Depression

ders.

Depression is not just feeling sad. Depression can lead to a long-term feeling of low

Bipolar Disorder

or no self-worth. People have said it is like

This psychiatric condition is marked by

being in a very large dark hole, and you

alternating periods of elation and depres-

have trouble getting out. The charity Mind

sion. But this is a disorder that is more than

states: “It doesn’t stop you leading your

just extreme mood swings. On one side, the normal life but makes everything harder to person can feel high (manic or hypomanic

do and seem less worthwhile.” It states that

episodes), and on the other side, they can

“at its most severe, depression can be life-

feel low (depressive episodes). It could also

threatening, because it can make you feel

cause the person to feel very distressed.

suicidal or simply give up the will to live”.

Like other disorders, it may be difficult to

There are four types of depression, each

manage during extreme episodes. Mental-

with their own symptoms: Seasonal Affec-

healthcare.org.uk states that “about one

tive Disorder (SAD), Dysthymia, Prenatal and

person in every 100 people has bipolar

Postnatal Depression. The Healthline website

1 disorder [marked by extreme manic

states that only 20% of people with major

episodes] at some time in their life. The first

depressive disorder develop psychotic

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symptoms. They go on to say 10-15% of

people but accounts for 30% of the

women develop postnatal depression.

mental health problems in people

Anxiety

seen by GPs (Source: Department of Work and

Anxiety is an emotion experienced by

Pensions)”.

everyone at times of high stress, but for those people who have a clinical diagnosis of anxiety, it can be a constant backdrop to their lives. Those with anxiety have to deal with uneasy feelings, fear of the future, worry about the past, and whirring thoughts. It may have an overwhelming effect and, as a result, they are not able to control their anxiety. Mind describe some of the consequences/symptoms of anxiety: 1. You might find that you’re worrying all the time, perhaps about things that are a regular part of everyday life or about things that aren’t likely to happen – or even worrying about worrying.

2. You might regularly experience unpleasant physical and psychological effects of anxiety and maybe panic attacks.

3. Depending on the kind of problems you experience, you might be given a diagnosis of a specific anxiety disorder.

Mentalhealthy.co.uk states: “Generalised Anxiety Disorder affects 2-5% of

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Schizophrenia There are many definitions for schizophrenia and it can affect people in different ways. Some might be unable to tell the difference between reality and fiction; they may perceive something that is unreal as true. Livingwithschizophreniauk.org says: “Schizophrenia is a killer. Sufferers have a 1 in 10 chance of dying by their own hand within ten years of diagnosis.” There is stigma against people with this illness that they will be violent towards others, but they are actually more likely to hurt themselves. It goes on to say that “schizophrenia is a major illness. At any one time about 280,000 people are being treated for schizophrenia by the NHS.”

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Remember, this is just a statistic and

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disor-

can vary. There are several symptoms:

der (ADHD)

lack of interest in things, feeling discon-

ADHD is a behavioural disorder, and

nected from feelings, difficulty concen-

those with ADHD struggle to concen-

trating, wanting to avoid people, hallu-

trate for long periods of time, can be

cinations, hearing voices, delusions, the

impulsive, and are hyperactive (can’t

need to be protected.

sit still). There is, however, another similar condition called ADD (Attention

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Deficit Disorder). The person will have

(OCD)

similar symptoms, but they won’t show

People with OCD often feel compelled

signs of hyperactivity, so they don’t

to repeat certain tasks or rethink certain have quite so much energy. It usually thoughts. It is not just about liking things

starts at about 18 months old but might

to be tidy and clean. According to

not be diagnosed until later. Symp-

Mind: “unwelcome thoughts, images,

toms usually become more apparent

urges, worries or doubts repeatedly

between the ages of three and seven

appear in your mind. They can make you feel very anxious (although some people describe it as ‘mental discomfort’ rather than anxiety).” ‘Compulsive’ generally means you are constantly

years old. There are several symptoms: • Feeling restless or fidgety • Talking a lot and interrupting other people • Becoming easily distracted • Finding it hard to concentrate • Saying or doing things without thinking

thinking or feeling a certain way and you don’t feel like you can control

These descriptions of different

it. The person might have thoughts

mental health problems are

of being unworthy or overwhelming

ent people experience the same

quite brief, and of course differ-

thoughts of hate or anger towards a

condition in different ways. If

certain subject. It is suggested that

health, or that of someone you

you are worried about your own

around 12 in every 1,000 people in the

know, speak to a doctor or ring a

UK are affected by this condition. This

call on 116 123) or Saneline (0300

equates to almost 750,000 people.

www.haringey.gov.uk/equilibrium

helpline, like Samaritans (free to 304 7000).

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Lithium-Rich Foods

Image: goodfood.uktv.co.uk

and Bipolar Disorder

I

have done a little research on lithium

of foods that we commonly eat, rang-

in foods for personal interest and

ing from beef to eggs, soft cheese, red

due to the fact I also have an interest

and white cabbage, noodles, potatoes,

in holistic living so as to attain a better

mushrooms, tomatoes and asparagus.

more effective system to deal with physical mental and emotional health, with

Unlike with a dose of medication, it isn’t

its myriad of ups and downs, lefts and

so easy to get the correct amount for

rights, ins and outs… Anyway, to get to

the individual through food (so don’t

the point, lithium is among one of three

replace your medication without first

medicines given to those of us who are

consulting your doctor), as it depends

unlucky enough to suffer from bipolar

on your personal needs and require-

disorder. Lithium is in a large amount

ments. I found out, to my cost, that

Photo: Anthony

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putting too much into your diet can

a week, and it gives me loads more

be just as unhelpful as not putting

energy (although too much makes

enough, so my advice is to take your

me feel hyper or sluggish).

time and go at a pace that allows you a chance to reflect and change

I personally feel that taking as many

quantities to get closer to a real

alternative, natural remedies that

understanding of the results and how

can be used safely is much better

it affects you, so it’s a real reflection of at attaining results than just relying any improvements. To keep your mind

on one. It is, in my mind, very inter-

and body running at optimal levels,

esting to approach this health issue

for a healthier lifestyle, depending on

with the same approach as one of

the severity of depression you suffer

my heroes and icons: Bruce Lee.

on a day-to-day basis, it can be very

He says that there is no help but self

positive to take it to the finite amounts

help; you must tune into your very

in grams or maybe even micrograms

essence; you have to know your

– it can be that subtle. There is a very

weaknesses and strengths; you should

wide range of food sources that are

look for ways to de-stress and express

high in lithium to choose from, making

in order to come to terms with your

dealing with depression a slightly

emotions and gain control. Lithium in

less daunting task for anyone who

foods, alongside medicine, can be a

would like to try an aid and assist any

very powerful answer to a healthier,

medicine you may be on. For exam-

brighter future.

ple, I love asparagus, which is high in lithium and also really good for you in other ways, so I find it easy to put it into my diet a couple of times

www.haringey.gov.uk/equilibrium

Richard Honan

(a.k.a. mohecan nohecan raphecant touché punt lsd cara2che dtf d2f kudos puck trigga finga)

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ASSERTIVENESS Tips for Standing Up for Yourself RICHARD HUDSON

T

here seem to be 3 aspects to assertive-

won’t like yourself for it and when thinking

ness. Firstly, standing up for yourself and

about the incident at a later time you’ll think

getting your own rights without denying

‘I’d better make amends and go easy next

others theirs.

time!’ The next time you are passive and too

When you start doing this you are likely to

quiet and, on reflection when thinking about

swing from being aggressive and forceful to

it, such as when lying in bed waiting to go to

being passive, the aim being to be firm and

sleep, you’ll think ‘I’d better toughen up!’

fair and relaxed in the middle with a bit of

Don’t worry you’ll end up in the middle of

gentle oomph.

the road being firm, fair and relaxed, and

It’ll go like this: because it’s new and you

from the small beginnings success will breed

haven’t yet got the hang of it, when you

success and you’ll gain confidence in being

complain or make a point you may be too

assertive. There will be ups and downs like

forceful in a situation with someone. You

travelling over the foothills on the way up a

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mountain but you will have the prize of

of being weak or passive. This feeling,

reaching the top in sight.

though, and knowing how this interaction

The ‘broken record’ technique involves

works will enable you to overcome prob-

repeating your request over and over

lems with others that crop up as follows:

again until the other person agrees with

There you are thinking ‘At last I’m the real

it. Expect a reaction within yourself when

me, confident and together, and people

you start asserting yourself. Confidence

will now change and relate to me and

comes from doing those things you think

treat me as such.’ I have to say though,

you cannot do and the price you pay is

that unfortunately you mustn’t expect

doing the difficult thing until it becomes an

the world- other people- to start beating

in-built part of yourself.

a path to your door, accepting the new

Things are more likely to turn out for the

‘you’ and changing the way they interact

best, but not always, when you assert your-

with you. It’ll be, I regret to say, as if you’ve

self and if you’re polite the other person

caused a revolution: relations often get

is also more likely to want to help you. As

worse before they get better.

my Dad said ‘There is a way of complain-

Others who were used to you being weak

ing!’ Often there’s an innocent or valid

will find it difficult to change and accept

reason for the mistake and if you’ve

you as an equal and will try to put you

thrown your weight around or been rude

back down. If the other person realises

rather than firm and polite it is you that

what’s happened the transition into treat-

looks silly.

ing you as you want to be treated and into

Another aspect of assertiveness is the

accepting the new ‘you’ will be smooth. In

reaction you expect from others when you

other cases it can take months or years for

get a great new feeling of ‘togetherness’

you to keep projecting the new ‘you’ and

and confidence within yourself instead

may need someone else like a friend, rela-

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tion, priest or therapist to intercede. Often

partners and friends. Dr Paul Hauck in

the last people to accept the new ‘you’

his book ‘How to Stand up for Yourself’

are the weakest as they’d had a partner

calls this technique ‘The JRC level’ – ‘Just

in crime i.e. a weak ‘you’ to hang on and

Reasonably Content’. You do what you

‘support’ them in their weakness.

want to do up to the JRC level and your

Don’t give up! You’ll have the good feel-

partner goes up to their JRC level.

ing of the new ‘you’ and you’ll taste

Dr. Hauck writes: “In the past we have

success and as I’ve said that’ll breed

been led to believe that it’s wise to please

success and spur you to persevere and

until it hurts and the more you would then

carry on. People only treat you as you

be loved. Wrong! You have the obligation

allow them to treat you, remember. Eye

to please your partner until they are at

contact is useful. ‘I’ messages where you

their JRC level. Then it’s his/her obligation

start off telling someone else how you feel

to bring you to the same point. If you two

by saying ‘I feel very disappointed that...’

follow this idea you’ll actually be pleas-

or ‘I feel angry about that because...’ can

ing each other most of the time and at

smooth the transition in getting others to

approximately the same time.”

accept the new ‘you’. A long walk starts

It’s been his experience that standing up

with the first steps.

for your rights against all odds is one of the

A good psychiatrist said quietly to me

best ways to save most relationships.

some years ago when I mentioned the

‘Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway’ by Susan

problem of getting others used to the new

Jeffers is another book you may find help-

me, ‘it takes a long time doesn’t it!’

ful if you wish to be more assertive and

The third type of assertiveness concerns

self-confident.

getting along with the family, spouses,

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Origins ANGELA

Image: By John O’Neill

A

ccording to the Collins English

They used to believe that the world

Dictionary, the ‘origin’ is ‘the

was flat, that is where the expression

beginning of something, first or part’.

“four corners of the world” comes

I like to hear about how things origi-

from. Jamaica is an island in the Carib-

nated. Everything has an origin and so

bean, ‘The Paradise Island’, and was

do you! From where we come from, to

formed from a volcano erupting under

where some expressions come from.

the water, producing a lot of lava. If it

This article is all about origins. It was an

was not for that volcano, I wouldn’t be

original idea!

here; I am a black woman of Jamai-

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can origin, a little bit mixed.

He liked it so much that when he

Reggae music originally came from

went back to America he called the

Jamaica. The Wailers is a band

company AVON – “Ding dong, Avon

started by Bob Marley. Peter Tosh,

calling”!

Bunny Wailer, and Dennis Brown are

There was a nice Norwegian band

all famous reggae singers. The term

called A-ha, popular in the 1980s. One

reggae denotes a particular music style

day before they went to perform on

that originated following on from the

Top of the Pops, the lead singer, Morton

development of ska and rocksteady.

Harket, ripped his jeans on a piece of

Calypso music comes from Trinidad and

equipment called an amp. He did not

they also popularised the tradition of

have anything else to wear, so he had

the carnival. I’ve noticed that people

to wear them. This is how many believe

from Trinidad are always smiling. One

the fashion of ripped jeans started.

Trinidadian lady said to me: “You can’t afford to let anything get you down”.

I used to work for Avon and was interested to hear how it got its name.

There was a man in America called Mr O’Connell who used to sell books on a door-to-door basis. If a customer bought a book, he would give them a small bottle of perfume to say thank you, but the customers were more interested in the perfume than the books.

In America, Bill Bowerman wrote a book

So he went into full production of four

called ‘Jogging’ in 1967. This form of

perfumes. Then he came to England

exercise became very popular; it was

to visit a friend in Stratford-upon-Avon.

a good way of keeping fit and losing

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weight. He also started a fashion trend,

is always changing. I will never forget

desiging the first Nike running shoes;

flared jeans. The fabric originated from

everybody has got a pair of jogging

France in a city called Nîmes. ‘De’ is the

bottoms and trainers, even if you don’t

French for ‘of’, i.e. De Nîmes, which is

go jogging.

how we have the word ‘denim’.

In business, it is very common for people

I was told that a long time ago, when

to copy what you are doing, particularly

they first built large psychiatric hospi-

if it is a success. Some people will sneakily

tals, there used to be orchards where

try to find out what you are doing. When

the patients worked, for example pick-

somebody was trying to poke their nose

ing fruit, which would be sold in local

into your company, you would say “mind

markets to pay for the cost of their treat-

your own business”. Now this expression

ment. The fruit would be sold to the local

applies to all contexts.

market, so apparently they used to say it

‘Hoover’ was one of the earliest vacuum

came from the ‘funny farm’.

cleaning companies, so many people

The wheel is one of the earliest inven-

used to say, “I’m hoovering the carpet”;

tions: ‘Wheels are the archetype of a

it became a synonym with ‘vacuum

primitive, caveman-level technology. But

cleaner’. The first upright vacuum

in fact they’re so ingenious that is took

cleaner was invented by James Murray

until 3500BC for someone to invent them’

Spanglerin in June 1908, who was a

(Live Science).

department store janitor (cleaner) in

Everything has an origin, from the pen I

Ohio, because he thought his carpet

used to write this article, to the computer

sweeper was making his asthma worse.

I used to type it, and the chair you are

His company later became the Hoover

sitting on to read this! I hope you have

Suction Sweeper Company.

learnt something new and might go

Practically everyone wears denim; it is

away to research more origins of things

a very durable material and the style

that interest you.

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rt CLARRY

John

John

Mehmet Atma

Neil Griffin

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t

ART GROUP

Mehmet Atma John

Gary

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Photo: Anthony

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Summer/ Issue 38

Images: www.bbc.co.uk/news/healtha

Virtual Reality & Paranoid Delusions NIGEL PRESTATYN

NEW RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY SOFTWARE HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN ALLEVIATING THE STRESS OF PARANOID DELUSIONS

I

must confess, I’ve never suffered

connected with symptoms patients

from paranoid delusions (at least

experienced whilst on the Under-

not that I was aware of!), but many

ground Tube. Perhaps a little virtual

years ago, in my mid 20s I often

reality Tube exposure would have

experienced an absolute horror of

helped alleviate my own experiences

being on London’s Underground

of panic attacks back in the day. I

Tubes. I would experience severe

recently gave a public talk, my very

panic attacks on the underground

first, to around 80 people, and natu-

- particularly in the rush hour (no

rally I was petrified. In trying to find

surprise there). So this research struck

a coping mechanism for this stress, I

me as interesting, because test were

came across virtual reality software,

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Toby experiences the VR with the help of researchers at Oxford University

which was being used to reduce

study’s 30 patients to experience this

stress by exposing the wearer to large

situation, whilst simultaneously realising

‘virtual’ crowds whilst speaking.

they were still safe.

Research at Oxford University, funded

The software included the use of

by the Medical Research Council,

avatars (virtual characters), such that

found that patients who suffered

when the patient entered into the virtual

persecutory delusions were asked to

world, they were exposed to a simula-

place the virtual software mask on

tion which triggered their paranoia. But

and enter into a computer-generated

the key aspect being that they learnt

Underground train and a lift. The

that there was nothing to actually fear.

virtual reality simulations allowed the

The study was led by Prof. Daniel Free-

Photo: Anthony

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man, a clinical psychologist at Oxford

The study was small and the patients

University’s Department of Psychia-

had just one half-hour session of virtual

try. He told the BBC: “At the heart of

reality with no long-term follow-up.

paranoia is the unfounded belief that

However, Prof Freeman told the BBC

people are under threat. With virtual

that the results were “exceptionally

reality we can help the person to

good”, adding, “I think this a glimpse

re-learn that they are safe, and when

into the future of mental healthcare.

they do that, the paranoia melts away. There is a revolution underway in virtual This group, who fully tested out their

reality with many headsets becoming

fears, showed the biggest reduction in

available.”

their paranoid delusions. More than half

Brian Dow, at the charity Rethink

of them no longer had severe paranoia

Mental Illness, said: “It’s exciting to

at the end of the testing day.”

see cutting-edge technology used innovatively to treat what can be an extremely frightening and disruptive symptom for some people experiencing mental illness.”

Source: www.bbc.co.uk/news/healtha

Images: www.bbc.co.uk/news/healtha

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