Tag Archives: Mental health

‘Find your little big thing’ for your mental health

Every Mind Matters has launched a new campaign that encourages and helps us to ‘find your little big thing’ – these are the little things we can do, which can make a big difference to our mental health

Making time for your mental wellbeing is important – and embedding these little things as part of your routine can help you feel better and more in control.

These little things can include:

    • Getting physically active – like taking a walk
    • Managing your thoughts and feelings with the help of CBT
    • Talking to someone you trust
    • Getting the most from your sleep – like avoiding screen-time an hour before bed or getting out of bed and doing something simple until you feel tired again
    • Getting closer to nature
    • Planning something nice to look forward to.

The Every Mind Matters website has lots of NHS-approved tips and advice to help you ‘find your little big thing’. You can also get a free, personalised Mind Plan – a mental health action plan that provides practical tips to help you deal with anxiety and stress, boost your mood, sleep better, and feel more in control:

Every Mind Matters – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

County Council celebrates ten years of East Sussex 1Space

In the same year that London hosted the Olympics and Curiosity Rover landed on Mars, East Sussex 1Space was launched by East Sussex County Council.

1Space is an online directory with a focus on care, support and wellbeing services for people who live in the county.

To mark the 10th anniversary, the County Council is running a survey until 28 February 2023 that will inform and guide improvements to the site. If you can spare a few minutes, please answer five quick questions telling us what you think of East Sussex 1Space.

Since its launch in November 2012, 1Space has grown from small beginnings of around 700 entries to now include more than 2,000 services.

On 1Space you’ll find information about organisations and groups offering services to East Sussex residents, including:

  • food banks
  • organisations who can help with money and housing issues
  • mental health
  • residential services
  • care in the community
  • activities for the less active
  • support groups, and much more

In November 2021, 1Space expanded to include East Sussex Local Offer services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

County Council makes accessing cost-of-living resources easier with dedicated webpage

Accessing benefits and resources linked with rises in the cost of living has been made simpler following the launch of East Sussex County Council’s dedicated website page.

The ‘Support with the cost of living’ home page brings together key resources in one place to take the confusion out of finding advice, information and support to deal with increasing expenses.

Advice includes how to maximise benefits, tackle concerns around housing, pay essential bills, and gain access to mental health services to ease the worry this winter

The County Council’s ‘Support with the cost-of-living’ page assists people in the following areas:

  • Money, including help with benefits
  • Your mental health
  • Transport
  • Employment and learning
  • Your home

Learning Disability England also has accessible advice about saving money, keeping warm, grants and campaigns on its website.

How are you feeling?

Have you taken a moment recently to stop and check in on how you’re feeling? In the distraction of daily life, it can be easy to miss some of the signs our minds and bodies give us to slow down and take care of ourselves, or when things aren’t quite right.

Sometimes at mild levels the symptoms of anxiety and depression can be hard to spot, do any of these sound familiar?

  • You find it hard to stop worrying
  • You feel nervous, on edge or more irritable
  • You’ve been feeling down or hopeless
  • You’ve lost interest or pleasure in doing things

You might notice some physical symptoms too. These can be things like not enough or very light sleep, feeling hot, sweating, or feeling on edge.

If these sound like you, it might be time to seek some help. Tackling issues at an earlier stage means quicker access to treatment and can help stop things from getting worse. Continue reading →