mental health awareness resources

In Equilibrium Mental Health Awareness Resources

You can read articles relating to Mental Health in the workplace on our own blog here: https://www.in-equilibrium.co.uk/tag/mental-health-in-the-workplace/

General Mental Health Awareness Resources

We wanted to highlight the resources we have found which help to raise awareness about mental health.

The Business Case for Mental Health Awareness Training

A New Approach to Line Manager Mental Well-being Training in Banks
This paper outlines several positive changes resulting from the training programme, including managers being more skilled at noticing signs of poor mental health and feeling more confident in supporting their direct reports who are experiencing mental health problems and improved organisational attitudes to mental health problems.

Added Value: Mental Health as a Workplace Asset
A report produced in 2016 by the Mental Health Foundation and Unum has found that the value added by those with mental health problems in the workplace may be up to nine times the estimated costs which arise.

Heads Together Campaign
Mental Health at Work brings together various resources, information, case studies and tools to help make workplace wellbeing a priority.

In Equilibrium YouTube Channel
Our youtube channel includes a mental health resources playlist.

Managing Mental Health in the Workplace
A short e-book, which is freely downloadable from the Mental Health Foundation’s website, investigates how good mental health in the workplace can be encouraged.

Mental Health First Aid – Line managers’ resource
A practical guide to managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace.  Including sections on the recruitment process, promoting well-being, identifying the early warning signs, talking at an early stage, and making reasonable adjustments for the employee’s return to work.

Mental Health Toolkit for Employers
There has been a lot written about how to tackle mental ill-health and promote wellbeing in the workplace. This toolkit will simplifiy your approach.

Business in the Community has partnered with Public Health England to produce a free, online toolkit to help every organisation support its employees' mental health and well-being. It will help employers take positive actions to build a culture that champions good mental health and provides a greater understanding of how to help those who need more support.

This toolkit will help employers pick out the most valuable resources and develop an approach that works. For larger organisations, the toolkit is also a useful resource to share with businesses in their supply chain and across their network.

Mental Health: Workplace Adjustments

How to be mentally healthy at work
This solution guide from SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) is designed to provide straightforward information for employers on making reasonable adjustments in the workplace for people with mental health problems. It was produced in consultation with employers and with people who have experience of mental health problems whilst in employment. It looks at how you could go about making adjustments, why you would want to do so and where you can get help and support.

Mental Health and Employers: refreshing the case for investment
Building on the previous Deloitte research that contributed to the 2017 Stevenson-Farmer Thriving at Work independent review, this new report sets out to answer the questions; What is the cost of poor mental health at work, what has changed since 2017, why should employers invest in mental health interventions and what else can employers do?

NHS Choices: Returning to work after mental health issues
Almost 50% of long term absences from work are the result of mental health issues.  This page provides information on the benefits of work to our mental health and some advice for returning to your job following a period of sick leave.

Reasonable Adjustments for Mental Health
A helpful guide from ACAS which explains what reasonable adjustments are, provides examples, includes advice for requesting or responding to a request, some tips for managing employees with reasonable adjustments for mental health, plus a short section on reviewing policies with mental health in mind.

Stevenson-Farmer Independent Review
The review looks at how employers can better support all employees, including those with poor mental health or wellbeing remain in and thrive at work.

Supporting Mental Health at Work: Guide for People Managers
A jointly developed guide from the mental health charity Mind and the CIPD which includes information, practical advice and conversation checklists to improve support for those experiencing stress and mental ill health.

Wellness Action Plans (WAPs)
Guides and templates can be downloaded from Mind to complete Wellness Actions Plans to support your own mental health and the mental health of the people you manage.

Workplace Adjustments
In this short document, the Department of Health offers employers advice on workplace adjustments for mental health conditions.

Mental Health Statistics

Counselling Directory
There are statistics about different mental health problems on this page of the Counselling Directory’s website.

Mind.org
Statistics and facts about mental health from the UK Charity Mind.

Stigma & Labels

Stigma of mental illness and ways of diminishing it
This article, published in full on the Royal College of Psychiatrists' website, begins with the statement that “Mental illness, despite centuries of learning and the ‘Decade of the Brain’, is still perceived by many as an indulgence, a sign of weakness”.  The article includes practical suggestions on how to manage stigma.

The Stigma of Mental Illness
Our own article looking at the effect of stigma and bias on those experiencing a mental illness and the positive part mental health awareness training in the workplace can play.

Trauma and Mental Health
An opinion piece by Richard Bentall, a professor at the Institute of Psychology, Health & Society, Liverpool University, and author of ‘Doctoring the Mind’.  He writes about a recent programme on manic depression by Stephen Fry.  In his opinion “The BBC focused on an extreme biological approach to psychiatry, which many psychologists and psychiatrists contested. This approach sees psychiatric problems as discrete brain conditions that are largely genetically determined and barely influenced by the slings and arrows of misfortune.”

Understanding Discrimination at Work
See Me Scotland is an organisation working to end mental health discrimination by encouraging organisations to provide a supportive environment, allowing people to feel safe to seek help. This page has sections on the different types of discrimination in work, creating a healthy workplace culture, with links to pages for both employers and employees to learn more.

Spotting Early Signs

Starter Guide to Mental Illness
By the charity, Rethink Mental Illness, this guide offers practical advice on recognising the distress signals to help you know how and when to act.  It answers questions like “What should I do if someone I know tells me they are struggling with their mental health?”

Mental Health and the Law

Discrimination and Mental Health
This section of the charity Rethink Mental Illness's website looks at the Equality Act 2010 and how it might apply when you are at work.  May be helpful if you or someone you know has been treated unfairly because of mental illness.

Mental Health Conversations

Communicating with people who are absent with a stress-related illness
A blog article from our own website, which details good practice and common-sense advice, reiterates that avoidance is the worst thing you can do when managing stress-related absence.

Extra mental ill health factors those who aren't White British can face, together with some specific resources
This page, from the Mental Health Foundation’s A-Z exploring mental health topics, acknowledges that many prefer not to use the term BAME. However, they have created this helpful page to highlight the specific issues and mental health challenges those who aren't White British can face because of their ethnicity, as well as providing links to some helpful sources of support.

Let’s Talk
Produced by the Mindful Employer initiative, this short video portrays the difficulties that arise through poor communication and shows how talking to each other enables support and understanding.

Short film about mental health conversations
A short video (on our own website) about the do’s and don’ts of managing mental health conversations at work.

Talking Toolkit: preventing work-related stress
This HSE guide provides templates to help start conversations with employees to prevent work-related stress. The 6 templates are based on the HSE Management Standards. They are designed to help initiate simple, practical conversations to get Managers and Employees talking about possible causes of work-related stress. Preventing work-related stress in schools is a specific guide for School Leaders.

The Wellbeing Programme
The name behind Happiness Economics, Professor Lord Richard Layard founded the Wellbeing Programme in 2003.  Their work focuses on 3 main areas – The Causes and Effects of Wellbeing, Wellbeing Policy and Mental Illness. Their website contains detailed information about their ongoing work and links to many valuable resources.

General Information about Mental Health

Food for the Brain
The charitable foundation, Food for the Brain, inform organisations and empower individuals to change their diet and lifestyle and take greater control of their mental health.

Mental Health A-Z
A complete guide to mental health problems, topical issues and treatment options from the Mental Health Foundation.

Mental Health Foundation
A charity focussing on preventing mental ill-health and aiming to help people understand, protect and sustain their mental health.  The website contains podcasts, videos, inspiring stories and information about getting help if you’re struggling.

Rethink
Working to improve the quality of life for people experiencing severe mental illness, the charity Rethink Mental Illness’s website contains lots of relevant information.

The Little Book of Minding Your Head
This practical guide has been produced by the Farm Safety Foundation to support the mental wellbeing of agricultural workers and address the stigma of mental health in the agricultural sector.

Young Minds
UK charity committed to improving the wellbeing of mental health for children and young people.  There are sections on their website specifically for children and young people, parents and professionals.

Support Helplines

Samaritans
The Samaritans provide emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  They provide an opportunity for people to talk about their feelings and offer confidential and non-judgemental support.

Sane
Emotional Support for those experiencing mental health difficulties and their carers from the charity SANE.

Understanding and Preventing Suicide

(Applies to UK only) For immediate support in an emergency please call 999. If you, or someone you know, needs confidential emotional support for feelings of distress, despair or suicidal thoughts, please contact Samaritans on 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org   Samaritans is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

CALM Campaign Against Living Miserably
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide, with a confidential helpline and webchat and bereavement support after suicide.

Choose Life
Was launched in 2002, a 10-year national strategy and action plan from the Scottish Government to prevent suicide in Scotland.  This booklet entitled “The art of conversation: A guide to talking, listening and reducing stigma surrounding suicide” targets the general population.  Along with the myths and facts, there are pages on spotting the signs as well as helping and starting a difficult conversation.  It has been adapted from original material developed by SAMH who provide community support services for people across Scotland with mental health problems.

Reducing the risk of suicide: a toolkit for employers
This resource forms part of the Business in the Community/ Public Health England suite of mental health and wellbeing toolkits.  It is designed to help organisations adopt a strategy to reduce the risk of a suicide that will impact the workplace.

The Art of Conversation
Produced by NHS Scotland, this is a useful guide to talking, listening and reducing stigma surrounding suicide.

The Workplace and Suicide Prevention
The Centre for Suicide Prevention, a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, has compiled a downloadable toolkit which includes a collection of facts, figures, and best preventative practices regarding suicide in the workplace.

Tips for Difficult Conversations
The Suicide is Different website helps suicide caregivers navigate through the experience of supporting someone experiencing thoughts of suicide.  The Tips for Difficult Conversations page is part of the Set Safe Boundaries module.

PAPYRUS
Young suicide prevention society aims to reduce the number of young people who take their own lives by shattering the stigma around suicide and equipping young people and their communities to recognise and respond to suicidal behaviour.

Suicide - Postvention

After a Suicide
This guide, produced by the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), is widely recognised as a practical and sensitive resource to help people after a suicide has taken place.

A Manager's Guide to Suicide Postvention in the Workplace
Produced by Carson J Spencer Foundation, Crisis Care Network, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and American Association of Suicidology, this guide outlines 10 action steps for dealing with the aftermath of a suicide. The resource includes recommendations of actions for managers in the immediate, short term and longer term phase with useful checklists and a decision making flowchart.

Crisis management in the event of a suicide: a postvention toolkit for employers
Business in the Community has produced a toolkit designed to support employers in their response to the suicide of an employee at work or outside the workplace.

Support After Suicide
Many of us struggle to talk about death, or feel awkward around someone who has been bereaved.  Support after Suicide has put together some thoughts and ideas on how to reach out and support someone who has been bereaved by suicide. They also have a free support guide called Finding the Words, which can be viewed and downloaded.

Toolkit for survivors of suicide loss and postvention professionals
A toolkit created by the Mental Health Commission of Canada to be a source of high-quality, publicly available resources to help survivors and postvention professionals navigate the difficult path of suicide-related grief and bereavement.

Specific Resources 

Abuse

NSPCC
Children’s charity dedicated to ending child abuse and child cruelty, including a dedicated helpline for adults concerned that a child may be at risk.

Rape Crisis Scotland and Rape Crisis England & Wales
Both charities above support anyone who has experienced rape, child sexual abuse and/or any other kind of sexual violence.

Refuge
Providing help and information about domestic violence, Refuge runs a domestic violence helpline in partnership with Women’s Aid.

Survivors UK
Providing help and support for men who have experienced sexual violence or abuse.

The National Association for People Abused in Childhood
Supporting recovery from child abuse: The damage caused by child abuse doesn’t always end in childhood. NAPAC offer support to adult survivors and training for those who support them.

Addictions

Adfam
Providing information and support for families affected by drugs and alcohol.

Alcoholics Anonymous (Great Britain) Ltd
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

Anxiety

Anxiety
This page on the Mental Health Foundation’s website discusses what anxiety is, its symptoms, what anxiety disorders are and their treatment, along with tips on getting support and ways to look after yourself.

Ask the Expert posts covering Anxiety
Our own “ask the expert” pieces and various other articles relating to anxiety with practical tips.

Social Anxiety
This guide aims to help you find out if you have symptoms of social anxiety, understand more about social anxiety (what it is, what causes it, and what keeps it going), and find ways to manage or overcome it.

What can we do to cope with feelings of anxiety?
The Mental Health Foundation created this helpful page for MHA week 2023 when anxiety was the theme. They provide suggestions for actions we can take to help manage the tough feelings experienced when we deal with anxiety.

Working with Anxiety
A short 5 minute video from the Mindful Employer initiative explores the effect anxiety can have on our ability to work and carry out daily activities.  It also highlights some of the important ways to aid recovery.

Aspergers and Autism

Autism in the Workplace
A TUC publication which includes sections on “How workplaces can create difficulties for Autistic workers” and “Making workplaces autism-friendly.”

The National Autistic Society
‘Accept difference. Not indifference’, The National Autistic Society are the leading UK charity for people on the autism spectrum.  The “about autism” section explains autism, Asperger syndrome and related diagnoses.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar UK
This charity provides a range of services to enable people affected by bipolar disorder and associated illnesses to take control of their lives.

Mental Health Foundation
This page on the Mental Health Foundation’s website explains what Bipolar Disorder is and offers some suggestions to help manage depressive phases and stop those experiencing it from going high and information about treatment and self-management.

Depression

Depression information from MIND
This download explains depression, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support.  It also includes tips for helping yourself and guidance for friends and family.

Depression self-help
This section of NHS inform has links to the following further information on Depression
1. What is depression?
2. Symptoms and causes of depression
3. Diagnosing and treating depression
4. Living with depression
5. Psychotic depression
6. Depression self-help guide

Ten stress savers
Rachel Kelly’s tips for battling depression.  More tips from someone who has personally experienced depression.

The truth about depression: six people speak out
Interesting article from the Guardian newspaper;  6 people discuss their personal experiences of depression.  The article is an extract from a book of memoirs candidly discussing depression and recovery.

What does depression feel like?
A blog post on the MIND website. By using extracts from a conversation, it provides an excellent comparison of how we tend to view physical health difficulties as compared to mental health issues:
" ‘We missed you at the party last night. Your husband said you weren’t feeling well. Are you feeling better now?’
‘A little, yes.’
‘Was it your tummy?’
‘No, actually. It was my head. It’s a bit like a stomach bug, but it takes place in my mind.’ ”

Grief

Bereavement guide on MIND's website
Provides information on bereavement, where to go for support, and suggestions for helping yourself and others through grief.

Compassionate bereavement support
Practical guidance from the CIPD to help employers support grieving employees.

Griefcast
Griefcast is a podcast that examines the human experience of grief and death - but with comedians, so it’s cheerier than it sounds.  Each week Cariad Lloyd talks to a different guest about their experiences of grief. Together they share their views on the pain, loss and the weirdness that happens when someone dies. Past guests have included Adam Buxton, Aisling Bea, Susan Wokoma, Robert Webb and David Baddiel.

Resources to help with grief
The Marie Curie charity suggests organisations to help you if you're going through a bereavement or if you want to support someone who's grieving.

The Good Grief Trust
An umbrella charity run by the bereaved, for the bereaved. They offer help, support, advice and hope to anyone countrywide who has lost someone whether that be a child, partner, parent, sibling or friend.

Loneliness

Employers and Loneliness Guidance
The Government published this paper in May 2021 during the Coronavirus pandemic. Produced by the Campaign to End Loneliness, it highlights the projected cost of loneliness in the workplace and its toll on both personal wellbeing and productivity.  Through consultation with businesses and employers who both recognise loneliness in the workplace and support employees’ social wellbeing, five themes have been identified to tackle loneliness at work.  Its aim is to provide a starting point for organisations to open a conversation about what can be done to address loneliness in their workforce and the wider community and includes case studies of good practice.

Feeling Lonely
A page on the NHS website has suggested dos and don’ts to help with feelings of loneliness that include links to relevant resources and further reading.

Feeling Lonely? Get Support
The British Red Cross have lots of resources on their website including this page which provides some resources for building confidence and connections, details of a podcast series with people talking about how loneliness affects them, a downloadable wellbeing resources pack, along with many other links and tips.

Guide to Loneliness
The Marmalade Trust, who host the Loneliness Awareness Week campaign, have a Guide to Loneliness on their website which includes tips for feeling more connected at home, in the community, at school and at work.

Loneliness Directory
On the Jo Cox Foundation’s website, is a directory of organisations who offer advice and support.  The directory is divided into support for older people, support for specific groups, volunteering opportunities, connecting with new people, and getting emotional support.

Loneliness in Young People
Unlock Loneliness has the aim of raising awareness of loneliness in young people and provides tips and policy recommendations.

Tips to Manage Loneliness
In their Tips for Everyday Living section, Mind have 3 pages looking at loneliness. They include looking at its causes, tips to manage feelings of loneliness, and suggestions of where else to go for support.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Ellen’s OCD Blog
A 16-year-old’s blog about her experiences with OCD, the post about hyper-responsibility is very poignant and includes her suggestions for containing these thoughts.

Mind explain OCD
This page explains what Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is including its possible causes, accessing treatment and support, and tips on helping yourself plus guidance for friends and family.

Schizophrenia

Explanation of schizophrenia
This downloadable booklet from Mind explains what schizophrenia is and includes possible causes and how you can get access to treatment and support.  There are some practical self-help suggestions and useful information for friends and family.

Schizophrenia help and news
Started in 1995, Schizophrenia.com is an internet community dedicated to providing high-quality information, support and education to the family members, caregivers and individuals whose lives have been impacted by schizophrenia. This web community was founded in memory of John Chiko, who suffered from schizophrenia. The people involved in the website are dedicated to improving the lives of all individuals and families who have schizophrenia and speeding the research progress towards a cure.

Recovery from Mental Illness

Anxious? Depressed? Try Greek philosophy
Jules Evans experienced depression, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. He found inspiration in the ancient Greeks and explains how their words transformed his life and prepared him to help others.

Mental Health Foundation: Recovery
An explanation of the concept of recovery from the Mental Health Foundation; including the recovery process, what supports recovery, the role of social inclusion and some tools to help service users and mental health services.

Recovery from mental disorders, a lecture by Patricia Deegan
Excerpt from a lecture by psychologist and researcher, Patricia Deegan, a teenager diagnosed with schizophrenia and had for years worked with people with mental disorders in various ways, to help them get better and lead rewarding lives.

Returning to work
On this information and support page on the Mind website, they include sections on considering your options before planning to return to work, preparing to return to work and staying well after returning to work.

Returning to work after mental health issues: tips for the transition
As negotiating a return to work can be difficult, even though one in four people will experience a mental health problem in the course of a year, this article offers some tips.

The human element of recovery from mental illness and addiction
In this TEDx talk, Apryl Pooley shares her story through mental illness and how she rediscovered her passion for learning, teaching, and sharing.

WHO: Recovering from mental illness with dignity
A short video from the World Health Organisation. 2 people affected by schizophrenia and depression talk about the challenges they’ve overcome and their hopes for the future.

Additional Resources Pages

• View our Resilience Resources page here
• View our Stress Management Resources page here
• View our Bullying Awareness Resources page here
• View our Mindfulness Resources page here
• View our Equality & Diversity Resources page here
• View our Tackling Sexual Harassment at Work Resources here
• Coronavirus Support and Resources
• View our Wellbeing at Work Resources
• Recommended Apps for Resilience, Mindfulness, Mental Health and Sleep

Mental Health Awareness Training Courses

View our Mental Health Awareness Training Courses here

We offer various courses for Managers and Employees, including Mental Health Awareness; Dealing with the Aftermath of Suicide; Mental Health First Aid; ASIST and safeTALK.

Please Note: The information on this website is for general guidance and is not legal advice. Please be aware that some of the articles mentioned on the resources pages originate from countries with different legal requirements from those in the UK.

Equilibrium Associates Limited (In Equilibrium) will not accept liability for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from any use or the inability to use any information on this website. We are not responsible for claims brought by third parties arising from your use of in-equilibrium.co.uk