Mental Health Services
Mental health services for our patients are provided by CNWL.
Local services are delivered by Brent North Community Mental Health Team. You can self-refer to the Single Point Access (SPA) by Tel: 0800 0234 650 or referrals can be made by GPs here as normal. In a crisis family, friends or community contacts can contact SPA to make a referral.
CNWL services in Brent include Acute Mental Health services (there are inpatient facilities at Central Middlesex Hospital, Perinatal Mental Health Services, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Community Recovery Mental Health , Mental Health Assessment & Brief Treatment, Mental Health Rehabilitation and also Eating Disorders , Learning Disabilities and Offender Care.
In an emergency or out of hours you can ring 111 or take someone to Accident and Emergency.
The Samaritans is an excellent free resource available 24/7 which offers someone to talk to on the phone Tel: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org or even face-to-face (lookup nearest branch)
Mind, the mental health charity has loads of useful resources including a Helpline Tel: 0300 123 3393 or Text: 86463
The Mental Health Foundation is a charity concerned with the prevention and treatments of mental health conditions. There is a fantastic amount of information and resources such as videos, podcasts and publications. Well worth exploring!
Change Grow Live is a charity helping to reshape lives and support change for a better future, whether it be social or relationship problems, drugs and alcohol, homelessness, offending etc.
Talking Therapies
Brent Talking Therapies is a free, confidential NHS service which provides psychological treatment for depression and anxiety disorders.
Who is Talking Therapies for?
Talking Therapies and counselling services are suitable for people over the age of 18y with problems which have arisen fairly recently. Feelings of low mood, anxiety, particular fears, phobias, insomnia or problems coping with daily life and relationships, are all suitable for brief focussed talking therapies.
People seeking help with more complex difficulties requiring more specialist or intensive treatment which cannot be provided in a primary care setting, can be directed to the appropriate specialist or secondary care mental health services.
How can you be referred?
You can self-refer by Tel: 0208 206 3924 or by online referral. Alternatively your GP can refer.
What happens next?
You will be contacted by phone for an assessment and then seen for a consultation and a programme will be set up for you for one to one sessions of various types of therapy or group sessions depending on your needs and preferences. The service is conveniently located just along the road at Fairfield Crescent.
Services offered include CBT, counselling, behavioural couples work, interpersonal therapy, therapy groups, stress management, mindfulness and various workshops, There are videos and other information on the website about common mental health difficulties.
Talking therapies in Brent is a free service offering a variety of mental health interventions.
Bereavement
It is normal of course to suffer after the loss of someone close. You may go through many stages of emotional trauma – shock and numbness, overwhelming grief, tiredness, exhaustion, anger and guilt and these feelings can be all mixed up and come at different times.
It may affect any aspect of your life from insomnia and irritability to difficulties at work to problems with other relationships. If things are not moving on or you feel you are losing control, it may indicate the slide into depression or anxiety and you may require support, so best to contact one of the support services or come and talk to your GP.
The Brent Bereavement Service is a local charity providing support to people bereaved after at least 5 weeks over the age old 18y with one to one or group sessions Tel: 0208 459 6818. You can refer yourself but check the details their website.
More information on bereavement from NHS.UK
Information about bereavement, grief and resources for help from Cruse Bereavement Care charity.
Mental Wellbeing
Modern life is stressful and challenging and we often lack the tools to bounce back from setbacks. If we lack support and suffer too any knocks it can lead to anxiety and depression, relationship or employment problems and some people, if they become desperate, may turn to drink or drugs. How do you avoid this downward spiral?
The first step is recognising the problem. Sometimes someone may post out to you that you have a problem or you are able to see and admit to yourself that things are going wrong and that changes are needed. Try this self-assessment questionnaire.
The NHS 5 steps to mental wellbeing are a great starting point :
- Connect with others – relationships are so important, providing support and a feeling of belonging, sharing and validation
- Be physically active – this will make you feel good as your release all those lovely endorphins and raise your self-esteem
- Learn new skills – boost your confidence and self-esteem, connect with others
- Do something for others – helping others gives you a sense of usefulness and positive feedback
- Mindfulness – connect with and appreciate the moment. Every day brings about something good but we may ignore it by concentrating on the stress or negativity within our lives. Mindfulness can be simple and powerful and we should all be more mindful.
MIND , the mental health charity has more information on 5 steps to mental wellbeing.
Stress
This can build up insidiously, is very common and be very damaging and can lead to anxiety and depression – read all the physical and mental signs and symptoms and the resources to help deal with it
The NHS has some useful mental wellbeing audio guides.
What is CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and how does it work?
Catch It is an NHS approved App developed by Liverpool University based on CBT techniques to identify and deal with depression, anxiety and negative thinking
Be Mindful is an online mindfulness course – the NHS approved App costs £30 but you can register free and see if it might be for you.