This article was published on Fri 30 Apr 2021. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

Mental health problems can affect anyone, any time of the year, but mental health awareness week is a great time to show your support for better mental health and looking after your own wellbeing.

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week, 10 -16 May 2021 is ‘Nature’.

Access to nature is crucial for our mental health and millions of people re-discovered this during the lockdowns both this year and last. For more details of the week click here.

The Week is an opportunity for people to talk about all aspects of mental health, with a focus on providing help and support.

According to research by Mind of over 16,000 people, more than half of adults and over two thirds of young people said their mental health got worse during lockdown. Many people developed new mental health problems as a result of the pandemic and, for others with existing mental health problems, these have gotten worse.

The past months have brought challenges and worries for us all, but especially for frontline key workers and health-care workers, who have the added worry of bringing COVID-19 home with them to their families.

It is expected that the need for mental health and psychosocial support will substantially increase in the coming months and years.

Taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health. Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. They range from common problems, such as depression and anxiety, to rarer problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Take action to get the best out of the ‘new normal’, it may be hard but we all still need to live in the best way we can during these unusual times. This may be creating your own routine of things you enjoy doing, running, cycling, binging on Netflix, helping others in the community or learning a new skill, it doesn’t really matter what it is as long as you feel like you are achieving something and spending time looking after your own physical and mental wellbeing. For more information on looking after your mental health during the pandemic click here to access our guide.

It is important that we all as individuals do what we can to look after ourselves and each other. You may have concerns about how others are coping with the current situation. Starting a conversation with someone around their mental health can feel daunting. You may be worried that you will say the wrong thing but remember saying nothing is far worse. For more details on supporting others during the pandemic click here.

Like adults, children will respond to the current situation in different ways, such as being more clingy, anxious, withdrawn or angry. Respond to your child’s reactions in a supportive way, listen to their concerns and give them extra care and attention. Remember to listen to your children and re-assure them. For more details on supporting children during the pandemic click here.

Research has shown that emergency services workers are twice as likely as the public to identify problems at work as the main cause of their mental health problems, but they are also significantly less likely to seek help. So during the pandemic it’s even more important to look after your own mental health when working on the frontline.

Here are some tips:

Think about your purpose: be clear about why you are doing this job

Be clear on expectations: make sure you know what is expected of you and whether it is realistic.

Keep your boundaries: establish clear boundaries between work and personal life, don’t take work home with you.

Talk to colleagues: make time to talk to your colleagues about your experiences and share fears and concerns.

Value your own family and relationships: While work is important, your family and relationships need to be valued.

Exercise: regular exercise can boost your self-esteem, can help you concentrate, relax and increase your overall wellbeing.

Get plenty of sleep: Sleep helps regulate the chemicals in our brain that transmit information. These chemicals are important in managing our moods and emotions and an imbalance in those chemicals can result in us becoming depressed or anxious. Read our sleep guide here.

Eat well: A balanced diet that is good for your physical wellbeing is also good for your mental wellbeing. Your brain needs a mix of nutrients to stay healthy and function well.

Avoid alcohol: The numbing effects of drinking are only temporary and can often lead to mental health issues. It’s advised that if you do drink, that you stay within the governing bodies recommended unit guidelines.

Keep in touch: it’s good for you to catch up with friends and family face to face or over the phone

Take a break: a change of scenery or pace is good for you

Do something you’re good at: enjoying yourself can help beat stress

Care for others: supporting others uplifts you as well as them

Ask for help: If at times, life gets too much for you, it’s important that you speak to someone, this may be a family member or trusted friend, your GP or a professional organisation, see the list at the end of this guide for details.

Making positive change is more important than ever, especially during uncertain times, but it’s difficult to know where to start. Do one thing today, whether it’s going for a walk, learning a new skill or doing something creative, taking the first steps to getting support for yourself, or reaching out to someone else, take the opportunity to do one thing this Mental Health Awareness week.

Whatever you’ve been through this year, Mental Health Awareness Week is a chance to make a positive change for your mental health.

5 steps you can take to improve your mental health

Evidence suggest there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.

1. Connect with other people – Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. This may be more difficult at the moment, but still try to connect with others by video call or on a social distanced walk.
2. Be active – this is great for both your physical and mental wellbeing.
3. Take notice – paying more attention to the present can improve your mental wellbeing. Click here to try mindfulness.
4. Learn new skills – continued learning though life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interactions and a more active lifestyle.
5. Give to others – research suggests that acts of giving and kindness and being part of community life can improve your mental wellbeing.

For more details on the 5 steps to wellbeing click here.

Where to get help:

• NHS
• Samaritans
• Mind
• AnxietyUK
• Mental health org

Police Mutual Services

Our Care Line Service provided by Health Assured can offer advice and information, helping with a range of concerns including emotional support. To take a look at the e-portal or download the App.

Health & Wellbeing e-portal

https://healthassuredeap.co.uk

Username: policemutual

Password: careline

Download the Health Assured App and register today using the code MHA107477.

PayPlan

We’ve teamed up with PayPlan, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties.

They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt.

Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan on 0800 197 8433

Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

This article was published on Thu 01 Apr 2021. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

We all know what it’s like to feel stressed – being under pressure is a normal part of life. But becoming overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental and physical health problems or make existing problems worse.

Many people are more stressed now than ever due to the worry of the Coronavirus pandemic. Feeling stressed and worried is perfectly understandable as we are living through a situation that we have never faced before.

We may be feeling more emotions than we did prior to the pandemic, which could include anxiety, irritability, sadness, confusion or anger. As we are hopefully coming out of lockdown in the next few months, you may also be feeling hopeful for the future but also apprehensive about back to normal. You may even have all of these rollercoaster of emotions in the same day. Remember this is perfectly normal, so try not to be too hard on yourself.

It’s important to put measures in place to reduce any stress you are feeling and to take a moment to think about your own wellbeing and find our more on how to manage stress.

Stress isn’t a mental health condition, but it can cause a mental health problem, like anxiety or depression or it can cause an existing one to get worse. Stress can also affect you physically, it can cause headaches, insomnia, tiredness or stomach problems.

What you can do to help manage worries and stress

There are various steps you can take to cope with being under pressure, remember, different things work for different people.

• Write down your worries and concerns – this may help process your thoughts and emotions. You can then read the worries back and try to think of them from a different perspective.
• Keep a daily routine – our overall wellbeing relies on our daily routines, these also help with sleeping & eating patterns. This is why it’s important to ensure you and your family have structure in your day. The routine can be simple everyday things like, getting up, going to bed and eating at the same times each day, listening to music, going for a daily walk. They can also include things to look forward to, like visiting a local attraction or café at the weekend.
• Identify your triggers and take control – working out what triggers your stress can help you anticipate when you may feel stressed and what you could do about it in advance.
• Organise your time – making some adjustments to the way you organise your time can help you feel more in control and able to handle the pressure you are feeling.
• Keep active – exercise can help clear your head and then let you deal with your problems more calmly. Go outside to exercise, as fresh air and spending time in nature can really help.
• Stay healthy – as well as exercise it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and ensure you are getting enough sleep.
• Talk to other people – friends, family & colleagues can help support you through the stress you are feeling, you may even have a laugh and start to relax. You may also want to consider talking to a professional counsellor.
• Do something you enjoy – spending time doing something you enjoy will take your mind off how you are feeling. Everyone needs to take time for themselves, it can be as simple as having a bath or reading a book.
• Avoid unhealthy ways to cope – many people use alcohol, smoking, chocolate and gambling to try and relieve the stress they are feeling, none of these things will help in the long term, use healthy coping strategies like going for a run, listening to music or walking the dog.
• Challenge yourself – learning new skills and setting yourself new goals will help build your confidence and make you feel good about yourself.
• Help others – think of others in your local community, who may need help with small tasks, like shopping or volunteer to help a worthwhile cause, like litter picking or the local food bank. People who help others tend to be more resilient.
• Keep informed – whilst it’s important to keep up to date with the latest news, it can be overwhelming, so in order to manage any feelings of stress and anxiety consider only checking the news and social media once a day. Ensure you stick to trustworthy sources for the latest information.
• Keep positive – it’s very easy to focus on the negatives of any situation. But it’s important to stay positive. Think of all the things that are positive in your life and that you are grateful for, write down or say out loud 3 things that went well each day. Use these positive statements to create a positivity jar with your family.
• Try Mindfulness – mindfulness can help reduce stress, it can also give you the space to respond calmly under pressure. For more details click here.
• Address some of the causes – where possible improve some of the issues that are putting pressure on you.
• Accept the things you can’t change – it’s not easy, but accepting that there are some things happening to you that you can’t do anything about will help you focus your time and energy elsewhere.

Dealing with change is hard for everyone and can be extremely stressful, for more information on handling change and improving your resilience read our guide here.

Useful links:

• NHS
• Mind
• Gov.UK
• World Health Organisation
• Stress.Org

Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

This article was published on Thu 01 Apr 2021. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

World Health Day is an awareness day organised by the World Health Organisation.  This year they have chosen the campaign ‘to build a fairer, healthier world.’ For more details click here.

World Health Day is celebrated annually and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. It is an ideal time to think about your own health and of those close to you.

Your overall wellbeing is fundamental to how fulfilled you feel and comprises of all aspects of life, including, financial, social, emotional and physical wellbeing. Positive wellbeing improves your resilience and will help you overcome difficulties and life’s challenges.

Physical Health

Research shows that being sedentary is bad for your health, so ensure you keep active. Exercise helps both your physical and mental health, so it’s important to stay active.

A few hours of gentle exercise a week will release endorphins that make you feel energised. This could be as simple as a walk, a run, a cycle ride, dancing or even some gardening. In simple terms exercising makes you feel good.

For more details on looking after your physical health read our physical health guide here and our wellbeing & workout guide here.

Nutrition

Being overweight can cause various health concerns and according to Cancer Research UK, overweight and obesity is the 2nd biggest cause of cancer. Keeping a healthy weight reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer. Diabetes and heart disease are also other conditions that you have a higher chance of developing if you are obese.

It is therefore important to ensure you are eating a balanced diet. For more details, read our nutrition guide here.

Sleep

When you’re well rested, you think more clearly, feel better, and have more stamina and energy. But many people don’t get the 7-9 hours of sleep that doctors recommend. Lack of sleep, even for a few days, can leave you feeling irritable, frustrated, and forgetful. Regular poor sleep can put you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes and it may shorten your life expectancy.

We spend about a third of our lives asleep. Sleep is essential, it is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking and breathing, and is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health. Sleeping helps us to recover from mental as well as physical exertion.

For more details, read our sleep guide here

Stress Awareness

We all know what it’s like to feel stressed, being under pressure is a normal part of life. But becoming overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental and physical health problems or make existing problems worse.

It’s important to put measures in place to reduce any stress you are feeling and to take a moment to think about your own wellbeing and find out more on how to manage stress. For more details, read our stress awareness guide here.

Dealing with change is hard for everyone and can be extremely stressful, for more information on handling read our change and improving your resilience guide here.

Mental Health

It’s important that you take care of your mind as well as your body.

Evidence suggest there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.

1. Connect with other people – Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. This may be more difficult at the moment, but still try to connect with others by video call or on a social distanced walk.
2. Be active – this is great for both your physical and mental wellbeing.
3. Take notice – paying more attention to the present can improve your mental wellbeing. Click here to try mindfulness.
4. Learn new skills – continued learning though life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interactions and a more active lifestyle.
5. Give to others – research suggests that acts of giving and kindness and being part of community life can improve your mental wellbeing.

For more details on the 5 steps to wellbeing click here.

It’s as important to look after your mental health as it is your physical health. For more details, read our mental health guide here.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if your mental health is starting to deteriorate or you’re struggling to cope.

Financial health

Money worries are not just a financial problem they can cause relationships problems, people to lose homes and families to break down. People from all walks of life can end up in debt for many different reasons like divorce, redundancy, ill health or bereavement. It’s not always easy to talk about money worries but if you’re struggling financially it’s important to take action.

For more details, read our debt awareness guide here.

Financial problems is one of the biggest worries that can negatively affect your mental health. According to the Police Federation’s annual Pay & Morale survey results published in November 2019 around one in eight officers were seeking financial support to cover living costs.

It’s important to start talking about money worries before your situation gets worse. Talking about money will give you the confidence to get help and find out who can best advise you on any problems.

It can give you a great sense of relief to share your problems, so you’re not facing them alone. It’s important to seek professional advice as soon as possible and not wait until it’s more difficult to find a solution.

We’ve teamed up with PayPlan*, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties. They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt. Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan* on 0800 197 8433.

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*PayPlan is a trading name of Totemic Limited. Totemic Limited is a limited company registered in England, Company Number: 2789854. Registered Office: Kempton House, Dysart Road, PO Box 9562, Grantham, NG31 0EA. Totemic Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Conduct Authority Number: 681263.

Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

This article was published on Fri 05 Mar 2021. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

Recognising the pursuit of happiness as a fundamental human goal

March 20 is the International Day of Happiness and this year’s theme is Keep Calm. Stay Wise. Be Kind, focusing on finding positive ways to look after ourselves and each other. Since 2012 this day’s aim is ‘To promote happiness as a universal goal and aspiration in the lives of human beings around the world’.

We all want to lead a happy life and want the people we love to be happy too. But as a society we are not giving this enough priority. Our actions and choices can affect our happiness. What makes us happy has less to do with our money or possessions and more to do with our attitudes and relationships with other people. 

According to Action for Happiness there are 10 key areas in which we can take practical action to boost our happiness and to help prevent depression and anxiety.

GREAT DREAM – 10 keys to happier living

• Giving– Do kind things for others
• Relating – Connect with other people
• Exercising – Take care of your body
• Awareness – Live Life mindfully
• Trying out – keep learning new things
• Direction – Have goals to look forward to
• Resilience – Find ways to bounce back
• Emotion – Look for what’s good
• Acceptance – Be comfortable with who you are
• Meaning – Be part of something bigger 

Take the Action for Happiness Pledge

“I will try to create more happiness and less unhappiness in the world around me”

What to do if you aren’t happy

• Find 3 good thing each day
• Thank the people you’re grateful for
• Look for the good in those around you
• Bring mindfulness into your day
• Find your strengths and focus on them
• Get help if you’re struggling

Police Mutual Products & Services

If you are struggling to be happy because of money worries, Police Mutual are here to help. We want to break down the stigma surrounding debt and get people talking about money.

We’ve teamed up with PayPlan, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties.

They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt.

Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan on 0800 197 8433.  If you don’t want to talk on the phone contact them using their online form. www.payplan.com

Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

This article was published on Tue 02 Mar 2021. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

Marked every year on March 8th, International Women’s Day (IWD) is the day the world takes a moment to celebrate the achievements of women and make a stand for women’s equality.

Each year has a theme and the theme for 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge. The idea is that we are all responsible for our own thoughts and actions. So, as a collective we can choose to challenge and stand against gender inequality. By taking this stand, we can work together to create a fairer and more inclusive world to live in.

There’s an online campaign inviting people to share a photo of themselves raising a hand. It symbolises the person’s commitment to challenge inequality, call out gender bias and help create a better world.

You can participate by sharing your selfie on your own social media feed, using the hashtag #ChooseToChange.

Over 100 years of female Police Officers

Did you know it’s been over 100 years since the first woman Police Officer joined the Metropolitan Police? She took to the streets of London in 1919. It didn’t exactly open the floodgates, however. It took another four years until female Police Officers were allowed to make arrests. What’s more, it wasn’t until sixty-three years later, in 1986, that female officers were permitted to carry truncheons with which they could defend themselves while on duty!

Times have changed, thankfully. A 2019^[1] survey reported that there are over 37,000 female officers in the UK Police Force. And of course, in 2017 Dame Cressida Dick became the first woman to take charge of the Metropolitan Police as Commissioner.

Police Mutual sponsors the British Association for Women in Policing (BAWP). BAWP exist to empower the strong, hardworking women of the Police. The organisation’s mission is to continue to ensure that women’s voices in policing are both heard and understood.

You can find out more about BAWP here.

You can learn more about International Women’s Day here.

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^[1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/831726/police-workforce-mar19-hosb1119.pdf

Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

This article was published on Thur 28 Jan 2021. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

You can download this guide as a PDF

Time to Talk Day is the day to get us all talking about mental health. This years’ time to talk day on 4 February may be different, but during the pandemic talking about mental health is more important than ever.

The more conversations we have about mental health the more barriers we can break down and the closer we’ll come to ending mental health stigma and discrimination.

This year’s focus of time to talk day is the power of small, because however you have a conversation about mental health, whether it’s a quick message to a colleague, a virtual cuppa, or a socially distanced walk and talk, it has the power to make a big difference.

A small conversation about mental health has the power to make a big difference.

Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet many people can feel isolated, ashamed and worthless because of this. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health, to talk, to listen, to improve lives. Every conversation brings us a step closer to ending the feelings that too many of us experience. Poor mental health can affect anyone, of any age, gender or background.

Starting a conversation with someone around their or your own mental health can feel uncomfortable. You may be worried that you will say the wrong thing but remember saying nothing is far worse. You may have concerns about how others are coping with the current situation.

Here are some tips on helping others:

• Ask others how they are feeling.
• Ask someone twice how they are feeling, this will give them the opportunity to be honest and to realise that you genuinely want to know.
• Listen and don’t judge, it’s great that people are happy to talk to you about how they are feeling, so ensure you really listen to them.
• Ask how long they have felt this way.
• Ask if there is anything you can do to help.
• Ask what support they need. Provide them with details of professional organisations, who may be able to help.
• Treat them in the same way, don’t change the way you act towards someone once you are aware of their poor mental health.
• Little gestures can have a big impact, this may be just having a virtual cuppa or watching a film together.

With the majority of children not currently going to school, they may be missing their friends and struggling with home schooling. Like adults, children will respond to this situation in different ways, such as being more clingy, anxious, withdrawn or angry. Try to respond to your child’s reactions in a supportive way, listen to their concerns and give them extra care and attention. Remember to listen to your children and re-assure them. For more details on supporting children during the pandemic click here.

Time to Talk day isn’t just about helping others, it’s also about thinking about your own wellbeing.

Research has shown that emergency services workers are twice as likely as the public to identify problems at work as the main cause of their mental health problems, but they are also significantly less likely to seek help. So during the pandemic it’s even more important to look after your own mental health when working on the frontline.

Here are some tips on helping yourself:

• Think about your purpose: be clear about why you are doing this job.
• Be clear on expectations: make sure you know what is expected of you and whether it is realistic.
• Keep your boundaries: establish clear boundaries between work and personal life, don’t take work home with you.
• Talk to colleagues: make time to talk to your colleagues about your experiences and share fears and concerns.
• Value your own family and relationships: while work is important, your family and relationships need to be valued.
• Keep active: regular exercise can boost your self-esteem, can help you concentrate, relax and increase your overall wellbeing. This can be as simple as a regular walk, being outside in nature can also help improve your mental health.
• Get plenty of sleep: sleep helps regulate the chemicals in our brain that transmit information. These chemicals are important in managing our moods and emotions and an imbalance in those chemicals can result in us becoming depressed or anxious. Read our sleep guide here.
• Eat well: nutrition is now more important than ever, having a balanced diet helps to ensure we have the correct nutrients.
• Avoid alcohol: The numbing effects of drinking are only temporary and can often lead to mental health issues. Alcohol can also damage the immune system. Try to adopt positive coping strategies such as talking, going for a walk or listening to music instead.  If you do drink, try to stay within the recommended unit guidelines.
• Keep in touch: it’s good for you to catch up with friends and family on a video call or over the phone.
• Take a break: a change of scenery or pace is good for you. Make sure you take time to relax and re-charge.
• Do something you’re good at: doing something you enjoy and you are good at can give you the ‘feel good’ boost that everyone needs. Enjoying yourself can help beat stress.
• Care for others: supporting others uplifts you as well as them.
• Ask for help: sometimes you need help from others, so don’t be afraid to ask for help, from a family member or friend, your GP or a professional organisation, see the list at the end of this guide for more details.
• Get the best out of the ‘new normal’: it may be hard but we all still need to live in the best way we can during these unusual times. This may be creating your own routine of things you enjoy doing, running, cycling, binging on Netflix, helping others in the community or learning a new skill, it doesn’t really matter what it is as long as you feel like you are achieving something and spending time looking after your own physical and mental wellbeing.

For more information on looking after your mental health during the pandemic click here to access our guide.

Mental health conversations have the power to make a big difference, but sometimes these conversations can bring up some difficult things that people may not have spoken about before. This might mean that they need some support. If you feel a loved one, colleague or yourself need additional support, contact a GP, a counselling professional or one of the organisations listed below:

• Samaritans
• Mind
• NHS
• AnxietyUK
• Mental health org

Financial problems is one of the biggest worries that can negatively affect your mental health. According to the Police Federation’s annual Pay & Morale survey results published in November 2019 around one in eight officers were seeking financial support to cover living costs.

It’s important to start talking about money worries before your situation gets worse. Talking about money will give you the confidence to get help and find out who can best advise you on any problems. It can give you a great sense of relief to share your problems, so you’re not facing them alone. It’s important to seek professional advice as soon as possible and not wait until it’s more difficult to find a solution.

We’ve teamed up with PayPlan, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties.

They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt.

Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan on 0800 197 8433

Police Mutual Care Line Service

Police Mutual Care Line Service provided by Health Assured can offer advice and information, helping with a range of concerns including emotional support.

Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.