World Mental Health Day – 10 October 2022

This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day is ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’.

Sharon Allison, Head of Medical Negligence and Ben Needham-Holmes, Rehabilitation Co-ordinator, provide their viewpoints on what this means to them and the clients they work with.

Sharon Allison: The effects of poor mental health can be devastating

For a number of years, there has been much discussion from health bosses and politicians that Mental Health should have parity with Physical Health. Whilst it is clear that there is chronic underfunding in both areas, it is a reasonable conclusion to make that Mental Health has never had the benefit of the same starting point, which leaves it lagging far behind physical wellbeing.

Poor mental health has huge financial consequences in a number of ways. Often the individual cannot work, needs state benefit help, spends a lot of time falling between the stools of disparate mental health and primary care services that work in isolation from each other and in the worst of any of these scenarios, they sometimes cannot access or are not offered the help they need, and may end up taking their own lives.

I often see a ripple effect with similar consequences affecting the deceased’s family, and therefore, history repeats itself. Unless and until we as a country demonstrate that parity with delivering on funding and resource to treat a poorly mind in the same way we may treat a poorly arm or leg, then we are not making mental health a priority, and we cannot be the global leader we often aspire to be.

Ben Needham-Holmes: Mental health after a catastrophic injury

Sharon has touched upon the issues we find with access to appropriate services, so I wanted to focus on the client’s support systems following catastrophic injury/trauma.

This year’s theme of ‘…mental health wellbeing and wellbeing for all …’ really shines a light on the fact that mental health challenges do not discriminate.

Research has shown that following a catastrophic injury, there is a high prevalence of associated trauma relating to the event and its consequences, not only for the client but for the people closest to them.

Trauma can create a ‘ripple effect’ beyond the individual who experienced it to their support systems (family members, carers, therapists). These support systems are usually essential for the injured person’s wellbeing, but often their experiences are overlooked.

As we work with our clients, we should also explore with their support systems how they are coping and what their experiences are. Living with unresolved trauma can lead to burnout, which ultimately can result in the injured person losing their support systems and, thus, poorer outcomes for all involved.

It is important that we regularly engage in reflective practice (both on our own and with peers) to check that we are considering the wider picture.

Helpful resources

• Mental Health Foundation
• World Health Organisation
• Mind – Mind is a national charity who provide support and resources relating to mental health.
• Rehab Recovery – an organisation that provides addiction treatment and healthcare advice for a wide range of different addiction and dependency problems.
• Substance misuse – Rehab 4 Addiction was founded to assist those affected by substance misuse and their loved ones.