TRAININGS AT MENDING MINDS FOUNDATION - Mending Minds Foundation

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Mending Minds helps you assist someone experiencing a Mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health awareness trainings , you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, access to affordable Mental Health services and medication .Mending Minds Foundation increases Mental Health literacy and SuicidePrevention strategies that can save many lives.While giving people the skills they need to reach out and provide initial help and support to individuals who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a Mental Health difficulties.

Mending Minds Foundation Mental Health awareness Programs offers strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, where to turn for help and suicide prevention.

We build stronger communities ,create safe spaces for Mental Health conversations in organisations, communities and individuals.

You will learn;

When helping a person going through a mental health crisis, it is important to lookout for signs of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, non-suicidal self-injury, or other harm. Mending Minds helps one assess for risk of suicide or harm to save many lives.Suicide Prevention strategies will also be addressed in this topic.

Threatening to hurt or kill oneself
Seeking access to means to hurt or kill oneself
Talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide
Feeling hopeless
Acting recklessly or engaging in risky activities
Increased use of alcohol or drugs
Withdrawing from family, friends, or society
Appearing agitated or angry
Having a dramatic change in mood are some of the warning signs of suicide.

Listening is critical in helping an individual feel respected, accepted, and understood it requires taught skills and patience

The ability to listen and have a meaningful conversation requires skill and patience. Listening is critical in helping an individual feel respected, accepted, and understood. Mending Minds Foundation enlightens you to use a set of verbal and nonverbal skills and other strategies to engage in appropriate conversation.

Listen non judgmentally at Mending Minds Foundation

Give reassurance and information at Mending Minds Foundation

It is important to recognise that mental illnesses and addictions are real, treatable illnesses from which people can and do recover or thrive in safe spaces with the right support.When talking to someone you believe may be experiencing,Mental Health difficulties or symptoms of a mental illness, approach the conversation with respect and dignity and don’t blame the individual on their Mental breakdown or any other Mental Health difficulties.Mending Minds Foundation World Class resources and information you can offer to someone to provide emotional support and practical help.

Mending Minds Foundation gives you potential sources of support and to practice offering these supports to others to save lives.

We contribute individuals ,Communities and Organisations Wellbeing, recovery and thriving.

Our Mental Health Awareness programmes will help assist you or a loved one experiencing Mental Health difficulties or substance use-related . You learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to seek professional help.An individual can also empower communities as a Mental Health advocate to accelerate Mental Health conversation safely.

Suicide Prevention

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear or apprehension about what’s to come. The first day of school, going to a job interview, or giving a speech may cause most people to feel fearful and nervous.But if your feelings of anxiety are extreme, last for longer than six months, and are interfering with your life, you may have an anxiety disorder.
Other ways people experience anxiety include nightmares, panic attacks, and painful thoughts or memories that you can’t control. You may have a general feeling of fear and worry, or you may fear a specific place or event.
An anxiety attack is a feeling of overwhelming apprehension, worry, distress, or fear. For many people, an anxiety attack builds slowly. It may worsen as a stressful event approach.

Mood disorders

Everyday life is a roller coaster of emotions. You may feel on top of the world one day because of a high-profile promotion or an awesome grade on a test. Another day, you may feel down in the dumps due to relationship problems, financial troubles, or because you got a flat tire on the way to work. These are normal fluctuations in mood that come and go. When your mood starts to have an impact on your daily activities and in your social, educational, and vocational relationships, you may be suffering from a mood disorder.
Mood disorders have been found to affect approximately 20% of the general population at any given point. More specifically, 7% of the Kenyan. population is thought to suffer from depression over the course of their lifetime
Mood disorders can negatively impact your work life and school life and intrude on your personal relationships

Depression

If someone is suffering from depression, feelings of negativity can affect their whole being. While different types of depression exist, most have mood, cognitive, sleep, behavioral, whole body, and weight effects. They are likely experiencing feelings of apathy, general discontent, loss of interest in things that used to be pleasurable, mood swings, or overall sadness. In addition, you may have thoughts of suicide, problems sleeping, feel excessively irritable, socially isolated, and restless. Depression often affects your weight as well – they may lose interest in eating and lose a significant amount of weight or feel overly hungry and put on excess weight.

Substance Use disorders – drug abuse

Substance use disorders generally involve behavior patterns in which people continue to use a substance despite having problems caused by its use. Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.
The coexistence of both mental health and a substance use disorder is referred to as co-occurring disorders.
Mental health and substance use disorders affect people from all walks of life and all age groups. These illnesses are common, recurrent, and often serious, but they are treatable, and many people do recover.
Mending Minds mission is to reduce the impact of mental and substance use disorders on Kenya’s communities. Mending minds works to preventand treat mental and substance use disorders and provide supports for people seeking or already in recovery.

Trauma – PTSD

The longer we live, the more inevitable it is that we will experience trauma. Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences. It does not discriminate, and it is pervasive throughout the world. A World Mental Health survey conducted by the World Health Organization found that at least a third of the more than 125,000 people surveyed had experienced trauma. That number rose to 70% when the group was limited to people experiencing core disorders. But those numbers are just for instances that have been reported; the actual number is probably much, much higher.
While there are no objective criteria to evaluate which events will cause post-trauma symptoms, circumstances typically involve the loss of control, betrayal, abuse of power, helplessness, pain, confusion and/or loss. The event need not rise to the level of war, natural disaster, nor personal assault to affect a person profoundly and alter their experiences. Traumatic situations that cause post-trauma symptoms vary quite dramatically from person to person. Indeed, it is very subjective, and it is important to bear in mind that it is defined more by its response than its trigger.

Psychosis

Group of serious illnesses that affect the mind. They make it hard for someone to think clearly, make good judgments, respond emotionally, communicate effectively, understand reality, and behave appropriately.
When symptoms are severe, people with psychotic disorders have trouble staying in touch with reality and often are unable to handle daily life. But even severe psychotic disorders usually can be treated.
Psychosis is characterized by an impaired relationship with reality. It’s a symptom of serious mental disorders. People who are experiencing psychosis may have either hallucinations or delusions. Psychotic disorders are severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. People with psychoses lose touch with reality. Two of the main symptoms are delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are false beliefs, such as thinking that someone is plotting against you or that the TV is sending you secret messages. Hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that is not there.

Young People and their Mental Health

Adolescence (10–19 years) is a unique and formative time. Whilst most adolescents have good mental health, multiple physical, emotional, and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems. Promoting psychological well-being and protecting adolescents from adverse experiences and risk factors which may impact their potential to thrive are not only critical for their well-being during adolescence, but also for their physical and mental health in adulthood.
One in six people are aged 10–19 years. Mental health conditions account for 16% of the burden of disease and injury in people aged 10–19 years. Half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age but most cases are undetected and untreated.
10–20% of adolescents experience mental health conditions, yet these remain underdiagnosed and undertreated due i.e. lack of knowledge or awareness about mental health among health workers, or stigma preventing them from seeking help.
Depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in older adolescents (15–19 years). Nearly 90% of adolescents live in low- or middle-income households but more than 90% of adolescent suicides are among adolescents living in those households.
Many risk-taking behaviors for health, such as substance use or sexual risk taking, start during adolescence. Harmful use of substances (such as alcohol or drugs) are major concerns. The prevalence of heavy episodic drinking among adolescents aged 15-19 years was 13.6% in 2016, with males most at risk
The consequences of not addressing adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
Mental health promotion and prevention are key to helping adolescents thrive.

Mental Health at Work

There are many risk factors for mental health that may be present in the working environment. Most risks relate to interactions between type of work, the organizational and managerial environment, the skills and competencies of employees, and the support available for employees to carry out their work. For example, a person may have the skills to complete tasks, but they may have too few resources to do what is required, or there may be unsupportive managerial or organizational practices.
Bullying and psychological harassment (also known as “mobbing”) are commonly reported causes of work-related stress by workers and present risks to the health of workers. They are associated with both psychological and physical problems. These health consequences can have costs for employers in terms of reduced productivity and increased staff turnover. They can also have a negative impact on family and social interactions.
In a recent major study, 82% of responding organizations ranked mental health conditions in their top three causes of short-term disability (72% for long-term). lost productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeism (present but less than fully productive at work) due to mental health problems and illnesses was approximately $6 Billion.
Employers who set a strategic direction for improving mental health are rewarded with dramatic cost and effectiveness benefits, enjoying significant and sustainable enhancements in:
- Productivity: Happy and psychologically healthy employees work harder and more efficiently.
- Cost Savings due to Disability and Absenteeism: There is a strong link between mental health, physical well-being, and injury prevention
- Operational Success: Mentally healthy workplaces are characterized by higher levels of employee motivation, commitment, innovation, and creativity, as well as fewer errors, better decision making and improved planning.
- Recruitment and Retention: Top candidates today are looking for a workplace that supports their personal and professional growth.
- Conflict Reduction: Better mental health among employees means fewer grievances and complaints and a stronger corporate reputation
- Operational Success: Mentally healthy workplaces are characterized by higher levels of employee motivation, commitment, innovation, and creativity, as well as fewer errors, better decision making and improved planning.