Mental Wellbeing

Mental Wellbeing

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This information has been developed for patients in the Specialist Weight Management Service.

What is mental wellbeing?

Positive mental wellbeing does not mean that you never experience feelings or
situations that you find difficult but it does mean that you feel you have the resilience to
cope when times are tougher than usual. Feelings of contentment, enjoyment,
confidence and engagement with the world are all a part of mental wellbeing. Self-esteem and self-confidence are, too.

It can help to think about “being well” as something you do, rather than something you
are.

Evidence suggests there are five steps we can all take to improve our mental
wellbeing. The ‘Five ways to wellbeing ’have been identified through extensive
reviews of research and expert opinion as simple actions that anyone can take that will
have a positive impact on their day to day wellbeing.

If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most
from life. This is about building a stable foundation which will make it easier to buffer
the other challenges that life throws at us.

Small changes can make a big difference. Building just five actions into our daily lives
can increase wellbeing. This is all about taking action to make change – the more
you put in, the more you are likely to get out. Planning and preparation is key, so
remember to use a diary to schedule planned activities and involve your friends and
family. In planning your time, you will take an active role in managing your wellbeing
and lifting your mood. This will help you to do more of the things you want to, in
addition to the things that you have to do.

Connect

There is strong evidence that indicates that feeling close to, and valued by other
people is a fundamental human need and one that contributes to functioning well in
the world.

It’s clear that social relationships are critical for promoting wellbeing and for acting as a
buffer against mental ill health for people of all ages.

With this in mind, try to do something different today and make a connection.

Talk to someone instead of sending an email
Speak to someone new
Ask how someone’s weekend was and really listen when they tell you
Put five minutes aside to find out how someone really is
Give a colleague a lift to work or share the journey home with them.

Be active

Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety
across all age groups.

Exercise is essential for slowing age-related cognitive decline and for promoting well-being.

But it doesn’t need to be particularly intense for you to feel good – slower-paced
activities, such as walking, can have the benefit of encouraging social interactions as
well providing some level of exercise.

Today, why not get physical? Here are a few ideas:

Take the stairs not the lift
Go for a walk at lunchtime
Walk into work – perhaps with a colleague – so you can ‘connect’ as well
Get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the final part of your journey to work
Organise a work sporting activity
Have a kick-about in a local park
Do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, before you leave for work in the morning
Walk to someone’s desk instead of calling or emailing.

Take notice

Reminding yourself to ‘take notice’ can strengthen and broaden awareness.

Studies have shown that being aware of what is taking place in the present directly
enhances your well-being and savouring ‘the moment’ can help to reaffirm your life
priorities. Heightened awareness also enhances your self-understanding and allows
you to make positive choices based on your own values and motivations.

Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few
ideas:

Get a plant for your workspace
Have a ‘clear the clutter’ day
Take notice of how your colleagues are feeling or acting
Take a different route on your journey to or from work
Visit a new place for lunch.

Learn

Continued learning through life enhances self-esteem and encourages social
interaction and a more active life.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the opportunity to engage in work or educational
activities particularly helps to lift older people out of depression.

The practice of setting goals, which is related to adult learning in particular, has been
strongly associated with higher levels of wellbeing.

Why not learn something new today? Here are a few more ideas:

Find out something about your colleagues
Sign up for a class
Read the news or a book
Set up a book club
Do a crossword or Sudoku
Research something you’ve always wondered about
Learn a new word.

Give

Participation in social and community life has attracted a lot of attention in the field of
wellbeing research. Individuals who report a greater interest in helping others are
more likely to rate themselves as happy.

Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of
kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in
wellbeing.

The measure below will provide an indicator of your overall wellbeing right now, and
can be a useful tool for you to keep on track – checking how the changes you make
affect your quality of life.

WHO (Five) Well-Being Index (1998 version)
Please indicate for each of the five statements which is closest to how you have been
feeling over the last two weeks. Notice that higher numbers mean better well-being.

Example: If you have felt cheerful and in good spirits more than half of the time during
the last two weeks, put a tick in the box with the number 3 in the upper right corner.

You can learn more about all of this at
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/

Other useful links/resources

Mind Side by Side https://sidebyside.mind.org.uk/

Sane Support Forum
http://www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/supportforum

NHS Every mind matters – https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters

NHS Mental wellbeing audio guides –for guidance in coping with low mood, anxiety ,
low confidence etc

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/mental-wellbeing-audio-guides

MIND https://www.mind.org.uk/

Living Life to the Full – https://llttf.com/ (Free online courses covering low mood,
stress and resilience. Work out why you feel as you do, how to tackle problems, build
confidence, get going again, feel happier, stay calm, tackle upsetting thinking and
more)

Moodscope – https://www.moodscope.com/ – Track your mood on a graph to
understand what gets to you.

Guided meditations -Set time aside to do a guided meditation daily, if you find these
useful.

A 10 minute bedtime meditation if you are struggling with sleep.-
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/coronavirus/long-term-health-conditions-andmental-wellbeing/#1

8 minute muscle relaxation https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/coronavirus/long-term-health-conditions-and-mental-wellbeing/#1

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything,
please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience
We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you
and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a
member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to
answer your questions and reassure you.

Feedback
Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well
and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your
experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are
available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We
value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with
us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the
nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best
placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of
staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer
informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf,
if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to
outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can
investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing
and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:
Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]

Opening times:
The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please
be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your
call within one working day.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of
staff.

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Over the last two weeks:

All the time

Most of the time

More than half of the time

Less than half of the time

Some of the time

At no time

.1 I have felt cheerful and in good spirits

2. I have felt calm and relaxed

3. I have felt active and vigorous

4. I woke up feeling fresh and rested

5. My daily life has been filled with things that interest me