
Looking after your mental wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak
The coronavirus (COVID19) outbreak is going to have an impact on everyone’s daily lives. In these challenging and unprecedented times, it's normal to experience increased levels of stress, anxiety, low mood or depression. But don’t worry it’s common and you’re not alone.
During this time, you may be bored, frustrated or lonely. You may also feel low, worried, anxious, or be concerned about your health or that of those close to you. Everyone reacts differently to events and changes in the way that we think, feel and behave vary between different people and over time. It’s important that you take care of your mind as well as your body and to get further support if you need it.
Public Health England has produced a mental health guide to help you look after your mental wellbeing during COVID-19.
You can now also access dedicated Silver Cloud online therapy modules to help reduce stress, anxiety and increase resilience as a result of COVID-19.
Note: you will need to enter one of the following PINs: HEREFORDSHIRE or WORCESTERSHIRE to access the modules.
Alternatively, explore this page to access lots of useful links, tips and resources to help maintain your mental wellbeing.
Click on the links below to download the support guides
What is it?
This is a course aimed at people living with Long Covid and Post Covid* and feeling low in mood or depressed. We understand the huge impact that living with Post Covid and Long Covid can have on all areas of life including the effect on mood. We also know that keeping our mood as good as it can be, can make a huge difference to managing physical symptoms and to recovery.
Are you living with Post Covid Syndrome or Long Covid symptoms and been:
- feeling low, down or fed up?
- thinking negatively about things?
- struggling with fatigue or sleep?
- feeling your motivation to do stuff is low?
- finding it difficult to concentrate?
- perhaps you’ve been beating yourself up about things?
If you have been experiencing any of these, this course may help.
What does this programme involve?
This is a virtual course that is structured and based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. They are educational in nature, with opportunities for discussion.
Each course is 6 sessions long, for one hour and thirty minutes weekly on Wednesdays 1 – 2.30pm.
How will this help me?
You will learn to understand experiences from a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy viewpoint, explore the impact of living with post covid / long covid (and other long term health conditions) and discuss common features. You will learn about managing low mood and the vicious cycle of depression in addition to the deconditioning and the boom and bust cycles. We will explore barriers to motivation including breathlessness, brain fog and fatigue. You will learn about breaking vicious cycles with behavioural activation and pacing for post covid. You will be spotting unhelpful thoughts and challenging them. You will also learn more about emotions, communication, sleep and relaxation.
Who runs the sessions?
The courses are run remotely by our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and we welcome patients with GPs across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners are fully trained in delivering guided self-help treatment based on CBT techniques and work closely with the Worcestershire Post Covid Team.
ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled.
*We do not require you have received a formal diagnosis of Post Covid Syndrome
What is it?
This is a course aimed at people living with Long Covid and Post Covid* and feeling low in mood or depressed. We understand the huge impact that living with Post Covid and Long Covid can have on all areas of life including the effect on mood. We also know that keeping our mood as good as it can be, can make a huge difference to managing physical symptoms and to recovery.
Are you living with Post Covid Syndrome or Long Covid symptoms and been:
- feeling low, down or fed up?
- thinking negatively about things?
- struggling with fatigue or sleep?
- feeling your motivation to do stuff is low?
- finding it difficult to concentrate?
- perhaps you’ve been beating yourself up about things?
If you have been experiencing any of these, this course may help.
What does this programme involve?
This is a virtual course that is structured and based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. They are educational in nature, with opportunities for discussion.
Each course is 6 sessions long, for one hour and thirty minutes weekly on Wednesdays 1 – 2.30pm.
How will this help me?
You will learn to understand experiences from a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy viewpoint, explore the impact of living with post covid / long covid (and other long term health conditions) and discuss common features. You will learn about managing low mood and the vicious cycle of depression in addition to the deconditioning and the boom and bust cycles. We will explore barriers to motivation including breathlessness, brain fog and fatigue. You will learn about breaking vicious cycles with behavioural activation and pacing for post covid. You will be spotting unhelpful thoughts and challenging them. You will also learn more about emotions, communication, sleep and relaxation.
Who runs the sessions?
The courses are run remotely by our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and we welcome patients with GPs across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners are fully trained in delivering guided self-help treatment based on CBT techniques and work closely with the Worcestershire Post Covid Team.
ALL courses and groups will be run online via video conferencing until further notice. If course spaces are not filled they may have to be cancelled.
*We do not require you have received a formal diagnosis of Post Covid Syndrome
Self-help guides
The NHS have produced a range of self-help guides that can be viewed as a PDF or an audio version. To view the guides please visit the self-help guides bookshelf (opens in new window).
Relaxation techniques
Exploring relaxation can help you look after yourself when you're feeling stressed or worried. Why not try these relaxation routines and see how relaxation can fit into your daily life? Listen to the audio guides here.
SilverCloud online therapy
SilverCloud courses are designed to help you improve and maintain your wellbeing by changing the way you think and feel about things.
There are several free courses to pick from including positive body image, panic, covid-19, depression, anxiety, stress and many more.
All you need is access to the internet and sound on a computer, tablet or mobile. The programme is flexible so you can use it anytime, anyplace, and anywhere. They feature videos, activities, quizzes, audio guides and your own online journal. Find out more on the SilverCloud website page.
Every Mind Matters
Expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing. Visit the Every Mind Matters website.
Here2Help (if you live in Worcestershire)
Here2Help is a service that offers support for people of all ages. It includes information, advice, tools, guidance and local support available in the local community.
Talk Community (if you live in Herefordshire)
Talk Community is helping residents, businesses, community leaders and our council to make Herefordshire a better place to live and work.
Podcasts
Podcasts can be a really good way of relaxing the mind, listen to features, interviews and a number of people involved in mental health, including people have experience mental health difficulties, campaigners and mental health experts. To find out more visit the podcast resources page.
Self-refer to healthy minds
Our Healthy Minds team are trained and experienced in supporting a wide range of more common mental health issues. Mostly this involves ‘talking therapy’ approaches. Talking therapy could involve group discussion, or more traditional 1:1 sessions. We also provide online courses which the team can guide you through. To find out more about the service and self-refer visit the service webpage.
Qwell
Free mental wellbeing support including online chat and forums. www.qwell.io
GP
Visit your GP practice team to discuss the best options for you, including access to specialist services.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Wellbeing and Recovery College
Courses and workshops to give people the tools, skills and understanding that they need for their own wellbeing and recovery. Visit the Recovery College website here.
Employment support (part of the Healthy Minds service)
Mental Health Matters are working in partnership with Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust to provide employment related support to individuals who are accessing Healthy Minds.
Urgent NHS mental health helpline
Call the free local NHS urgent mental health helpline 0808 196 9127 if you need advice and support quickly. (24 hours a day 365 days a year).
Call 999
For free, if you are seriously injured, have taken an overdose or if there is an immediate risk to life.
MIND: www.mind.org.uk
Samaritans freephone: 116-123
Shout: Text “SHOUT” to 85258