Published on: 6 November 2024
International Stress Awareness Week (4-9 November) is an opportunity to raise awareness around stress management and combating the stigma of stress and mental health issues. This year’s theme is on campaigning to reduce stress and improve wellbeing. Local organisations including Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust recognise the importance of mental health to support residents’ overall health and wellbeing. These local organisations are working together to ensure that local people are aware of simple ways to help reduce stress, and the sources of support available if stress becomes too much to manage.
As part of this awareness day, Derbyshire Healthcare has spoken with Derby Safe Haven, run by charity Waythrough (formerly known as Richmond Fellowship), who provide out-of-hours support on a self-referral basis every day of the week between 4.30pm to 12.30am for anyone struggling and needing a friendly face to talk to. Lucy Jantschenko, Team Manager at Waythrough, has shared tips on ways to better manage stress.
Lucy said: “Stress is the body’s way of responding to challenges. It is not always a bad thing; it can be beneficial in motivating us and push us outside of our comfort zone. However, if stress builds up this can have a negative impact on our overall wellbeing so it is important to implement some healthy habits and tips to combat this.”
Top tips for beating stress
Physical techniques:
- Exercise – physical activity helps reduce stress hormones and releases endorphins, which can help to improve your overall mood.
- Relaxation techniques – practise deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to calm your mind and body.
- Healthy diet – eating a balanced diet can help regulate mood and energy levels.
- Adequate sleep – prioritise sleep to ensure your body and mind can rest and recover.
Mental techniques:
- Time management – organise your tasks and prioritise to reduce the feelings of being overwhelmed.
- Positive thinking – focus on the positive aspects of your life and practise gratitude.
- Mindfulness – pay attention to the present moment and avoid dwelling on the past or future.
- Problem-solving – break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
- Seek support – talk to friends, family, or a therapist about your stress and concerns.
Additional tips:
- Limit stressors – identify and reduce sources of stress in your life, such as excessive workload or toxic relationships.
- Hobbies – engage in activities you enjoy to help you relax and unwind.
- Nature – spend time in nature to reduce stress and improve mental wellbeing.
- Laughter – humour can help alleviate stress and improve mood. Even if you fake a smile, this will trick your brain.
- Professional help – if stress becomes overwhelming, consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counsellor.
- Chew gum – if you’re eating, your brain thinks you must be safe and as a result you will feel more calm.
It is important to find what works best for you and to incorporate these techniques into your daily routine.
Mark Powell, Chief Executive at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We encourage people to use this awareness day to seek support and guidance for their mental health. Stress is a big contributing factor to poor mental health, so it is important to take action when things become difficult and to talk about your concerns.”
Everyone experiences ups and downs at some point, but poor mental health is not something that should be experienced alone. There are lots of self-help tips and advice on the NHS’s Every Mind Matters website. But there are also lots of ways to reach out in Derby and Derbyshire if you need someone to talk to – including drop-in centres, safe havens open every night of the week, and a 24/7 local helpline – and these are described in more detail below.
Urgent mental health support services
If you, or someone you care for, needs urgent mental health support, there are a range of options available to support you. These are summarised below, or you can find more information online – on the 'help in a crisis' page on the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust website or on the ‘Derby and Derbyshire emotional health and wellbeing’ website. Remember: in a medical emergency or life-threatening situation, please attend your nearest Accident and Emergency (A&E) department or call 999.
Mental Health Crisis Support Drop-In Services
There are three crisis support drop-in services open Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons in Buxton, Swadlincote and Ripley. These drop-in services, run by Derbyshire Mind in partnership with local community organisations, offer an out-of-hours friendly and welcoming community support space open to anyone over 18 experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress. This is an opportunity to get support and help in a relaxed and comfortable environment. All three services are open Fridays and Saturdays 6pm to 11pm, and Sundays 2.30pm to 5.30pm.
- The Buxton service is located at Zink in the Market Street Car Park (top of Clough Street), SK17 6LJ.
- The Ripley service is at The Croft, Slack Lane (just off Ripley Market Place), DE5 3HF.
- The Swadlincote service is at 12-14 West Street (opposite the Empire Cinema), DE11 9DE.
Full details of all three services are on the Derbyshire Mind website.
Safe Havens
These centres, in Derby and Chesterfield, are open every evening from 4.30pm to 12.30am and are places where people can get support when they feel overwhelmed or unable to cope.
- Derby’s Safe Haven, run by Waythrough, is at 309 Burton Road, Derby, DE23 6AG. Tel: 0330 008 3722
- Chesterfield’s Safe Haven, run by the charity P3, is at 188 North Wingfield Road, Grassmoor, Chesterfield, S42 5EJ. It can be contacted through the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline on 0800 028 0077 or you can self-refer by making a booking on the P3 website.
Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service – 0800 028 0077 or dial 111 and select ‘mental health’
This free helpline is staffed by NHS professionals from Derbyshire Healthcare and advisers from the charity P3. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for residents of Derby and Derbyshire of all ages, adults and children alike. There is now a new option for Deaf people and those with a hearing impairment to contact the helpline via the SignVideo app. Learn more at www.derbyshirehelpline.com
The helpline works closely with the Safe Havens and also Derbyshire’s Crisis Houses, which offer short-term residential accommodation to people with urgent mental health needs, to support their wellbeing.
Help Us, Help You – NHS Talking Therapies
The NHS is encouraging anyone struggling with feelings of depression, or anxiety such as excessive worry, panic attacks, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or obsessions and compulsions, to seek help through NHS Talking Therapies services. These are effective, confidential and free treatments delivered by trained clinicians, online, on the phone, or in person.
If you’re struggling with feelings of depression or anxiety, seeking help through an NHS Talking Therapies service can be one of the best steps you can take to overcome mental health issues and get back on track.
You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health problem to refer yourself to an NHS Talking Therapies service. Getting support as soon as you start having difficulties can help to reduce their impact.
For those whose first language is not English, talking therapies can be delivered through multi-lingual therapists or through confidential interpreters, and in British Sign Language (BSL) through SignHealth’s NHS Therapies for Deaf People service.
Your GP can refer you for NHS Talking Therapies, or you can refer yourself online at nhs.uk/talk.
Useful websites
These websites have lots of information about other support services and community groups in the local area:
- Hub of Hope website – this website also has information about support available nationwide
