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Mind the Gap. Returning to work and mental health after Covid-19

Module 3 - What We Can Do

These learning bursts will give you practical ways to support mental health for individuals, teams and organisations. They will look at preventative approaches, as well as how to support people with mental health challenges to feel safe and in control at work, both in the virtual working space and face-to-face. Supporting everyone to live and work in a way that promotes positive mental health and wellbeing.

Watch

In these learning bursts, Kerry Leigh and Dave Keeling explain the mental health continuum model, while Stephanie Davies talks about how to help yourself be mentally confident through challenging times.

The Mental Health Continuum

An introduction to the mental health continuum model from Kerry and Dave that helps us to understand we are ALL on the mental health spectrum.

Building Mental Confidence

This video shares four top tips for building self confidence.

Find out more about the Laughology Mind the Gap mental health virtual workshop ...

Read

Reading time approximately 5 mins. Laura has some suggestions to help you manage your own mental health, as well as that of others.

Laugh to Stay Mentally Strong

What can you do to help maintain mental health? Well, laughing is a good start…

Mental ill health is not to be laughed at, but laughing with someone who’s experiencing it or at something without causing offence, can be extremely beneficial.

How can laughing help you? In many ways...

Laughing:

  • Releases endorphins which relax us and make us feel more positive  
  • Helps protect us from colds and viruses (good news right now) by increasing levels of the antibody ‘Immunoglobulin A’ 
  • Helps boost our immunity
  • Decreases blood pressure and heart rate when done regularly
  • Enhances problem solving skills
  • Helps reduce the levels of stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine 
  • …and much more 

How can you make yourself laugh when you really don’t feel like it?

By keeping a humour diary.

Whatever makes you laugh (your humour) is completely unique to you. Identifying and writing down what makes you laugh encourages your brain to seek out funny situations. When you’re down, pick up your humour diary, remind yourself of those entertaining moments and have a chuckle!

Everything we do, say, think and feel creates pathways in our brain. The more we do something, the stronger the pathway becomes. By repeating this process we can shape and grow our humour and develop a new, positive habit. 

How can humour help people cope with depression? 

Humour enables us to look at a situation from an objective perspective, diffusing intense emotions. That mixed with the endorphin hit of laughter can interrupt our automatic response, e.g., stress, and help us to think differently.

However, it’s important to highlight that all emotions are important and have a role to play. It’s when we get stuck and feel depressed or anxious continuously that we need to use these tools to boost our resilience.

How else can I manage my anxiety and depression?

  1. Exercise – also releases endorphins and helps with cognitive function amongst many other things. 
  2. Diet – Food impacts mood. Sugar is the enemy. Have treats but limit your intake. Indulge in veggies, pulses, nuts, legumes and fruit.
  3. Curb drinking – alcohol exacerbates depression. It reduces serotonin (another neurotransmitter that helps us feel positive). Whilst it initially alleviates mood, this is temporary, and the after effects are much worse.
  4. Screen time – Without doubt technology has helped during lockdown, but too much of it is detrimental to both physical and mental health. Ensure you take regular breaks, giving your focus to other activities.
  5. Manage your social media use – Carefully select who you follow. Stick to friends who make you happy and are first on your post lockdown visiting list.  Limit your news intake if needs be and weed out the fake news!  Finally, post responsibly. You also have the power to impact someone else’s mood too, how do you want them to feel?
  6. Get 8 hours sleep a night – lack of sleep negatively affects mood and memory.  It also impairs the ability of the emotional and rational parts of the brain to communicate effectively, so if you’re sleep deprived it’s harder to reconcile your situation. 
  7. Establish a routine – Especially with regards to sleep, as going to bed and getting up at the same time, improves circadian rhythms (sleeping cycles). Plan things that might alleviate your feelings such as meditation, a walk outside, any activity that has brought you pleasure in the past, reading your humour diary or watching a funny show!
  8. Be kind – Kindness stimulates the aforementioned serotonin and lights up the brain’s pleasure and reward system. There are many benefits to kindness. Most importantly, it increases happiness and decreases stress, depression and anxiety. 

Knowing what to do is much easier than doing what you know, especially when you’re not mentally fit. Take it one step at a time and see what works for you. 

Where to start? Having that laugh.

 

 

Do

This cheat sheet shares the mental health continuum - an easy to use model that explores ill mental health through to positive wellbeing, with top tips on how to prevent ill mental health and protect mental wellness.

INTRO TO CHEAT SHEET:

This cheat sheet shares the mental health continuum - an easy to use model that explores ill mental health through to positive wellbeing, with top tips on how to prevent ill mental health and protect mental wellness.

INTRO TO BUZZ SESSION:

This buzz session will help you understand how to manage emotions and thoughts, and how to develop more helpful thoughts for greater mental health.

Coming up...

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be re-sharing our most popular content for supporting people back to work and school. Keep an eye out for our next free Zoom sessions and sign up to the newsletter so you don’t miss out.

Brands and organisations we work with:

Ask us a question

You can call us on 0844 800 1701, or use this form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

JOB VACANCIES: If you're interested in working or collaborating with us you will find our opportunities page here.