Practice News
How we are supporting our colleagues with their mental health
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by AHR
This year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety - a completely normal emotion that we have all experienced on some level, at one time or another.
As a practice, we strive to create a supportive environment that helps people overcome any challenges they may face, whether it’s inside and outside of the workplace.
To highlight National Mental Health Awareness Week, we have been getting involved in a a variety of activities across our offices to help raise awareness around anxiety, in the hope to encourage open and honest conversations around mental health and the support available.
![AHR-ArchitectureandBuildingConsultancy-100](https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/New-Office-Photography/7X5A4407.jpg?w=800&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684491987&s=df5251a6401ff7542118b76019516c5b 800w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/New-Office-Photography/7X5A4407.jpg?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684491987&s=1c9b20e53a3c20589a02ca2de130e3a7 1100w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/New-Office-Photography/7X5A4407.jpg?w=1300&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684491987&s=313efbb8a257b3447ed8be137e7d4693 1300w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/New-Office-Photography/7X5A4407.jpg?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684491987&s=9ecfa65c0b58f7c393dd0954264ef694 1600w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/New-Office-Photography/7X5A4407.jpg?w=1920&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684491987&s=1375a6e5deae7af3b1e811e383761ef0 1920w)
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues we face and can be caused by a variety of factors, including work pressures, relationships, starting a new job or other big life events. We can also start to feel anxious when dealing with our finances, juggling family life or in certain social situations – the list is endless.
Research has shown that a quarter of adults said that they have felt so anxious that it has stopped them from carrying out an activity or attending an event, some or even all of the time. Six in ten of us admit to feeling this way at least some of the time. (1)
We kicked the week off with a ‘Managing Anxiety’ Lunch and Learning Webinar. The session was held across all our offices and run by one of the wellbeing consultants at Everymind at Work. It focused on developing a sense of calm and relief from anxiety, both inside and outside of the workplace, as well as advice on tools that can be used to manage anxiety.
As a practice we encourage open and honest conversations about mental health all year round – but Mental Health Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity for us to remind each other of the support we provide. As a Wellbeing Champion, I really enjoy organising activities that benefit everyone. It’s been a great week full of activities, with anxiety management webinars, healing sessions, and plenty of walks and socialising.”
Joanne Conneely
Health & Wellbeing Champion, HuddersfieldWhat have we been up to?
Across the week we enjoyed a mix of activities thanks to the 22 Wellbeing Champions we have across our practice who are dedicated to leading initiatives throughout the year across four key pillars of wellbeing: financial, mental and emotional, physical, and social, including:
- Team breakfasts
- Reiki healing
- Meditation sessions
- Walks
- Yoga classes
- Board games
- Coffee and ice cream breaks
And with the weather starting to pick up again, we prioritised plenty of outdoor time. Studies have shown being outdoors can reduce levels of anxiety and stress as the fresh air can help raise oxygen levels in your brain, which increases serotonin levels – which improves your mood! It also increases our exposure to vitamin D and helps improve our sleep.(2)
In line with our commitments to support our people, we also launched our brand-new Help@hand App. Founded by doctors with over 20 years of experience within the healthcare sector, the app offers a 24/7 helpline, access to wellbeing calendars, legal support, lifestyle coaching and unlimited mental health support, amongst other benefits and has been made available to all employees.
The week concluded with a final webinar which focused on releasing anxiety and maintaining strong mental health.
![AHR Mental Health Awareness Week Moodboard](https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/News/Mental-Health-Awareness-Week/AHR-MentalHealthAwarenessWeek-Moodboard.jpg?w=800&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684499559&s=24b82c628cb360ebbbadd2e34f93eac0 800w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/News/Mental-Health-Awareness-Week/AHR-MentalHealthAwarenessWeek-Moodboard.jpg?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684499559&s=2ac090ed22577a1911353ac63ec1aa0f 1100w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/News/Mental-Health-Awareness-Week/AHR-MentalHealthAwarenessWeek-Moodboard.jpg?w=1300&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684499559&s=eaae0080951ee4d773ecf06df4345b1d 1300w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/News/Mental-Health-Awareness-Week/AHR-MentalHealthAwarenessWeek-Moodboard.jpg?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684499559&s=6b5dd5b0a24948d430c20b85c2afa7b3 1600w, https://ahr-website.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/uploads/News/Mental-Health-Awareness-Week/AHR-MentalHealthAwarenessWeek-Moodboard.jpg?w=1733&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&crop=focalpoint&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&dm=1684499559&s=6912b6fd9b07f6e46dbb290b07eb1749 1733w)
Managing anxiety alone can be challenging, but our top tips below can help you effectively cope with it:
- Talk to someone you trust – though it may seem daunting, talking to someone you trust can help ease feelings of anxiety and could be a relief. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone close to you, there are helplines such as Samaritans and Anxiety UK who will listen.(3)
- Get out in the fresh air – being outside is good for our mental and physical health. It exposes us to vitamin D, encourages exercise and helps to raise our oxygen levels, all of which increases serotonin in our bodies.(2)
- Keep a journal – keeping track of your life can help you focus and identify what may be causing feelings of anxiety of stress.(4)
- Look after your physical health – eating a healthy diet, partaking in regular exercise and getting plenty of sleep can all help to ease anxiety.(5)
- Self-help – Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help us deal with our worries by aiming to change the way we think. It has been found to be effective in helping improve anxiety and low moods as well as helping with sleep problems. You can find some self-help CBT videos to try on the NHS Every Mind Matters webpage.
We will continue to work with our people to provide mental health and wellbeing support across our practice. Learn more about who we are and how we create a supportive and ever-evolving environment here.
Links / references
- Mental Health Foundation, “Mental Health Awareness Week 2023,” [Online]. Available: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week
- Firelands, “Happier and Healthier: 5 Benefits of Spending Time Outdoors,” [Online]. Available: https://www.firelands.com/blog/happier-and-healthier-5-benefits-spending-time-outdoors#:~:text=Studies%20show%20that%20levels%20of,way%20to%20improve%20your%20mood!
- Mind, “Self-care for anxiety,” [Online]. Available: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/self-care/
- Mayo Clinic Health System, “11 tips for coping with anxiety disorder,” [Online]. Available: https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/11-tips-for-coping-with-an-anxiety-disorder
- NHS Choice, [Online]. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/anxiety-fear-panic/
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