COVID-19

Coronavirus and Mental Wellbeing

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

Post Covid Syndrome (PCS) and Calming Anxiety Course

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

Post Covid Syndrome (PCS) and Boosting Mood Course

What is it?

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?

Who runs the sessions?

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

I want to keep a healthy mind

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.

Worcestershire Community Services Directory (if you live in Worcestershire)

The Worcestershire Community Services Directory sets out all of the local information, advice, tools, guidance and local support available for people in Worcestershire.

Talk Community (if you live in Herefordshire)

Talk Community is a website detailing the services, groups, community hubs, events, and information available to people in Herefordshire.

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.

I’m struggling and have been for a couple of weeks

NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Talking Therapies

The NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Talking Therapies 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 - Visit Qwell.

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 to find out more.

Employment support

Mental Health Matters work in partnership with NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Talking Therapies to provide employment-related support.

I need urgent advice

Whether you experience a sudden deterioration of an existing mental health problem or are experiencing problems for the first time, you may need immediate expert support to identify the best course of action to help you.

If you are already being supported by Mental Health Services in Herefordshire or Worcestershire, you should try and speak to your usual team before contacting the urgent helpline, unless it’s outside of core hours, a weekend or bank holiday.

If you are not currently in contact with any mental health services you can phone the mental health helpline for urgent advice.

0808 196 9127

(free phone 24 hrs a day 365 days a year)

If you are deaf or hard of hearing and experiencing a mental health crisis you can access support from the Herefordshire and Worcestershire 24 hour mental health service by contacting NHS 111 via Relay UK.

The team will offer advice, support and, if required, an assessment to understand how you are feeling. When calling the number, you can expect to speak to Mental Health Advisors and/or trained Mental Health Clinicians who will be able to listen to your concerns and help make appropriate plans with you to support you.

If you are unsure what to do, staff on this number will be able to guide you to the appropriate choice.

Call 999 or go to A&E now if:

Yours or someone’s life is at risk – for example, they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose
You do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe

If you just need to talk, any time of day or night

These services offer confidential advice from trained volunteers. You can talk about anything that's troubling you, no matter how difficult:

Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
Text "WOO" in Worcestershire or "HERE" in Herefordshire to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line
If you're under 19, you can call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
Are you a young person in crisis? Visit the Young Minds website for more support.

Alternative local support

Worcestershire Safe Haven provides telephone support and face-to-face appointments to Worcestershire residents who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Call 01905 600400 any day of the week between 6pm and midnight for support and signposting.
Herefordshire Mind Safe Haven if you find yourself in crisis or need urgent support with your mental health, the Safe Haven is a safe and friendly place that you can come and access mental health support and advice.The Safe Haven telephone and email support service is available every evening, 7 days a week, from 5pm to 10pm; call 01432 372407 or email safehaven@herefordshire-mind.org.uk.

National support

National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK offers a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652 (open 24/7).
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). You can call the CALM on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) if you are struggling and need to talk. Or if you prefer not to speak on the phone, you could try the CALM webchat service.
Papyrus HOPELINEUK if you're under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who might be struggling, you can call Papyrus HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 (weekdays 10am-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm and bank holidays 2pm–10pm), email pat@papyrus-uk.org or text 07786 209 697.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing and experiencing a mental health crisis contact the SignHealth Text Crisis service, by texting DEAF to 85258 for free and immediate support. If yours, or someone else’s life is in immediate danger for example, they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose, or you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe you can contact 999 by using the Relay UK service . The service is provided for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired as an alternative option for contacting an emergency service.