"Mental Health is the emotional and spiritual resilience which allows us to enjoy life and survive pain, disappointment and sadness. It is a positive sense of wellbeing and an underlying belief in our own, and others', dignity and worth." - The Health Education Authority
The World Health Organization say; "mental health and well-being are fundamental to quality of life, enabling people to experience life as meaningful ... Mental health is an essential component of social cohesion, productivity and peace and stability in the living environment, contributing to social capital and economic development in societies."
On the whole, it describes a person's ability to interact with others in ways that promote health, well-being and development.
Mental health problems can affect any of us, at sometime and in different ways. One in four people will experience some mental or emotional distress in their lives. These can include;
There is no single cause of mental health problems. Any person can be affected. However, mental ill health is more common amongst people from particular groups. For example,
People with mental health problems are often discriminated against. This can lead to other social problems such as homelessness, making the mental health problem worse. It is unlawful for anyone to be discriminated against because of a mental health issue. Follow the link below to find out more.
Other possible causes include:
If you came from a difficult background you may be more vulnerable to mental distress. This could be because you,
Feelings that are held back and not expressed can affect your physical and mental health.
These may be traumatic events, such as
If you or someone you know has a mental health problem that has affected your/their ability to carry out normal daily activity then you/they need to seek immediate help. Contact your GP who will have access to professional and support teams to help you. These normally include:
Your doctor may refer you to specialists at the Thurrock Mental Health services, such a,
The Thurrock Council Mental Health services have experienced and qualified professionals on hand to help you find ways of dealing with your problem.
If we do not have the service you need or you are not eligible for the services we offer, we will send your case to the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) for appropriate action.
Thurrock CMHT includes:
The team supports adults who have severe and long-term mental health needs. They offer a range of therapeutic and practical interventions to help individuals become more independent and improve their quality of life.
The assertive outreach team work with people who may need long-term help. Their work include promoting social inclusion and,
The crisis team helps people with a mental health crisis and focus on people who, without intervention, may end up being admitted to hospital. They work to prevent a hospital admission, facilitate early discharge, and support them at home with medication and any other requirements. Their service also helps people to:
Social care staff works along with South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust to provide the best service for you and your families. They also work in partnership with other professionals, agencies and carers to make sure you get a comprehensive service.
The CMHT will first identify the things that might be damaging your mental health and find ways to improve your circumstances. Psychiatrists in the team diagnose symptoms and provide the appropriate treatment.
The duty officer will initially deal with all referrals; provide information and advice on mental health matters. We may refer you to another more appropriate service or a team member may offer you an assessment. This usually last about one hour and we send a report to your GP.
If you have a severe or long term mental illness we offer on-going help in the community from everyone relevant to you. A contact person, usually a care coordinator, in the team will regularly review your care plan to make sure that it is still relevant. We will also make sure that you get a care package to meet your immediate and long term mental health needs.
Contact the duty officer who will deal with your initial concerns. You can either:
We are open Monday to Thursday 9.00am-5.00pm and Friday 9.00am-4.30pm.
The follow persons can contact us on your behalf:
You can also go to the Accident and Emergency Department at Basildon Hospital and ask for the duty psychiatrist.
Please see how to access PDF files.
01375 652652
01375 652359
