Could you spot the warning signs?
Posted by: electime 11th December 2018
Mental health is increasingly being spoken about and that’s because according to statistics from NHS Digital; at any one time, a sixth of the population in England aged 16-64 suffer from mental health issues. With mental health illnesses on the rise, it raises our own responsibility to spot the signs among our friends, family, colleagues and even within ourselves.
Addiction to drugs and alcohol are often linked to mental health issues and early intervention from the people around those struggling is key. That’s why the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) has developed two different training sessions focused on mental health which are both free to attend.
The Mental Health Awareness session provides attendees with the confidence to support someone in distress while the Mental Health First Aider session offers practical skills to identify triggers and signs of mental health issues.
Rhys Lynch; an experienced electrician, has suffered with addiction and mental health issues. He first contacted EIC when his partner left him and their young daughter. Rhys applied for sole custody of his child, leaving his job to become a full-time parent.
However, Rhys struggled financially and turned to alcohol and drugs. Sadly, he lost his home and daughter as a result of his heroin addiction and was sent to prison for a short time following theft offences to feed his addiction. Rhys suffered a relapse after his release and was hospitalised – this was the moment he decided to turn his life around.
Following rehabilitation and counselling, EIC offered Rhys further financial support for his debts and to update his qualifications to enable him to return to work. The financial and emotional support from the Charity has allowed him to secure a brighter future for himself and his daughter who he now lives with.
