Q: Coping with stress

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Question 1

Free Wellbeing apps

Accepted Answer

There are a number of free wellbeing apps available until March 2021:

Bright Sky is a free to download mobile app providing support and information for anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know.

The app is also available to use in Polish, Punjabi and Urdu.

For more information, please see details and advice about using the app in your app store:

Bright Sky in Apple Store Bright Sky in Google Play

City Parents has offered their online programme of support and resources to NHS employees without charge until March 2021 if they use their work email address to register.

The programme gives practical support for working parents, delivered through expert-led webinars/seminars, advice, peer insights, online articles, blogs and podcasts. A Their aim is to help working parents and those with caring responsibilities develop skills, enhance family life, improve wellbeing and support work / life balance. To register, click here

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Question 2

Coping with stress

Accepted Answer

Coping with Stress: advice to hospital staff

${youtube}Coping with Stress associated with COVID-19: advice to hospital staff

Question 3

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Accepted Answer

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is the feeling of being anxious about almost everything and anything. Often, people affected by GAD will feel overly worried about a wide range of things relating to a variety of topics including health, money, work, school and relationships and sometimes may not even be able to identify a reason that they feel anxious.

GAD can cause a change in your behaviour and the way you think and feel about things, resulting in symptoms such as:

restlessness
a sense of dread
feeling constantly "on edge"
difficulty concentrating
irritability

Your symptoms may cause you to withdraw from social contact to avoid feelings of worry and dread. You may also find going to work difficult and stressful, and may take time off sick. These actions can make you worry even more about yourself and reduce your self-esteem.

You may also experience a range of physical symptoms including:

dizziness
tiredness
a noticeably strong, fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
muscle aches and tension
trembling or shaking
dry mouth
excessive sweating
shortness of breath
stomach ache
feeling sick
headache
pins and needles
insomnia

CBT can help you understand and change your thought processes and/or behaviours to help reduce the uncomfortable symptoms and help you manage worry more effectively.

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Question 4

Needle Phobia

Accepted Answer

Needle phobia is very common, affecting at least one in 10 people.

It may be stopping you from having an important vaccination or a blood test. It is nothing to be ashamed of and simple exercises with practice can help to overcome it quickly.

Overcoming your fear of needles

Many people have this fear, but it can be overcome with simple exercises and practice. For some people, it is linked to fainting, or feeling faint. When their fear is triggered (for example, by seeing blood or thinking about an injection), their heart rate and blood pressure increase (as with other kinds of fears), but then rapidly drop. It is this fall in blood pressure that can cause fainting. Many people do not confront their fear because they are worried they may embarrass or hurt themselves through fainting.

Other people do not feel faint or actually faint, but do feel panicky when their fear is triggered.

What can I do to overcome my fears?

First of all, do tell the person who is co-ordinating your care, or the person who is giving you your injection or blood test, about your worries. They may be able to answer any specific questions you have. They may also be able to help you cope with the procedure, for example, by chatting to distract you. Also, think about whether there been has anything which has helped you to cope with needles in the past. Can you use something like this to help you again?

If your fear is linked to fainting (or feeling very faint), the next step is to teach you

Question 5

Free Webinars

Accepted Answer

Thrive LDN have created some helpful free webinars and resources around coping with COVID and the 'new normal'

This webinar will provide a brief introduction to mindfulness and its benefits. You will go away with three mindfulness based exercises that you can start to practice and some mindfulness based activities to start you off on your mindfulness journey.

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Insomnia is thought to affect around one third of the population. This webinar looks at why we sleep and some of the common sleep difficulties. Followed by strategies and tips to overcome these sleeping problems.

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This film, will look at Anxiety and will take a look at helpful long term strategies for managing anxiety and reducing worry. Associated slides can be accessed here

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The following film will consider some of the challenges created by home working. We’ll explore some strategies to help you switch off from work and enjoy your time outside of work more. Helping you to find a better home working life balance, enabling you to find it easier to separate working from home life. Associated slide show can be accessed here

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Question 6

Support for particular professional groups

Accepted Answer

Some professional bodies and charities are offering specific support depending on your professional group:

Ambulance Staff

The ambulance staff charity

This charity offers a range of help and support for paramedics and their families, including bereavement support, mental health and physical rehabilitation.

Doctors

BMA Wellbeing service 0330 123 1245. This is a completely confidential helpline which can offer same day access to a counsellor and/or peer support. Doctors do not need to be a member of the BMA and the service is open to medical students too.

BMA wellbeing

GP Wellbeing hub

Doctors in distress

Single Point of Contact (SPOC) – The Professional Support Unit (PSU) have launched this specialist support service for trainee doctors experiencing a range of issues during the COVID-19 outbreak. It is a free, confidential and impartial service. Trainees can sign up for a 45-minute conversation with a senior PSU lead. Calls can be arranged for same day, next day or next week to accommodate for last minute changes in rotas. To request a 1:1 appointment, click on the following link: SPOC

Nursing

The Royal College of Nursing ha

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