People with mental health worries are being urged to seek help in a new phase of the NHS’s Help Us Help You campaign.
Although mental health services have been running throughout the pandemic there was a marked dip in referrals despite evidence that coronavirus is making problems more common.
Now a new NHS campaign will encourage anyone suffering from anxiety, depression or other issues to come forward for assessment and treatment.
NHS talking therapies, also known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), are a confidential service ran by fully trained experts.
People can access the service by visiting their GP or refer themselves online. Click here to find your local service.
Claire Murdoch, NHS National Director for Mental Health said: “The NHS has been and continues to be here for the nation’s mental health. We know the impact that COVID and lockdown can have on people’s mental health and it has never been more important to seek help. We are proud to launch our first national campaign on mental health services today and encourage people to come forward for mental health care.“People might feel nervous about burdening the NHS or getting exposed to the virus but remember we are here to help. Whether you are a new mum, an older person or struggling with work, please speak to your GP or self-refer online so we can get you the mental health support you need. No matter what age you are, these therapies help and are effective and we want you to come forward.’
Common anxiety problems seen include (but are not restricted to) panic attacks, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive problems, generalised anxiety/worry, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Emerging evidence suggests they are increasing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported that almost one in five adults were likely to be experiencing some form of depression during the pandemic and almost one in eight developed moderate to severe depressive symptoms.
