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Course Outline Leaflet

   Mental Health Awareness - Basic Course Outline

The idea behind the course is to help give people a greater understand of others and how to relate to them and also give an insight into their own lives. As the course is aimed at promoting good mental health, we purposely don’t go through the various mental disorders such as schizophrenia, psychoses etc., as many people, even with the same diagnosis, behave very differently. Once people are labelled with a psychiatric disorder it can be very difficult for them to be seen as anything else.

Our approach is to help people look at their own perceptions and help them to see people (even those who do not have mental ill-health) in a more open way. The Royal College of Psychiatrists produce an excellent range of online leaflets on various conditions which can be access from here.

The course in split into 4 main areas:

PEOPLE’S PRECONCEIVED IDEAS AND CONCERNS ABOUT MENTAL ILL-HEALTH

What is it that comes to mind when we think of “Mental Health” or “Mental Illness”? What expectations (reasonable or unreasonable) do people have in taking the course? What concerns do people have about mental health including concerns about their own?

These are some questions that were raised from past groups:

* Will I become mentally ill?

* How do I talk to a mentalist?

* How do I relate to someone who is in a wheelchair?

* Are mentally ill people dangerous?

ARE YOU LISTENING?

One of the biggest problems for people with mental health problems is how others relate to them and how they relate to other people. The course looks at general approach to relating to people.

* How much of our communication is the actual words we use? (Surprisingly little)

* The difference between listening and merely hearing what others say.

* Examples and suggestions on how to communicate effectively and non-judgementally

* How labels and stereotypes affect us. Do we judge people by what they are or who they are?

VOICES IN OUR HEAD

We all hear “voices”.

For some it is the voice that says,

“I mustn’t eat that chocolate cake, I’m on a diet”.

For others it’s:

“I must get some money out of the machine, I’m short of cash” or

“We’re short of milk, I must remember to buy some”.

These are totally natural and we’re so used to this/these that we think nothing about them. For some, the voices are more disturbing:

“If they really knew what I am were like, they wouldn’t like me.”

“Everything around me is crawling with germs, I must wash myself thoroughly or I might get infected.”

“Ambulances only drive through town to persecute me.” 

How we come to have these voices is a matter of fierce debate but a basic view of how we come to understand the world and how we deal with it in day-to-day situations can give a useful insight and understanding. We use two easy to understand models to explain: 

How do people develop and grow? How can we help and nurture people to grow? (Dynamic Cycle)

Understanding how people relate to the world and how we can relate to them (Johari Window)

A couple role-plays:

A scenario where you can put some of the skills learnt into practice and an interactive role-play giving some insight how people struggle when they hear voices. 

FEEDBACK

Feedback and recap. People are free (if they feel happy to) share their own experiences or of people they know.