Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2014 | Page 74

FASHION HEALTH & BEAUTY

Shelley Weir (right) with members of the Primary Care Mental Health team
“We live in a high pressure society. With
young people it may be hard to get on the
housing ladder; jobs aren’t plentiful and
money is tight - that is one side of it. But
if you have everything in the world you
can still feel stressed. We see patients from
age 18, or close to their 18th birthday, and
have no upper age limit. I think the eldest
person we have seen was about 95.”
Initially someone sensing they are
struggling with such difficulties needs
only to make an appointment with
their GP, who will provide them with
a Primary Care Mental Health Service
leaflet, detailing what help is available.
Then a simple phone call can set up an
appointment, either at The Gables, or often
at their own surgery or health centre.
Shelley explained: “ On the Island
we would want to get people in at the
level where the problem
is just starting, before it
begins to spiral. When
patients are given a leaflet,
it is purely up to them
to decide whether they
want to ring us to make an
appointment, because it is a
big step to face up to people
and discuss how they are
feeling. If they decide they
want some help, then they
only have to ring in and
we make an appointment
for them for an initial
assessment.
“A patient will come
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and have an assessment with one of our
Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners
(PWP) which lasts about 45 minutes. If
they don’t need intensive treatment we can
offer support with guided self-help and
low level therapy of about eight sessions.
“We also run Stress Control workshops,
which is a six-week course on how to
manage anxiety and depression, which
has been well accepted, and can be
delivered to up to 30 people at a time.
“For someone who is moderately
to severely anxious or depressed we
normally do up to 20 sessions with
them with a Cognitive Behavioural
Therapist (CBT), who are highly trained
professionals. It is usually group work,
which some patients to not like, but
we try to show them that it can be so
rewarding, because many suddenly

realise that they are not alone. People
often try to hide it because they feel a
sense of shame, but quite wrongly!”
Shelley continued: “For severe depression
medication is really good, but there
is no magic pill. Evidence suggests
anti-depression medications along with
talking therapy is the most effective way
forward. We have good success rates; we
have been able to transform people’s lives,
giving back their confidence and giving
them hope. It can be hard work, but I
have 29 years experience, and know how
people can get better from very difficult
circumstances.
“Last year we saw 3,155 Island people, so
virtually everyone on the Island will know
someone who has been to our service. If
you feel you need help, then help is here.
No one will judge you; we are all human,
and part of the human
condition is being stressed
because it is a very stressful
world that we live in.
“There is also telephone
and computer on-line
therapy available for
those who find it difficult
to travel; we try to be as
flexible as possible in what
we offer. There is so much
to bombard us; the internet
is good, but there is a lot
of false information out
there, so it is best to come
to the experts for advice
and help.”