Action Mental Health is delighted to announce their new charity partnership working with Factor – based in Belfast.

Shirley Black from Factor stated:

‘We are delighted to support this vital cause; we know that the pandemic has been so detrimental to the lives of people here in Northern Ireland, and if we can make a positive difference by raising money to support the services Action Mental Health provides across the country then we are glad to be involved.  We will endeavour to raise not only funds but also awareness of the important cause of mental health and wellbeing.’

Action Mental Health has a fantastic calendar of events for people to get involved in and Factor have signed up as team to launch their partnership by taking part in the Europa Hotel Abseil on the 20^th March 2022. 

Samantha Coleman from Action Mental Health stated:

‘For Action Mental Health, working with corporate partners is rewarding as it allows us to communicate our message to a new audience and of course raise important funds to support the work that we do across Northern Ireland.  1 in 5 of us will experience a mental health problem at some point in our lives and we as a charity are dedicated to providing services that promote resilience, wellbeing and recovery to people of all ages.  Without our friends in the corporate sector like Factor, much of this would not be possible, so we are excited to embark on this new relationship with them.’

Action Mental Health’s ambassador, Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan is going to dizzying heights of effort in a Guinness world record attempt to raise awareness of mental health.

The Newtownards gymnast, a Commonwealth gold medallist and European champion, is making a staggering attempt at 40 Russian circles in one minute on the pommel horse on April 8. His effort is being staged to raise funds for Action Mental Health’s activities which support the mental health of people of all ages across Northern Ireland, with the current world record standing at 35.

Rhys, 22, an ambassador for Action Mental Health, has spoken out about the challenges he has faced in his own mental health, particularly after his gold medal bid for gold on the pommel horse at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics was thwarted.

Rhys has also offered words of support in the past to a fellow gymnast who withdrew from the USA Olympic team events in Tokyo last summer, citing mental health issues. Four-time gold medallist, American gymnast Simone Biles, bowed out of the 2020 Games and urged people to be mindful of the great stress athletes find themselves under.

From the Olympic village in Tokyo, in the delayed Games which took place in 2021, Rhys had said in a Tweet: “Mental blocks ain’t no joke. I’ve experienced this first hand throughout my career and they are still the most challenging times I’ve faced. Only people who have experienced this can fully understand the stress that comes with it.”

Rhys has been lending his support to Action Mental Health since 2018 when he became the charity’s ambassador as part of the 2019 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon. He has continued his support of AMH ever since, supporting our 2020 campaign to mark Children’s Mental Health Week and other similar events.

In preparation for the Guinness World Record attempt this April, at his Dublin training centre, Rhys was back at home in Newtownards to show his spinny skills that will go into the effort.

“The record is 35 but I have been set a figure of 40 and although I am pretty confident I can do that, the arms really do start to get tired at around the 30 mark. It does make you pretty dizzy and some people can feel sick after it but it’s the tired arms that’s the challenge for me,” he said.

Rhys also explained why he has chosen Action Mental Health to benefit from the money raised through his globally recognised record attempt.

‘I’m going to make use of the platform I have and do something special to raise awareness for Action Mental Health, and mental health in general. Achieving a Guiness World Record has been a dream of mine since I got my first World record book in 2006. I’m very proud that I can not only achieve this dream for myself but hopefully bring some positivity to others’ lives by doing so, too,” he said.

“Action Mental Health has demonstrated to me their amazing efforts time and time again to help others, and it’s still one of the most inspiring things I’ve seen to date. I’m honoured to be supporting such an incredible charity.”

Head of Communications & Fundraising at Action Mental Health, Jonathan Smyth commented: “We are so delighted that our loyal ambassador Rhys is continuing to support Action Mental Health through this amazing Guinness World Book of Records attempt.

“With physical activity being a scientifically-proven benefit to people’s mental health, we are always really pleased to see fundraising activity that embraces this ethos. We are confident that Rhys will achieve his global record attempt on his apparatus of choice that has won him such international acclaim, the pommel horse, whilst also raising vital funds to support our services, which are seeing such demand.”

A Just Giving page has been set up to allow Rhys’s fans and followers to support his objective. Rhys sponsor and Ireland’s largest and most recognisable athleisure brand Gym+Coffee are donating a full athletic outfit to the winner, plus a water bottle, keepcups and socks.

Eating Disorders are serious and complex mental health disorders, influenced by a facet of factors. Though the exact cause of eating disorders is unknown, it is generally believed that a combination of biological, psychological and social factors contribute to the development of these illnesses. They are a coping mechanism for difficulties in that individua’ls life, and are much more about feelings at the core, than they are about just food or weight.

Eating disorders have no look, shape or size. They can affect anyone, at any age, gender, race, ethnic background, from all walks of life. Eating disorders are as individual as the people they affect.

Behind every statistic, every diagnosis, is a person who feels. You deserve to be heard, you deserve to be valued. EveryBODY deserves support.

If I could offer anyone reading our content this week for EDAW that may be struggling in silence with their eating disorder, I want to remind you that you are so much more than your eating disorder. You are more than numbers, shape or size. You bring value to this world simply by being you.  Eating disorders thrive in isolation, recovery begins with support.

If you are struggling today please know that your voice matters, you deserve to be heard.  It is never too soon, or too late to ask for help. EveryBODY can be affected by eating disorders, so everyBODY deserves support.

AMH everyBODY’s Client Coping Plan aims to help people on the journey through their eating disorder, offering practical tips and ultimately hope, to ensure people know they can and will get better.

My coping strategies

• Limit exposure to triggering news or social media – If you have to check in on the news, once in the morning and once at night is more than enough.
• Implement a flexible routine, structure can help to reduce anxiety.
• Ensure you have emergency contacts written out somewhere you can easily access them – ED team, Lifeline, Out of hours GP – Southern Trust wallet card have lots of key contacts.
• Set a daily intention – One thing daily you would like to focus on – It could be an activity, organising, learning, connecting, etc
• Connect – Check in daily with family and loved ones. Just because social distancing is in place doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to connect – Text, WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype, phone call, write a letter. Know I can also connect with professional support, Helplines and telephone support.
• Give – Myself kindness, comfort and compassion – pick one thing daily to use off your comfort list. Use affirmations of kindness.
• Take Notice – Practice grounding tools to bring you out of your head and into the present. Tapping, Deep Breathing, 5,4,3,2,1, muscle relaxation. Stop.Think.Breathe App, Headspace or Calm app.
• Learn – Read, Listen to podcasts, online virtual courses or training, perhaps use the time to explore a new interest without any expectations. 
• Be Active – Allow time for movement in a way that focuses on the body feeling good, not for punishment. A walk outside where you can safely distance, online yoga classes.

https://youtu.be/VVqJN1g2O7Y

• Coping Statements to deal with heightened Anxiety

• This is an opportunity to get to know, and accept your body at rest.
• It’s okay if eating and moving is different right now, because life and routine is different right now. What’s the same? You still need to eat regular meals and snacks, movement is meant to feel good, you’re allowed rest and food does not have moral value.
• Now is a good time to practice self-compassion as it is normal to have heightened emotions.
• You need adequate food throughout the day even if you do not leave the house.
• Eating and exercise do not require compensation, they are two separate things that we do for our body, not against our bodies.
• Resting is healthy, an act of self-care, healing and relaxing is needed for all of us. You can choose to rest without explanation. 
• We may be in a time of uncertainty, but the one thing we have in common is that we are all in the same boat together.
• Like any situation in life, whilst it may feel difficult now it will pass. We will heal and we will come through this.
• I have survived all of my toughest days so far, I can get through this too.
• We always have choice no matter what the situation is, sometimes new choices lead us to new opportunities and strengths we didn’t know we had.
• Eating is an essential need to keep me alive and well, it will help support my immune system and give me the energy to recover if I was to be unwell.
• Undereating increases anxiety and lowers your ability to think clearly.
• I have permission to rest. Health is multifaceted, the ability to slow down and rest is not lazy, it gives us time to heal and grow and recover.
• Nourishment and rest will keep my immune system strong.
• All my feelings are valid right now, my feelings matter. “I accept that I am feeling anxious right now and that is ok”
• Health is not just what you’re eating and how you move your body. It’s also about what you’re thinking and saying.
• I still need to eat even if I’m not leaving the house, my body is still working hard for me when I’m sitting still.  My heart is still beating, my brain and body need still need glucose and energy.
• Some strengths are only realised in times of uncertainty.

https://youtu.be/XLTSQLoMDrQ

https://youtu.be/jouHuHljc-E

As Eating Disorder Awareness Week continues, AMH everyBODY offers some self-help strategies people can try to improve their own body image:

• Keep a body gratitude journal. A daily routine that includes self-deprecating comments about your body is likely making you feel worse. In order to come to a more balanced perspective, it is important to start to shift your attention and appreciate good things about your body. One way to achieve this is to keep a body gratitude journal. Try to write something daily that is positive about your body. You can include things like, “I had a good hair day,” “My legs allowed me to walk to my favourite coffee shop,” or “My arms allowed me to hug a friend.” At first, it may be hard, but it will get easier with practice.
• Clean your social media feed. We are all barraged on a daily basis with images and messages emphasising thinness and/or the attainment of an ideal physique. To counteract these messages, it is important to find messages that support body acceptance and the inclusion of a range of bodies. Instead diversify your feed, read body-positive blogs and follow body-positive role models. It’s also a good idea to stop following social media sites that promote the thin or fit ideal. Hit unfollow if anyone makes you feel bad about yourself, or makes you question your own worth. Remember also that what we see on social media is only a snippet of someone’s highlight reel, not the reality of their whole lives and how they actually feel.
• Buy clothes that fit now. Wear clothes that are comfortable and that make you feel good about your body. Work with your body, not against it. Instead, buy at least a few basic items that fit now and that makes you feel good. Most people find that this leads them to feel more confident and reduces anxiety and self-disparagement when getting dressed. Remind yourself that clothes were made to fit us, we are not made to fit into clothing. A clothing size can tell you nothing about your worth as a human being.
• Challenge avoidance and stop body checking. Avoidance and body checking have been implicated in the persistence of eating disorders.  Avoidance can involve the complete covering up, refusing to wear appropriate clothes for the situation (wearing a hoody in the summer, refusing to wear shorts or a sleeveless top on a summer day, refusal to swim because of anxiety over wearing a swimsuit) or complete avoidance of doctors who might weigh them. Body checking is the repeated checking of one’s shape and weight and takes a variety of forms from repeated weighing, measuring (with a tape measure or by touch), or obsessive checking in the mirror. Avoidance and body checking only perpetuate anxiety. Those who avoid can practice gradual exposure with their ED team, and those who obsessively check can practice reducing. Exposure can also be gradual. For example, one can first wear sleeveless shirts around the apartment for increasing lengths of time before eventually venturing outside wearing them.
• Challenge negative body language. Engaging in critical or stigmatising “fat talk” – negative and judgmental comments or conversations that are focused on weight and appearance – is detrimental to body image. Avoiding such judgments (e.g., “I feel so fat!”) can improve body image. Consider taking a pledge to not engage in critical body talk. If you wouldn’t say it to a loved one, then you don’t deserve to be saying it to yourself.
• Be open about how you are feeling. If you feel uncomfortable, talk to your therapist and fellow trusted supporters about it.  Even if they can’t “solve the problem” in the moment, they can definitely share in carrying the burden. This work is hard and it is common to experience discomfort in working through these difficult emotions. Remind yourself that all your emotions are valid and that no feeling no matter how difficult it is, is ever permanent. 
• Know that cognitive distortions are real symptoms of eating disorders. Remind yourself of this when you look in the mirror. There are a lot of really helpful interventions that you and your treatment team can practice to combat thoughts like, “My arm just got bigger from eating that sandwich,” or “I will gain 10 pounds if I eat this cookie.” Your therapist can help you sort out more about how these distortions impact how you feel about your body. It can be helpful to create a list of coping statements to counter some of these distorted thoughts.
• Keep a top-ten list of things you like about yourself—things that aren’t related to how much you weigh or what you look like. Read your list often. Add to it as you become aware of more things to like about yourself. Remind yourself that your size is the least interesting thing about you.  You have so much more to offer the world.
• Remind yourself that “true beauty” is not simply skin-deep. When you feel good about yourself and who you are, you carry yourself with a sense of confidence, self-acceptance, and openness that makes you beautiful. Beauty is a state of mind, not a state of your body.
• Look at yourself as a whole person. When you see yourself in a mirror or in your mind, choose not to focus on specific body parts. See yourself as how you want others to see you — as a whole person.
• Surround yourself with positive people. It is easier to feel good about yourself and your body when you are around others who are supportive and who recognise the importance of liking yourself just as you naturally are.
• Do something nice for yourself — something that lets your body know you appreciate it. Take a bubble bath, make time for a nap, or find a peaceful place outside to relax.

Action Mental Health’s specialist eating disorder service in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area, AMH EveryBODY offers a monthly support group, helping family members and carers provide the best support to their loved one living with an eating disorder.

Reach out for the support you may need, don’t journey alone, AMH everyBODY is here to help, please get in touch and let us help you help yourself. As Eating Disorder Awareness Week continues, this article covers many of the themes carers experience, and offers encouragement for those in a similar situation to seek help.

Carers’ questions and concerns are outlined in the following feedback received by AMH everyBODY’s project workers:

What were some of the questions/concerns you had when you first discovered your loved one had an Eating Disorder?

“Has something happened to cause this?”

“How could I have missed this?”

“Was it anything I’ve done?”

“Could I have prevented this”

“Will they ever fully recover? When will that be?”

What do you feel would be helpful for families to have information on that might have similar questions?

“Knowing the signs and symptoms. Knowing that there are just as many symptoms that you don’t see, because we were only thinking about the physical ones and didn’t realise things like –

• Isolating themselves
• Loss of interest in hobbies
• Lack of sleep
• Lack of concentration
• Control over where to eat/ Fear of eating in front of people
• Low self esteem
• Signs of perfectionism 
• Low mood/irritability/sudden change in personality

Could all also be signs that someone may have an Eating Disorder. It would be helpful to have more support from GP and to not just be given a leaflet or number for Lifeline but to have things explained a bit more, or be pointed in the direction of someone like AMH everyBODY who can support families. I feel what I needed most was guidance on how to approach the subject of Eating Disorders. I was always afraid of saying the wrong thing, or making things worse. Through the Carer Support group and 1 to 1 support with AMH everyBODY I have learnt how to be more direct and when it’s appropriate to challenge the Eating Disorder but also to communicate in a non-judgemental and supportive way.”

What things have helped you in supporting your loved one?

“Just having support for myself as well as my daughter. Being able to ask questions, and get more information to help me understand better. I understand that therapy needs to be confidential but as a parent it can feel like you’re left a bit in the dark so it helped having somewhere to go to like AMH everyBODY to be reassured about concerns. 

It really helped having the support group to come to.  Being around other families who just “got it” and understood. It made me feel more normal, like we weren’t the only people going through this. Going to the support group was also a chance to have a few hours just to myself, where I was able to speak completely freely about any fears/worries/difficulties and know I’d be met with support and understanding.

One thing AMH everyBODY and the other families taught me was that it is ok to give myself permission to recharge the batteries, to take a bit of time out if I need it. 

As a mother you sometimes want to wrap them up in cotton wool and fix everything, but there is only so much you can do. It’s been a hard but valuable lesson learning that people need to want to get better for themselves, and to step back to give them that opportunity to work through things and challenge themselves. My role is to support and encourage but not to take over and get better for them.”

What has been the biggest thing you have learnt about eating disorders as a Carer?

The eating disorder is separate from the person. The eating disorder controls the thoughts your loved one has and dictates the actions. Repeated actions become habits and the habits become the rules which your loved one lives by. Your loved one is still inside and does not want to be ill and controlled by an eating disorder. Deep down they too want to be normal and live a happy life, just like everyone else, but can’t get to that place because the eating disorder has control over them.  

What helps you to cope as a Carer on difficult days supporting your loved one?

Reminding myself the eating disorder is separate from the loved one. This helps me stay calm and rational and not allow my emotions to take over, which always makes the difficult days worse.

What advice would you give to other Carers and families that may be struggling in silence?

Talk to Deborah AMH everyBODY Project Worker: she really listens in a caring way and asks questions until she fully understands your unique situation without any judgement. This is the first step to getting the help and guidance to support carers and families to be there for a loved one with an eating disorder.

What has been the biggest thing you have learnt about eating disorders as a Carer?

Being there and available to call if we, the carers, need to make contact for advice.

Getting this information out there to those who do not know your services are available is very important.

Carers’ Insight

The eating disorder is separate from the person. The eating disorder controls the thoughts your loved one has and dictates the actions. Repeated actions become habits and the habits become the rules which your loved one lives by. Your loved one is still inside and does not want to be ill and controlled by an eating disorder. Deep down they too want to be normal and live a happy life, just like everyone else, but can’t get to that place because the eating disorder has control over them.  

What helps you to cope as a Carer on difficult days supporting your loved one?

Reminding myself the eating disorder is separate from the loved one. This helps me stay calm and rational and not allow my emotions to take over, which always makes the difficult days worse.

What advice would you give to other Carers and families that may be struggling in silence?

Talk to Deborah (AMH), she really listens in a caring way and asks questions until she fully understands your unique situation without any judgement. This is the first step to getting the help and guidance to support carers and families to be there for a loved one with an eating disorder.  

What is the most important thing families need from support services?

Being there and available to call if we, the carers, need to make contact for advice.

Getting this information out there to those who do not know your services are available is very important.

Eating disorders are not only experienced by females, and today, during Eating Disorder Awareness Week, we give an insight into the experience of one man who lives with an eating disorder in Northern Ireland.

Statistically there are more females recorded within official statistics, however growing evidence suggests that males account for between 10% and 25% of all eating disorder cases, according to local figures.

These figures are likely to be even higher however, as males are less likely to come forward and seek help for such illnesses due to the stigma and the negative stereotypes that surround these disorders.

Seek the support you need now and speak with one of our staff.  AMH everyBODY is a safe and welcoming service where we will work positively with you and agree a recovery pathway that meets your needs.

One male client, who wishes to remain anonymous, spoke of his experience: The best way for me to understand about my eating was to ASK FOR HELP.  Something I am now glad I did and something everyone should do,” he said.

“Do not suffer on your own – this only makes matters worse.  Get in touch with your GP, tell them how you feel. There is also a fear attached to us asking for help, but do not let this stop you because if you do you will feel as I did. Remember that people do care. Remember – asking for help is the very start of recovery,” he reiterated.

“Meeting my support worker for the first time I was very nervous, not knowing what to expect, but I was soon put at ease as she set about introducing herself and now I am recovering well and every week I continue to move away from my eating disorder behaviours with support.”

Read similar stories at a local charity that works solely with men living with eating disorders at the Laurence Trust – https://www.thelaurencetrust.co.uk/