Posted on: 16 August 2021
When Ron began feeling isolated, low and suffering from tiredness, he reached out to the Keeping Well Service.
Ron works as an Employment Specialist for the Community Mental Health Team in Hillingdon for our Trust.
In this role, he uses his lived experience as a recovering alcoholic and drug addict to help others to return to work and get support but during the pandemic he felt ‘very frightened and anxious of a relapse’ during lockdown. He was told about the Keeping Well (NWL) Service by his manager.
He said: “I was by myself, I was working from home, so I didn't have to go into work I could hide my emotions. I was angry, restless and I was very quickly irritated. I knew that I needed help.”
The next day, Ron completed a self-referral form and within a week he was receiving help and support.
He said: “I sent an email and very quickly I had somebody calling me to ask how they could help. It was very fast and I was quite impressed, actually.
The therapy was ten sessions, they made me feel in charge of myself again and not my thoughts.
Being referred and helped really made a big change. Instead of being overwhelmed and being passive about everything around me and my thoughts and my feelings and emotions, I really felt that I was given the strength and to be active about it.”
Ron is still using the advice and guidance from his ten sessions and has recommended the Keeping Well service to colleagues, friends and family working in the NHS as well the health and social care sector.
He said: “Keeping Well is there for everyone You know, from the top manager to persons like me and we all need it. There are a lot of challenges in life which, you just can't deal with yourself.
Find the courage in yourself to reach out, ask somebody and just say I think I need some help because you can't think yourself better, but you can talk yourself better.”
If you need help and support, talk a wellbeing professional Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm via:
- Live chat (on the Keeping Well website)
- Telephone 0300 123 1705
- Email keepingwell.nwl@nhs.net
You can also self-refer by filling in a self-referral form. If there is a certain health topic you would like to discuss please let them know.
Join the #KeepingMenWell campaign, to encourage men and boys to be open about their mental health and wellbeing. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @KeepingWellNWL for more