Barnet Depression Alliance Self-Help Group
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Meetings Archive: 2003-2007
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Meetings archive: 2003-2007
2007
SEPTMBER to DECEMBER 2007
Kaya House: In December Jane Jackson spoke about Kaya House -- a weekend residential respite home for those suffering from mental distress. This centre has just opened in North Finchley and has been set up by the charity Barnet Voice for Mental Health.
CBT and talking therapies: For our October meeting we listened to a recording of this programme (Radio 4, All in the Mind, May 1st 2007). This was followed by a discussion on CBT with members who have had this therapy describing how it has helped them.
Games evening incorporating short AGM with refreshments: In November we had a short AGM during which group members shared their views on how the group is run, and gave ideas on what they would like us to do for future meetings. Following this one of our members led us in some lighthearted, and totally non threatening "therapeutic" games.
Christmas social In December we had an informal discussion on how we coped with the festive season, followed by some seasonal refreshments.
MAY to AUGUST 2007
Voluntary work as an aid to depression : For our May meeting we had a lively and interesting discussion on voluntary work with 8 people speaking about how voluntary work had helped them. We heard from members who had helped out at the North London Hospice, charity shops, an animal refuge, working with children, working for the Samaritans, counselling, EFL teaching, and moderating internet discussion groups to name a few. On the whole people were very positive about their experiences, explaining how voluntary work gave them confidence to return to the work place, or had helped them to structure their days after they had retired. Useful websites for those interested in voluntary work can be found at: www.doit.org.uk where you can enter your precise interests and postcode to find out what is available locally. You can also register your profile with them so that they can contact you in the future if a vacancy becomes available in your line of interest. Another useful website can be found at www.timebank.org.uk . This organisation also offers a mentoring scheme called Back to Life for men aged 18-35 who are recovering from mental health problems. For the over 50’s have a look at www.seniorcorps.gov .
Low cost counselling resources in and near Barnet : In June we went through our counselling list which was kindly updated for us by a group member. It comprised a 6 page annotated list of approximately 25 organisations and places within easy reach of Barnet, which offer free or subsidised counselling and psychotherapy. Members of the group who had used the some of the services described their experiences of them, both good and bad. One note of caution is that some of these organisations provide low cost therapy using trainee counsellors or psychotherapists, working under supervision. This can work out well, but in some cases the therapist’s own lack of experience may be a problem. The waiting time too, can be longer for the lower cost sessions simply because of the greater demand for them. Good reports from members of the group were given for Mind counselling, Highgate Counselling Centre, the Westminster Pastoral Foundation (and related Enfield Counselling Service) and the Arbours Association. A copy of the list is available by email or in hard copy to all who would like one.
How exercise can benefit depression sufferers : At our July meeting we welcomed Sarah Bolitho, mental health fitness trainer from Barnet’s Fitness for Life scheme. Sarah gave us an interesting slide presentation illustrating the importance of exercise and physical activity to mental health. She began by outlining the physical and mental health benefits of exercise. In particular she stressed the beneficial effects of exercise on mood, motivation, stress and insomnia. She cautioned us about the physical effects of antidepressant medication and how an exercise programme may have to be modified to take into account these side effects. We were also presented with some fascinating statistics: for example, exercise is considered as effective as antidepressants in treating clinical depression – and at a third of the cost! Sarah explained how exercise works in stimulating the production of the chemicals serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain – which is what antidepressants achieve artificially. Exercise can also help to distract us from rumination and negative thinking, and may provide a forum for social interaction which is also beneficial. Sarah will be sending us several copies of the Fitness for Life programme which includes a wide variety of activities all available for a minimal cost through GP referral. Some of the activities e.g. the walks, are open to anyone including non Barnet residents.
JAN- APRIL 2007
10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ON THE THEME OF "WHAT THE GROUP HAS MEANT TO ME"
We celebrated our tenth anniversary in January as it was in January 1997 that we held our very first meeting at Avenue House. Several members talked about what the group had meant to them over the years --- and we also said goodbye to Adam who is leaving Barnet and who has been with the group for 8 years and done a lot to help on the committee.
In February we had a speaker, Doug Sager, from the charity NO PANIC . NO PANIC is a national charity devoted to supporting those suffering from anxiety and panic disorders. It works almost entirely by telephone and provides a 12 hour helpline during the day, one to one telephone counselling, and telephone support groups. Doug spoke about his own experience of anxiety and depression, and how this led him to work for the organisation. If you missed this meeting extra copies of the handouts are still available.
At our March meeting we discussed our hobbies and how these have helped us to cope with depression. One of our members had taken up jewellery making and brought along some exquisite pieces made with silver and semi precious stones to share with the group. She described how using her hands in this creative way helped to take her mind off negative thoughts, and how the social side of meeting people who were also making jewellery was something she valued and looked forward to every week. Other hobbies people shared included photography, collecting postcards, and viewing films. There was not time for everyone to speak, so we thought that we would repeat the evening again next year.
Our April meeting took the form of a social with a special presentation and thanks to Sue for helping to set up and run the group over the last 10 years. We had meant to listen to and discuss a programme on hope but we ran out of time, so this will be postponed until the Autumn. Apologies to those who were disappointed not to hear the talk – we do our best to follow the programme but sometimes it is just not possible given the time allocated.
2006
SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2006
In September we were pleased to welcome Sophie Khan who spoke to us about Communty Network, a mental health organisation based in North Finchley. Many of us had never even heard of this organisation which provides a great variety of services to Barnet adults with mental health problems. The network provides individual and group counselling, and psychotherapy; a wide range of group activities throughout the week including creative arts and drama groups; groups for women, men and senior citizens, sports activities, stress and anger management groups, music, bowling, and drop in social groups to name but a few. Access to these services is by referral from a GP, and each client is provided with a key worker to plan an individual programme of activities. There is a managing depression group which is a structured 10 week course. We hope later this year to arrange a meeting with the people who run this course to find out more about what it has to offer.
Barnet DA Annual General Meeting:
In October we had our first ever Annual General Meeting. We were slightly disappointed with the turnout – twelve attended most of whom were established members. We also had a low return on our questionnaire – just three people responded. Hopefully this means that everyone is happy with how we run and what we do. Nevertheless, it was a helpful meeting in which the group organisers and committee outlined exactly what is involved in running the group and group members had the opportunity to make suggestions as to what they would like to do for the future. Copies of the minutes of this meeting which we were required to submit with this year’s grant application are available on request.
Remembering Sue: coping with bereavement
Our November meeting was dedicated to the memory of Sue W. who had been a member of the group for eight years, suffered greatly from ill health for several years, and died of cancer this July. This is the first time the group has suffered a bereavement and many of us knew her well and miss her greatly. In November therefore, we focussed on what meant most to Sue: her love of animals, in particular dogs and the importance of friendship. Five of us attended her funeral, and seven members donated £85 between them to the North London Hospice in her memory.
Our final meeting of the year was our December social. We enjoyed mince pies and other seasonal refreshments and discussed how we coped with the festive season which, ironically, can be a stressful and lonely time for many. We also talked about the depressing effect of the dark, cold winter months and what we can do to make them more bearable.
MAY TO AUGUST 2006
We begun the summer session in May with a meeting in which we invited all members to share the how they coped with depression and anxiety over the years. It was a good way to get people to know each other better and we found that while tried and tested methods of coping were being used e.g. antidepressants, CBT, many people said that just having a friend around who understood and was not judgmental was a great help. One member described how taking up regular exercise really helped him and he recommended the Barnet Fitness for Life Programme, as a good way to start.
In June, we looked at depression in the news with special reference to ECT and related therapies. We looked at some of the most recent advances in the treatment of depression which have been in the news in the past 6 months, in particular the revival in the use of ECT to treat depression. We had the personal testimony of one of our members who has had ECT on three occasions and found it transformed her life. We also looked and new alternatives to ECT such as deep brain stimulation and magnetic therapy.
Our July meeting focuessed on meditation and was great success. We were very pleased to welcome consultant psychiatrist Dr Paramabandhu Groves who runs the meditation for depression course at the London Buddhist centre. Paramabandhu spoke on how meditation can be used to help prevent relapse into depression and he did some short meditation exercises with the group. His explanation for why depressed people tend to relapse into further episodes of depression was very interesting and helpful.
JANUARY TO APRIL 2006
We have had some interesting meetings: in January we watched together a video of the Horizon programme on the benefits of omega 3 fish oils to mental health. Recent research has shown that foods rich in omega 3 like fish and eggs can prevent depression and promote learning. Studies have shown that our diets are lower in these oils than they were 50 years ago and this is thought to have contributed to rising levels of mental health problems including depression, and behavioural problems in children such as ADHD.
Our February meeting was the day before Valentines Day and we focussed on the subject of relationships: this time the emphasis was on leading a fulfilling life without the benefit of a close partnership. The meeting was led by two of our members.
We continue to take an interest in the beneficial effects of music on mood and we really enjoyed listening to a very professional performance of music played by former member Samantha on her guitar and Pat on her flute. Pat, now retired, used to play professionally with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and she entertained us with a selection of superb accompaniments which she wrote to accompany Samantha’s original songs written for guitar. One member commented that she would not have thought until that evening that the guitar and the flute could sound so good together! Pat also spoke about her interest in the role of music as therapy and described sessions she has had working with physically and mentally handicapped children.
Our April meeting was devoted to games. Two of our members led us in two very different games -- one very light hearted which made us focus on paying attention to detail; the other one was designed to help us to get to know each other better in a non threatening way. The game enabled members to pair off and "interview" each other regarding the truth of three statements each had been asked to make about themselves. It proved a most entertaining and thought provoking evening.
2005
SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2005
We have had an interesting programme this Autumn/ Winter. For our main September meeting we were pleased to welcome Dr Matthew Whalley, research psychologist at London University College Hospital. He spoke about his research into painful memories and depression. He also looked at the effects of post traumatic stress syndrome and how this can cause long term depression. If you are interested in his work we still have a number of leaflets which we can pass onto you.
In October we listened to a talk and were able to ask questions from Dr Rosalind Furlong, consultant psychiatrist and Medical Director of the Barnet Enfield and Harringay Mental Health Trust. Dr Furlong spoke about the drugs used in treating depression i.e .how antidepressants work and how doctors choose which ones to give to which patients. She also gave us some helpful advice: for example, she emphasised that the SSRI drugs can initially cause anxiety before they relieve it, and that many people give up taking them too soon because of this temporary side effect. She explained how important it was to come off antidepressants very gradually, and how 7-10% of people may benefit from staying on a small maintenance dose of antidepressants permanently. She also described how the major tranquillisers are increasingly being used to treat the anxiety associated with depression, because they do not result in the dependency associated with the minor tranquillisers such as valium. Dr Furlong kindly stayed with us for the whole session –over two hours, answering many questions and chatting with members individually. It was a very useful session.
Our November session involved a review of some of the newest books which have come out on depression including Richard Mabey’s Nature Cure .
In December we enjoyed a musical evening. We were pleased to welcome Samantha with her guitar, who entertained us with a selection of songs she has written, some of which evoked her own experiences of coping with depression. She explained the background to each of the songs, and how music has helped her to deal with depression by providing a creative outlet for her feelings. Samantha has made a CD of some of her songs which you can borrow from our library, or purchase from her.
MAY TO AUGUST 2005
We have had an interesting summer programme and have been pleased to welcome quite a few newcomers.
In May we were pleased to welcome Susan Jones, holistic health therapist who conducted a workshop introducing the three key concepts behind complementary therapies ( reiki, reflexology, massage, Indian head massage) and their benefits in treating depression. This was followed by a demonstration of hand and foot massage. Those who wanted to then split into pairs to do hand massage on each other with Sue’s guidance while the others continued talking among themselves. Sue has sent us a book list of useful resources for those interested. We can send you a copy by email if you would like one.
In June we held our annual creative evening. This always seems to go well and this occasion was no exception. We heard original contributions from several members – both poetry and prose. And with our CD player to hand we listened to a couple of lovely songs provided by one member who kindly provided each of us with a copy of the lyrics. Others brought along books to share. We will definitely continue to make this an annual event!
In July we decided to focus on the subject of holidays. Many of us have mixed feelings about going on holiday. For some it evokes feelings of anxiety as routines are changed, for others there is the feeling of being left behind as we become aware of others going off and having a good time while we stay at home, often on our own. This year must have been a record with members having travelled in the first three months of the year to places as diverse as South Africa, India, Venezuela, Mexico, the Galapagos and Peru, not to mention European destinations as well. One member gave us a very interesting account of his visit to South America and how he coped difficulties along the way including being mugged. Others brought along photos from various visits abroad. We seemed to agree that while a holiday can provide a very welcome break from the monotony of life at home and its associated stresses, it can also bring about its own stresses and anxieties.
We also enjoyed a varied social programme with a walk on Hampstead Heath and we had our annual bring and share supper which was once again a great success.
JANUARY TO APRIL 2005
We begun the new year with a discussion of the links between sleep and depression and listening to a recording of the dramatic postive effects sleep deprivation therapy can have on severe depression. Handouts are still available, hard copy or email.
As our February meeting fell on St Valentine's day we thought it would be appropriate to discuss relationships and the impact depression can have on these. Three members shared their experiences. It appeared from what was said that depression can have a huge negative impact on close relationships. It may contribute to difficulties in forming close relationships and play a large part in relationship breakdown.
In March, we were very pleased to welcome the Rev Paul Lanham, vice president of DA accompanied by his wife Judy. Paul spoke about his work in Depression Alliance and also his own personal experience of coping with depression and anxiety.
Our spring programme ended in April with a games evening. We had three games lined up but the first one filled up the whole meeting time. It was a game which aimed to help us to get to know each other better. Members worked in pairs and were invited to interview each other and then introduce their partner to the rest of the group. This proved to be a very interesting evening and it certainly helped us to feel more at ease with each other and know each other better.
2004
September to December 2004
In September we looked at the use of meditation to relieve stress and depression, and listened to a short meditation session using one of Jon Kabut Zinn's tapes. One of our members shared how she has been helped by using these tapes.
Our subject for October was Spiritual solace in depression. For this session we listened to a recording of an interview with Monty Don who himself suffers from depression.
For our November session, nutritionist Lorraine Wilder and her colleague gave us an interesting talk on nutrition in relation to mental health, including depression -- a subject which has been in the news a lot recently. She explained how changing your diet can help you in combatting depression, anxiety and related problems
The December meeting took the form of a Christmas celebration with mince pies and other refreshments. We discussed how we felt about the festive season and Depression Alliance's information sheet on Coping with Christmas was distributed.
May to July 2004
We have had a very interesting and varied summer programme and very good attendance with several new members joining us. We began in May with a session on Coping with Stress . We looked at what stess is, stress symptoms, shared personal experiences and then considered ways of coping. For those of you who could not make this meeting, there are two handouts available – one on useful resources, and the other on meditation. The first of these can also be seen on our website – see Coping with Stress.
Maytree house – a sanctuary for the suicidal
For our June meeting we were very fortunate to have Paddy Bazely of Maytree House join us to talk about this north London sanctuary for the suicidal which she set up just over a year ago, and which has been a great success. Although Paddy was dealing with the subject of suicide, her relaxed easy manner and her obvious empathy for those suffering from mental distress put everyone at ease, and we left the meeting feeling encouraged and inspired by the project. Many of us, I think felt reassured knowing that such a place exists, should we reach such a point of desperation. See our Links section for link to Maytree’s website.
Getting away from it all …travels in South America
Our July meeting was led by a member who is sadly leaving the group. He shared his own experience of dealing with the frustrations of daily life by leaving it all behind, and taking a year out to travel on his own in South America. He described his journeys through the Andean coast of the continent from Peru to Chile, describing how he coped with some hair raising moments. He also described how he came to terms which his own anxiety – which had initially prevented him from embarking on the expedition at all. Through coping on his own in a totally new environment where he had to first learn the language, and without the support of the familiar and predictable, he found to his surprise that he managed very well. This enabled him, on his return to England, to manage his anxiety better, seeing minor worries from a new perspective.
January to March 2004
We began the year with concluding the final two chapters of our self help book – Gillian Pearce’s Seven Steps to a depression free life. We spoke about the importance of taking action (step 6) and creating our own personal strategy for recovery (step 7); For the latter we made use of the form provided by Gillian Pearce in which we are able to fill in the different things we are going to try to do in order to hasten our recovery or prevent ourselves relapsing.
Our February meeting was a creative evening and was a great success. Members brought along songs, music, poems or books that had inspired them and helped them to cope with depression. We were especially pleased to hear one member’s CD of songs she has written and performed herself. We have purchased two copies for the group library for anyone to borrow.
In March we welcomed psychotherapist Avril Graff who spoke about what psychotherapy can offer to depressed people. Avril has worked in the past with Mind and has experience working with people suffering from depression. .
In April we enjoyed a lighthearted games evening . It was good to get away from the subject of depression for a while and enjoy a laugh together.
2003
September- December 2003
We have had a good Autumn programme beginning in September with a session about the Barnet College course Discover your potential which several of our members attended last year. This was led by three of our members who described the course and how it had helped them. They were very positive about the course and had found it incredibly useful to them in both their personal lives and in their efforts to return to work after having suffered from episodes of depression and anxiety. They found the course tutors helpful and constructive and fellow course members, all of whom have suffered from some degree of mental health problem, empathetic and supportive.
In October two members led a session covering Step 5 of our self help book Educate yourself about your personal depression. This was a very practical session in which we were encouraged to examine what triggers our depressions in an effort to manage them more effectively.
We were very fortunate, in November to have a large turn out to hear Dr Chris Manning, Vice President of Depression Alliance and a medical doctor who himself suffers from depression, give a stimulating and lively talk and slide show entitled Mind the Gap. The gap in question is the gap in mental health provision under the NHS. For this reason he had particularly requested that a member of the Barnet PCT be present. NHS neglect of mental health issues was all the more starkly emphasised by the fact that the PCT to whom we had issued a formal invitation to attend months in advance, and contacted on several occasions, had not even had the courtesy to reply to our letters, two emails and three phone calls! Needless to say they did not turn up!
Dr Manning emphasised the very real physical nature of depression as an illness, and totally dismissed the distinction which is often drawn between physical and mental illness, the latter being regarded as somehow less serious, sometimes self inflicted and a sign of “weakness” or malingering. He encouraged us to try to make our voice heard, and raise the profile of depression as a life threatening illness in the same way as cancer or heart disease are regarded as serious, life threatening diseases.
Page last updated on August 25th 2008
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