“I had PTSD and couldn’t even talk about the horrors of Hillsborough – Now I Can, thanks to fantastic local therapy and counselling services”
A Warwickshire man caught up in the Hillsborough football stadium disaster is today urging people struggling with their mental health to take the first steps towards recovery – by picking up the phone.
Alan Griffiths, who lives near Stratford-upon-Avon, is supporting Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust’s #NowICan campaign after counselling helped him come to terms with the horrors he witnessed – after keeping his emotions bottled up for 30 years.
“I am supporting the #NowICan campaign, because these amazing therapy services have changed my life,” said Alan.
“After Hillsborough, I stopped going to football matches for a while because I was always on edge in crowded and confined spaces. Now I can fully enjoy my passion for football once again and now I can cope with the crowds - no more nightmares, no more panicking. Like me, many people bottle things up, are worried about accepting they need help, or don’t know where to turn. This fantastic service is on our doorstop, it’s life-changing, and it’s completely free. You don’t even need to see your GP.”
Read more about Alan’s story here
Almost 2,000 people are already being supported each month by Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT) for conditions ranging from low mood, over-worrying and panic attacks, through to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.
But counsellors and therapists at the Trust believe many more people may be struggling with their mental health, especially this Christmas and New Year, because they are not hearing from as many people as they would expect. Appointments are available and these experts want more people to benefit from their life-changing services.
Run by the NHS, these services are totally free and confidential. Anyone living in the area can call 024 7667 1090 to speak to a trained colleague who will listen, ask some simple questions, and arrange an assessment.
CWPT’s Helen Stephenson said: “I am really pleased that we have been able to help Alan. People may not know why they are feeling on edge, worried, low in mood or overwhelmed, or they may be facing difficulties linked to a specific event or trauma, like Alan.
“We want people to know we can help, no matter how big or small the problem seems to be. Our highly skilled and diverse team members are really good at listening and making people feel comfortable, and the stories shared by users of our service as part of our #NowICan campaign demonstrate the long-lasting, positive impact they have experienced as a result.
“Through the #NowICan campaign, we hope more people will know that if they’re finding things a struggle, our dedicated services are here, ready and waiting, for people living across Coventry, Rugby, Solihull and Warwickshire. We want to hear from you if you’re having more bad days than good, you’re feeling more ‘can’t’ than ‘can’, or you’re not enjoying life as much as you should. And with Christmas and New Year around the corner, we know this can cause a lot of extra pressure. If this is the case, our message is ‘pick up the phone and call us - don’t ignore it’.
“We are also encouraging organisations and businesses across Coventry and Warwickshire to spread the message to their staff and customers. Between us, we can help to address the stigma wrongly attached to mental health so that more people can feel well, healthy and positive, and able to keep going.”
People calling the referral number will receive an appointment for an initial assessment that leads to a range of support and options, for example, specific advice and guidance, one-to-one counselling, or group sessions at locations across Warwickshire, Coventry, Rugby and Solihull.
For more information and updates visit the CWPT website and follow us on Twitter @CWPT_IAPT and @CWPT_NHS #NowICan