Doncaster town centre shop urges men to talk about stress

The Talking Shop, 63 Hallgate, is the base for the Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust’s (RDaSH) Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Service, which provides talking therapy to people experiencing common mental health conditions including stress, depression, anxiety, bereavement and low esteem.

RDaSH Team Manager Tim Godley said: “The theme for this year’s Men’s Health Week is how to beat stress.

“One in six people suffer from stress or anxiety during their lives, but people are still afraid to admit they need help.

“Our free six-week stress control group, which runs at community locations across the borough, aims to teach people to understand the triggers of their stress and anxiety and provides them with the support and self-help techniques to be able to manage it. We also provide an information pack and activities for people to work through in their own time.”

Tim added: “Stress control is just one of a whole range of therapies we provide and I’d urge any man – or woman – who is suffering in silence to call into the Talking Shop, where they will be able to have a free confidential assessment with one of our psychological wellbeing practitioners, who will discuss their needs.

“If one of our talking therapies is appropriate for them, we will book them an appointment to start receiving help as soon as a space becomes available, and set them on the right track to recovery.”

The Doncaster IAPT service is for people aged 18 and over, who present with no risk to themselves or others. The service sees people experiencing common mental health problems, including: depression, general anxiety, stress, panic, phobias, social anxiety, low self-esteem, health anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bereavement and mild eating disorders (not anorexia nervosa). The service is not suitable for those presenting with risk to themselves or others, those with substance misuse dependency or those with severe or organic mental health problems.

For more information about the help on offer, please Click here or ring 01302 565650, or call into the Talking Shop at 63 Hall Gate in Doncaster’s town centre (open weekdays between 9am and 5pm.)

Facts about stress

Sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating are common signs of stress (NHS Choices website www.nhs.uk)

Stress is believed to trigger 70% of visits to doctors and 85% of serious illnesses (UK HSE Stress Statistics)

Half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill (MIND website www.mind.org.uk)