MIND your health

This week’s Mental Health Awareness Week was all about sharing colleagues’ courageous experiences of mental health issues, and highlighting the vital support services that are available.

Today we end Mental Health Awareness Week with a reminder of how sharing personal experiences can lead to others reaching out and obtaining the support they need to start feeling better.

Planner, Mihaela Hassan, from our postbox strategy team shares her story and explains how the First Class Support helpline provided her with invaluable support at a difficult time in her life.

‘Last November I was very confused and stressed as I was going through a very rough patch in my life,’ she said. ‘A colleague who is also a mental health ambassador sends out a weekly email to our function with useful bitesize pieces of advice and guidance. The advice helped me realise what I needed to do. One of those things was to reach out for help by calling the First Class Support helpline.

‘I first used the helpline at the same time as I became unable to work. I had to admit to myself that I needed to take some time out to help get myself back together. A First Class Support counsellor called me and offered me six sessions of support. She was amazing.

‘I was a blubbering mess in that first conversation. But slowly, she helped me deal with everything that was going on in my life. She helped me understand the various stages that had got me to the point of realising that I needed to stop and recover. She was an absolute star. I can’t even begin to explain how much she helped me.

‘I understand that I’m not alone and that many others will be going through similar experiences. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the great support that colleagues have available at their fingertips and would encourage anyone who needs help, to seek support immediately.’

First Class Support

First Class Support is available 24/7 and is completely confidential. Call 0800 688 8777 for direct access to mental health support as well as to receive financial, relationship or legal advice.

In addition, our Feeling First Class website has materials and advice (use the code FFC1 to register) including the Because Healthy Minds Matter mental health awareness e-Learning.

Click here to see the full range of support available to you.