For mental health
If you’re looking for self help resources, we’ve got them here. A collection of free downloadable booklets and audio mp3s on a range of self help topics, from abuse to stress. Thanks to Survivors Manchester.
Please note that the content of these booklets and MP3s may be upsetting for some people. They are designed for you to use with the help of a professional worker. Please take care while reading.
Abuse
This booklet aims to help you understand the effect of childhood abuse — be it physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse — and explore ways in which you may begin to overcome the effects.
Contents
- What is child abuse?
- What are some of the signs a child shows when he or she has been abused?
- What are the longer-term effects of being abused as a child?
- Beginning to overcome the effects of abuse
Download PDF Booklet [
2 MB]
Listen to the MP3
Alcohol and you
This self help resource is for those who want to know more about drinking alcohol, the current guidelines for safe limits, if you think you may have a problem with your drinking, or if you are worried about someone else’s drinking.
Contents
- How do people use alcohol?
- What does alcohol do?
- What kind of drinker are you?
- Why do you drink alcohol?
- What do you want to do?
- How can you control your drinking?
- Particular problems
- What if you are a dependent drinker?
- What about setbacks?
Download PDF Booklet [ 1.86 MB]
Listen to the mp3
Anxiety
This booklet is about anxiety, and aims to help you to recognise whether or not you may be suffering from symptoms of anxiety, understand what anxiety is, what can cause it (and what can keep it going), and overcome your anxiety by learning better ways of coping with it.
Contents
- What is anxiety?
- Am I suffering from anxiety?
- What causes anxiety?
- What keeps anxiety going?
- How can I manage my anxiety better?
- Understanding and beginning to tackle anxiety
- Reducing physical symptoms
- Altering thoughts related to anxiety
- Changing behaviours related to anxiety
- Treatments available for anxiety
Download PDF Booklet [ 1.64 MB]
Listen to MP3
Bereavement
This booklet is for anyone who has experienced a bereavement, either recently or in the past. It may also be useful to people who will soon be facing the loss of a loved one. Although it can be hard to deal with these issues in advance, it is often helpful. Relatives or friends may also find this booklet useful.
Contents
- Coping with bereavement and grief
- Practical things to do if there is a death
- How people feel when they have experienced a loss
- How people feel in the hours and days after the death of a close relative or friend
- What sorts of feelings people have weeks and months after a bereavement
- When do people begin to recover from bereavement?
- Can medication help?
- What can a bereaved person do to help themselves?
- What can family and friends do to help?
Download PDF booklet ( 1.4MB)
Listen to MP3
Controlling anger
This guide aims to help you cope with anger. There are two sections to the booklet: Understanding anger and its causes and Controlling anger.
Contents
- What’s it like to be angry?
- Understanding anger and its causes
- What causes anger?
- Controlling anger
- Physical symptoms of anger
- Controlling angry behaviours
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Long term beliefs
- Where can I get help for anger?
Download PDF booklet ( 2MB)
Listen to MP3
Depression
This self help resource aims to tell you more about depression, how to overcome it and what help may be available.
Contents
- What is depression?
- What causes depression?
- Are some people more likely to become depressed than others?
- How do I make myself feel better?
- Treatment for depression
- Where can I find help for depression? (UK)
Download PDF booklet ( 1.45MB)
Listen to MP3
Obsessions and Compulsions
This guide aims to help you recognise OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and what you can do to help yourself. *This guide was Highly Commended at the British Medical Association Patient Information Awards 2012*
Contents
- What is OCD?
- What are the symptoms of OCD?
- Can OCD be treated?
- What can I do to help myself?
- How can I make it easier to face what I fear?
- How to I stop myself from compulsive acts?
- How do I deal with negative thinking?
- How can I deal with compulsive checking?
- How do I cop with obsessional thoughts where the compulsion is another thought?
- How do I overcome OCD?
Download PDF booklet ( 1.92MB)
Listen to MP3
Panic
This booklet aims to help you reduce your panic attacks by helping you to: Recognise whether or not you are having panic attacks, understand panic, what causes it and what keeps it going, Accept that panic cannot harm you and learn techniques to reduce panic.
Contents
- What is a panic attack?
- How do I know if I am having a panic attack?
- What causes panic and what keeps it going?
- Are panic attacks harmful?
- What techniques can help cope with and reduce panic attacks?
- Further help
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.63MB)
Listen to the MP3
Post Traumatic Stress
This booklet aims to help you understand the thoughts and feelings you may have after experiencing traumatic incidents and offers practical suggestions to help you cope.
Contents
- What is a traumatic incident?
- How do people react after a traumatic incident?
- Why do we react so strongly to trauma?
- What can I do to help overcome the trauma?
- Making sense of the trauma
- Dealing with flashbacks and nightmares
- Overcoming tension, irritability and anger
- Overcoming avoidance
- Overcoming low mood
- Further help
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.5MB)
Listen to the MP3
Self Harm
This booklet is for people who deliberately harm themselves and are unhappy about it. It is also for family and friends who may have difficulty understanding this behaviour.
Contents
- Understanding self harm
- In what ways do people self harm?
- How do other people react?
- Why do people want to stop self harming?
- How can I control my self harm?
- Ways to stop harming yourself
- What longer term solutions are there?
- Can I improve the way I communicate?
- Do I blame myself for everything?
- Am I looking after myself?
- How can I cope with overwhelming feelings?
- How can I replace some of the unhelpful things I’ve used for coping?
- What about my relationships?
- How can I help a friend or family member who self harms?
- Further help
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.3MB)
Listen to the MP3
Sleeping problems
This booklet aims to help you understand your sleep problem and to learn some simple ways to sleep better. *This guide was Highly Commended at the British Medical Association Patient Information Awards 2011*
Contents
- Understanding sleep and sleeping problems
- How much sleep do we need?
- Are there different sorts of sleep?
- Are there other changes in sleep patterns?
- What causes sleep problems?
- What sort of sleep problems do you have?
- Overcoming your sleep problem
- Good sleep habits
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.46MB)
Listen to the MP3
Stress
This leaflet will tell you more about stress, it will help you to see whether stress is a problem for you. It makes simple suggestions about how to overcome stress and what other help may be available.
Contents
- What is stress?
- How can this guide help me?
- What are the signs of stress?
- Can life events cause stress?
- Is there a type of person who is more likely to experience stress?
- Can I learn to be more relaxed?
- Deep muscle relaxation
- Mindful breathing
- Further help
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.4MB)
Listen to the MP3
For prisoners
Anxiety
This guide has been written by psychologists and people who have experienced prison and aims to help you to: Recognise whether or not you may be suffering from symptoms of anxiety, understand what anxiety is, what can cause it and what can keep it going and how to overcome your anxiety. *This guide has been Commended at the British Medical Association Patient Information Awards 2010*
Contents
- Is it normal to feel anxious?
- How can this guide help me?
- Do I have a problem with anxiety?
- What is anxiety?
- What causes anxiety?
- What keeps anxiety going?
- How can I manage my anxiety better?
- Understanding anxiety
- Reducing physical symptoms
- Altering your thoughts related to anxiety
- Changing your behaviour related to anxiety
- What treatment is available for anxiety?
- Where can I find help?
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.77MB)
Listen to the MP3
Depression and low mood
These self help resources aim to help you cope with depression and begin to get better. The guide is written by psychologists and people who have experienced prison and offers practical suggestions to help you cope.
Contents
- What we know about depression
- Some signs and symptoms you may experience if you are depressed
- How can I understand these feelings?
- Can I recognise these gloomy thoughts?
- What more should I know about negative thoughts?
- How can I help myself?
- Further help
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.87MB)
Listen to the MP3
Post traumatic stress
This guide is written by psychologists and people who have experienced prison. It aims to help you understand reactions to post traumatic stress and offers practical suggestions to help you cope.
Contents
- What is a traumatic incident?
- How do people react after a traumatic incident?
- Why do we react so strongly to trauma?
- What can I do to help overcome the trauma?
- Making sense of the trauma
- Dealing with flashbacks and nightmares
- Overcoming tension, irritability and anger
- Overcoming avoidance
- Overcoming low mood
- Further help
Download the PDF booklet ( 1.66MB)
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