NHS Trust advises Barnsley to ‘ask for IAPT’ in support of Mental Health Awareness Week

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In support of Mental Health Awareness Week, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is encouraging people in Barnsley experiencing anxiety or depression to seek support from specialist IAPT services.

IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) provides psychological treatments, sometimes called ‘talking treatments’, to help people who are stressed, depressed or anxious.

Each year, the Mental Health Foundation runs Mental Health Awareness Week, which promotes a topic such as loneliness, anger or fear in a bid to reduce stigma and raise awareness. This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 12 – 18 May and the theme for 2014 is ‘anxiety’.

To support the initiative, the Trust is encouraging people experiencing these common mental health conditions to visit their GP and ‘ask for IAPT’. People wishing to access the service in Barnsley can also contact the team directly by calling 01226 707600.

The experienced professionals in the Barnsley IAPT team work alongside local GPs to help people address their current problems; develop new ways of coping, and talk about any difficulties they may be experiencing in a supportive and non-judgemental environment. They can help people in lots of different ways by offering online treatments, telephone treatments, evening classes, and face to face treatment.

Liz Holdsworth, mental health access team manager, said: “People often feel stressed and worried about things, but sometimes these feelings can escalate to the point where they take over your life.

“If you suffer from feelings of stress or low mood to the point where you feel as though you can no longer cope, it’s really important to get help. Our trained IAPT team offers tailored advice and support to help you keep these feelings under control. Going to your GP or giving the team a call can set you back on the right path to living your life to the fullest.”

For more information about IAPT services in Barnsley, call 01226 707600 or visit www.askforIAPT.co.uk

NHS Trust advises Barnsley to ‘ask for IAPT’ in support of Mental Health Awareness Week

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