A mother hopes to encourage parents struggling with their mental health to seek professional help by sharing her experiences in a booklet written for the NHS.
The booklet’s author is a long-term user of mental health services provided by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), a provider of mental health and disability services in the North East.
She had a traumatic childhood, which shaped her personality and affected her mental health. When she became a mother, her mental health struggles worsened.
The booklet, titled Mummy is a hero, is an account of how the author managed and sought help for her mental health conditions whilst also fulfilling her role as a mum. The account is told in the format of a children’s story.
The author decided to seek help because she was worried about the long term impact of her struggles on her daughter’s own mental health.
“I’ve had a hard life but it’s important not to pass on intergenerational trauma,” she explains.
“It’s really important that my suffering isn’t in vain and that I can use it to help others.”
At the beginning of the story, ‘mummy’ is struggling to look after her daughter whilst also taking care of her mental health but later, she decides to book an appointment with mental health professional who helps her manage her condition.
I want to empower other parents who are mentally unwell and help them to understand that mental health professionals are on their side and engaging with them can only be a good thing.
Author Mummy is a hero
The author explains that she feared her daughter would be taken away from her if she sought help and feels that other parents have similar fears.
She says: “I want to empower other parents who are mentally unwell and help them to understand that mental health professionals are on their side and engaging with them can only be a good thing.”
Mummy is a hero, the author’s second booklet, is aimed at adults but is written in the style of a children’s book. She explains she wanted to use “comforting and accessible language” as she understands it can be difficult for someone going through a mental health crisis to read and absorb large paragraphs of information.
The author also wanted to ensure the book is accessible to everyone, including people whose first language isn’t English or people with learning disabilities.
Mummy is a hero is her second booklet for CNTW. She has also written a booklet called Mummy is poorly which tells the story of a young girl whose mother has mental health issues. This booklet is written for children to help them to understand what would happen to them if their parents developed a severe mental problem.
Family therapists at CNTW have found this booklet to be a useful resource for parents using their services.
Mummy is poorly provides language and a medium for adults and children to explore worries and experiences. The feedback from service users has been very positive.
Lisa EvansSenior Family Therapist, CNTW
Lisa Evans, senior family therapist at CNTW, works primarily with adults accessing mental health services. She recommends Mummy is poorly to parents with school age children who are wondering how to approach conversations around mental health difficulties, hospital admissions and short-term absences with their children.
Lisa says: “Mummy is poorly provides language and a medium for adults and children to explore worries and experiences. The feedback from service users has been very positive.”
Mummy is a hero and Mummy is poorly are both available to download at www.cntw.nhs.uk/carers hard copies are also available email [email protected].
Mental health support cards and booklets are available to download from www.cntw.nhs.uk/support. If you would like to request hard copies to have in schools, doctors’ surgeries or community spaces, please email the Trust’s Patient Information Centre team at [email protected].
If you need urgent help, our Freephone numbers are available 24/7:
North Tyneside and Northumberland
• Adults – 0800 652 2861
• Children and young people – 0800 652 2862
• Text for Deaf service users – 07887 625 277
Newcastle and Gateshead
• Adults – 0800 652 2863
• Children and young people – 0800 652 2864
• Text for Deaf service users – 07919 228 548
North Cumbria
• Adults – 0800 652 2865
• Children and young people – 0800 652 2865
• Text for Deaf service users – 07795 656 226
Sunderland and South Tyneside
• Adults – 0800 652 2867
• Children and young people – 0800 652 2868
• Text for Deaf service users – 07889 036 280