Brett Nelson

It’s good to talk

Even in Lidl you can support others with a conversation. We spoke about positive coping mechanisms and how much talking and seeking support from others can help ease the burden

Supportive conversations

I visited Cycle Revolution and heads started to turn when I walked in with a medicine ball chained to my arm. I got talking to Tom who spoke about how some people wear a mask and even though to others they look like they are 'living the dream', underneath they are battle the demons of mental ill-health.

Day 7 of the Medicine Ball Challenge

The final day, time to get some jobs done and reflect on the past 7 days of carrying the burden and what I have achieved on my mission to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of Mental Health.. another post to follow. If you would like to support me in supporting the charities that help people suffering with #mentalhealth, please visit the official link of ABF The Soldiers' Charity https://events.soldierscharity.org/s/19534/31997, here you will also find my daily posts. A massive thanks to those that have already made kind donations🙏 #veteran #strongertogether #reducethestigma Combat Stress

Maintain your Mental Health🐶🚶‍♂️🏃‍♂️

📢#mentalhealthawareness 🧠🗣️ Maintain your Mental Health🐶🚶‍♂️🏃‍♂️ Our lives can get very busy and doing the things you enjoy are the first things that drop off the ‘To Do’ list. Take time to go out for some exercise, even if it is just a short walk. Take in your surroundings, feel the breeze, watch the sunset, clear your mind. #mentalhealth #mindfullness #gratitude #medicineballchallenge #veteran ABF The Soldiers'​ Charity Combat Stress: The UK's Leading Charity for Veterans' Mental Health Medicine Ball Challenge

The burden

#medicineballchallenge even carrying the burden around during normal everyday activities can take its toll; just like MH.

🧠🗣️Depression- The Black Dog🚨

The Mental Health Continuum

🚨#mentalhealthawarenessweek2023 📣The Mental Health Continuum Everyone has Mental Health, it just depends on events in your life and the day to day pressures you face, which determines where you are on the continuum. When you have the #burden of Mental Health weighing you down, it can be more difficult to to find the #motivation to do anything; whether that be to get up out of bed, start a task, maintain focus or get out and do something you enjoy. It is important that you try your best to do something, this may well require help and/or encouragement from friends or family. #positivecopingmechanisms Day 5 of the Medicine Ball Challenge and it has been more challenging than I expected.😧 Weight training whilst fixed to a chain and ball by handcuffs, moving around the office, visiting multiple Amazon Web Services (AWS) Data Centres across the cluster to prompt discussions on MH and delivering two #FirstAidforMentalHealth courses🥵 But it has all been worth it so far and people are starting to open up💪🏻 #veteran #supporteachother #medicineballchallenge Medicine Ball Challenge

Suicide Awareness

🚨Mental Health Awareness Week🧠🗣️ Day 4 of the #medicineballchallenge let’s talk about Suicide.. In 2021, there were 5,583 suicides registered in England and Wales. I want to dedicate this day to Martti Ojandu, an amazing, funny and caring 15 year old lad, who on this day - 18th May 2021 died as a result of suicide 🙏 Samaritans – for everyone
Call 116 123
Email jo@samaritans.org Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
Call 0800 58 58 58 – 5pm to midnight every day
Visit the webchat page Papyrus – for people under 35
Call 0800 068 41 41 – 9am to midnight every day
Text 07860 039967
Email pat@papyrus-uk.org Childline – for children and young people under 19
Call 0800 1111 – the number will not show up on your phone bill SOS Silence of Suicide – for everyone
Call 0300 1020 505 – 4pm to midnight every day
Email support@sossilenceofsuicide.org Message a text line If you do not want to talk to someone over the phone, these text lines are open 24 hours a day, every day. Shout Crisis Text Line – for everyone Text "SHOUT" to 85258 YoungMinds Crisis Messenger – for people under 19 Text "YM" to 85258 Today I will deliver another First Aid for Mental Health course to my colleagues at Amazon Web Services (AWS), this will be particularly difficult today, sharing my experiences with them. #mentalhealth #suicideawareness #togetherwearestronger

The burden of mental ill-health

🙇The burden of mental ill-health 🗣️ Day 3 of the 7 day Medicine Ball Challenge at Amazon Web Services (AWS). This morning, towards the end of my commute, I stopped off to grab the drinks from the coffee shop, for myself and a colleague. As I ordered my drinks, I put the chain around the back of my neck to take the weight of the ball. I grabbed the drinks and proceeded to my car and as I got to the car, all that was left was to open the door and put the drinks in. Simple task eh…. No!! As I stood in the car park, with an audience, my left arm was fixed by handcuffs, to the chain and ball which was still around my neck, so could hardly move. My right hand holding the amazing cardboard cup holder, containing the two drinks… which by the way turned out to be ‘as much use as a chocolate fire guard’. I manged to open the door and as I leant into the car to put the drinks in, whilst dancing around like my gran after a few too many whiskeys, the ball dropped to the floor and at the same time the drinks tipped into the back of my car🤯 Everyone has Mental Health, but just like physical health, sometimes you can become ill. The burden of a mental illness can sometimes make the simplest of tasks seem extremely difficult, and that’s ok, don’t try to struggle alone, just reach out and ask for help! Had I done this, then my colleague would have got a full drink🤦 and my car wouldn’t have been covered in a frappe and cream. Please share this post to boost mental health awareness🙏 #mentalhealth #amazon #aws #coffee #costa #burden #reachout #togetherwearestronger #reducethestigma Combat Stress: The UK's Leading Charity for Veterans' Mental Health and ABF The Soldiers'​ Charity is a worthy cause, and any money raised goes to them via their official link here: https://lnkd.in/eFxzhxez please help me to help them.

Five Steps to Wellbeing

🚨🧠 👥 This information is great to pass on when trying to help and support other people... BUT don't forget to take time out to check in with yourself! It is all too easy as a Manager, Leader, Friend or Colleague to concentrate on other people in your team and put them first #selflesscommitment, but if you don't take time to reflect on YOU, it will eventually take its toll. #mentalhealthawarenessweek2023

Anxiety

🚨Mental Health Awareness Week🧠🗣️ Day 2 of the #medicineballchallenge Amazon Web Services (AWS) Today the anxiety was certainly kicking in during my usual 1hr & 30min commute when I hit the traffic on the M25. Although I had left more than enough time for the commute, my belief was that I might be late to set up for the course. This turned out to just be the FEAR - False Expectations Appearing Real… Anxiety can do this, it can cause you to overthink a situation, even if you have planned every detail. It can make you think of the worst case scenario. But in the end I made it to work with an hour to spare and now I am delivering the First Aid for Mental Health course. Reach out if you need to talk👥 #veteran Medicine Ball Challenge ABF The Soldiers'​ Charity Combat Stress: The UK's Leading Charity for Veterans' Mental Health Nuco Training Ltd

Mental Health Awareness Week