Psychical health and mental health without a doubt impact on one another. 

If someone is struggling with their physical health it can have a huge impact on their mental health wether or not there is already a diagnosed mental health condition. It can make someone depressed, anxious, cause people to suffer from loneliness and more. 

If there is already a diagnosed mental illness the likelihood of this becomes even greater.

This being said, and known - how often so we go in to a GP to speak about a physical illness, rushing to get it all out because we know that we only have about ten minutes to get it all out and get the help we need?

How often in that case does one leave still feeling depressed or hopeless without having had the time to bring that up?

More importantly how often do you get asked (physical illness aside) how you are feeling mentally with what you are currently dealing with? 

I have had a long battle with mental illness and I also have had a battle with my physical health too. Some of the chronic, prolonged periods of being physically unwell have at point hugely contributed to bringing on episodes on ill mental health and at some points especially when I was told I had M.E pushed me towards hospitilisation for my mental health. Barely ever however, was asked how I was feeling, how this was having an impact on my mental health, even though it's known I have a long mental illness history.

Even now when I have flare ups of physical illness that can be prolonged at times hardly ever am I asked how I am mentally but these times have a HUGE impact on my mental health and I know that I am not the only one. 

The elderly are at risk of suffering from loneliness due to physical illness due to not being able to get out and that therefore impacting their mental health but again, I know from going to GP appointments with elderly family members they are never asked how they are feeling and this generation are even less likely to bring it up in most circumstances.

The bottom line is knowing someone cares makes a big difference sometimes, I know this from other mental health projects that I have done that have been simple yet offered people hope and that can mean so much. 

We all know that GP appointment slots are limited, most of us have been told at some point that we will "Have to make a separate appointment for that" and so we need something simple, something that doesn't take too much time, at an initial appointment that all GP's can implement to make a start on ensuring someone leaves feeling validated, cared for and knowing that it's okay to talk about mental health as part of physical illness, that the two go hand in hand and that if that resonates with them then they feel able to make another appointment to speak about that if necessary rather than leave feeling alone and in a lot of cases hopeless. 

What I would like to see is something as simple as a leaflet. I have shown a very rough example in my video, this could be smaller, a folded pamphlet - What ever it may be but something that lists a range of different organisations and charities across a wide spectrum of mental illness from depression to those suffering with loneliness - The samaritans to AGE UK for befriending services and all those in between that offer support and advice in between GP appointments to those that need to talk. 

I'd like to GP's to take 2 seconds in an appointment to ask "how are you?" to ask about how the patient feels mentally in response to physical illness, particularly that, that is serious or prolonged or If a know mental illness is already present.

This possibly could be the prompt the patient needs to open up, to say they are not okay. I would like to see GP's use these leaflets to hand personally to patients stating that they feel this way pointing out the organisations that may be able to help and for them to make another appointment if no time is available to talk about how they are feeling. Not just leaflets on reception desks but for these to be handed by the GP. 

This small thing would work in numerous ways:

It would help the patient to feel cared for and validated

It would let the patient know about support open to them that they may not otherwise have known about

It means the patient leaves with something in their hand as by way of additional support whilst being told to make another appointment to speak about their mental health if they are struggling which they may not otherwise have done

It may reveal that some patients are actually feeling suicidal or in crisis that would have otherwise left the GP without this being known, the right referrals can then begin to take place or appropriate action taken

It shows empathy and compassion from GP's to show they have an interest in their mental wellbeing too, and therefore building trust and meaning that person is more likely to ask for help

It begins conversation around mental health and how people are coping, breaks down stigma as the initial reference is being made by the GP

 This is so simple and would take two seconds to ask "And how are you?" a leaflet given, the conversation started and that person leaving feeling more validated, cared for , with additional information and more likely to go back and open up about how they are feeling. 

Mental health issues and suicide often live in silence. It is these small measures that are so very important in changing this. 

One question, one leaflet, one extra minute of time could save one life.