Early access to mental health support can stop issues escalating and prevent suicide, according to specialist nurse-led support organisation RedArc. From first-hand experience, the organisation knows that there are often opportunities to identify when someone is struggling with their mental health and to connect them with the correct professional support before they reach crisis point.
A thorough clinical assessment is crucial to evaluate the nature and severity of an individual’s symptoms and to establish whether they are experiencing a complex mental health condition or a less acute, but still significant, condition, such as low mood, anxiety, or depression. Once a clinical assessment has taken place, the individual can be directed to the most appropriate support without delay.
Christine Husbands, commercial consultant at RedArc, said: “It’s encouraging that the stigma around talking about mental health is reducing, and more people feel able to speak up when they’re struggling. Reaching out and talking is an important and positive first step, but an assessment from a clinically trained mental health professional is fundamental in assessing risk and putting appropriate support in place.
“Every day we see the difference that support from a mental health specialist can make, particularly when it is available as soon as someone begins to experience symptoms, rather than waiting until their condition has become more serious. Early intervention gives people the best chance of accessing the right support at the right time.”