HeadFIT: My journey with mental health
Cpl Aaron ‘Elvis’ Jackson is a Weapons Technician in the RAF. His wife is a nurse working with COVID-19 patients.
I have an extremely supportive wife and family base. My wife is currently on the frontline fighting coronavirus so we sit down and have good discussions to keep ourselves on the right path. However, in the current climate my everyday life has changed significantly and I have found myself at home all day looking after two small children. This brings stresses which I have found myself having to manage so that I am not negatively affected.
Since becoming aware of the HeadFIT tools, I have used them when I feel stressed, particularly the breathing exercises which are so simple, effective and quick to use. I am sometimes sceptical of breathing exercises but HeadFIT has proved me wrong as I have used the tools on a few occasions when I just need to have a few minutes to myself. They fit easily into my daily routine as they are so easily accessible from any device and can be used anywhere.
I think HeadFIT is perfect to help people take ownership of their issues, no matter how big or small they are, as it requires the person using the tool to actively put the exercises into practice. Sometimes people can be put off coming forward to talk as they may be “embarrassed” or perceive themselves to look “weak”, but they can easily access HeadFIT on any device and use the exercise available discreetly if that what works for them.
I am currently a mental health first aider and also a TRiM(Trauma Risk Management) Practitioner, so I am a firm believer in people talking about their issues without any stigma attached. In my workplace there are several mental health first aiders, and we try to promote awareness and signpost to relevant agencies if people feel they may need support.
Now that I have actively used HeadFIT and seen that is a fantastic tool I will encourage as many people I can to use it. It doesn’t only have to be used if you are dealing with mental health issues, but is helpful for anyone who has found these unpredictable times hard.
