If you’ve read my last couple of columns, you’ll know I’ve shone a spotlight on ‘Stress Awareness Month’, with good reason.

Here in Lancashire, stress is a significant concern. A recent survey by the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) revealed that a significant amount of respondents reported feeling stressed “often” or “all the time.”

The main stressors identified included work pressures, financial worries, and childcare concerns.

For my final piece on Stress Awareness Month, I thought I would explain a little bit more about how you can access some free help.

For many people, even acknowledging that they might need some help with their mental health can be a huge barrier.

Many of our older generation have memories of ‘lunatic asylums’ and people being given endless prescriptions for tranquilisers. Others regard a trip to their GP as something that is for a physical illness only, not somewhere they should go if they are struggling with their thoughts and feelings.

Some people may want to run a mile as soon as they hear the words psychology or psychiatry. Others may not regard stress as a mental health issue at all. For example, they may think mental health just refers to psychiatric illness. Mental health covers everything to do with how we think and how we feel, that includes stress.

Many people go through difficult times in their lives, which can lead to them feeling worried, anxious or depressed and feeling unable to cope. Talking Therapies offer a range of brief psychological interventions to support people’s differing emotional needs (such as generalised anxiety, panic, depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

Their services include online, telephone and face-to-face treatment and therapy options. They also offer therapy for individuals with long-term conditions (such as chronic pain or cardiovascular conditions) who are experiencing anxiety or low mood. All treatment is free and provided by the NHS and partners.

You can find a list of local telephone numbers throughout the Lancashire area from their website https://www.lscft.nhs.uk/talking-therapies/contact-us

The months are flying by this year, next week sees the start of May, so I am going to be taking a look at how we can take more control over certain aspects of our lives, so that we can feel healthier and happier over the lighter, brighter months ahead.

Martin Furber is a therapist qualified in various modalities and an Instructor Member of Mental Health First Aid England. wellbeing@martinfurber.com If you are experiencing any type of mental health crisis, go to your GP or A&E, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258