Mental health service relaunched

Suffolk Mind and the local NHS have relaunched a pioneering support service for people struggling with their mental health after hearing from service users about how it could be improved.

The Waves programme supports people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) or emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD).

People with BPD or EUPD may find themselves easily overwhelmed by strong emotions such as distress, anxiety, anger or feelings of low self-esteem, often due to experiencing childhood trauma.

They may have difficulties making consistent and secure emotional connections with other people and can struggle with personal relationships.

People living with these disorders may try to gain control of their feelings by self-harming or by alcohol and drugs misuse, sometimes leading to overdosing.

Now Suffolk Mind and the NHS Suffolk & North East Essex Integrated Care Board (SNEE ICB) have redesigned the Waves programme after consulting the very people it aims to help.

The programme used to run over 12 months but is now delivered by Suffolk Mind as a condensed 12-week course of face-to-face group sessions.

Kym Hackett, of Suffolk Mind, said: “The Waves programme helps people who have been diagnosed with BPD and EUPD or who display traits of them.

“It offers people coping strategies and an insight into how adverse experiences may have contributed to them being diagnosed with their disorder or experiencing its effects.

“Waves also enables people to learn new skills to help them manage and lead fulfilling lives. It helps build up their confidence and self-esteem in a supportive, group-working environment.”

Service user, Richard, attended Waves after his GP told him he believed he was suffering from BPD.

He said: “When I attended the programme, I asked them why they called it Waves. They said it was because that was the way BPD worked, in waves.

“They said a BPD sufferer’s day was like a wave – you get high peaks and low troughs and there’s never a medium, never a straight line.

“That’s what my days are like. That day at Waves was the biggest breakthrough of my life.”

Hannah May, SNEE ICB Senior Transformation Lead for Mental Health, said: “We are very excited about the relaunched Waves programme and the early feedback from people with BPD and EUPD is very encouraging.

“We needed to reduce the time people with these disorders spent waiting for access to help so we worked with people who live with BPD and EUPD.

“Together we co-produced a shorter, more focused 12-week group work programme which delivers real support to people with shared lived experience.

“It helps them to understand their disorder, realise they are not alone, and gives them the tools they need to cope with what they face and so live better, more fulfilling lives.”

People with a BPD or EUPD diagnosis, or who display traits of either disorder, must be referred to the programme by a healthcare professional.

The Waves programme is not currently open to people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Autistic Spectrum Disorder/Aspergers, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

A video featuring four people who have benefitted from attending the relaunched Waves programme can be viewed here.