Educational resource on young people’s mental health for adults working across health, social care, education, criminal justice and community settings.
Advice about why someone might think about suicide and how you can help them, as well as looking at support for you.
Information for staff providing support and advice to people who may be self harming.
Offers free, confidential advice on a range of issues – from drug and alcohol issues, mental health challenges., housing problems, benefit concerns – whether you are calling for yourself or to support someone else.
When I first came to a Loophole Music session as a patient at Bethlem Royal Hospital, the thought of performing in front of people terrified me. I’ve played piano for many years but I didn’t think I’d ever have the confidence to play in front of anyone. However, after two sessions and lots of encouragement, Kieran and Bison persuaded me to sit at the piano and play for them. They recorded me playing a Chopin piece, and while they were clearly impressed, I hated listening back to it. I couldn’t help but punish myself for all the stupid mistakes I made.
As I’ve had training in piano, I feel exposed playing it in front of people and am hyper-critical of my abilities. Kieran and Bison recognised this, so they encouraged me to keep coming to the sessions and helped me learn to play ukulele instead. As I was learning ukulele from scratch, I was less hard on myself and I felt free to experiment and make mistakes in front of them. Soon, I was playing covers of my favourite songs by David Bowie and The Smiths. The difference was that this time I wasn’t judging my ability, even though I was out of my comfort zone.
That was a real turning point for me. Learning to play ukulele helped me gain the confidence to put myself out there. After vowing to never sing publicly, I volunteered to take part in the Bethlem Christmas Carol Concert and even sang a solo in front of the live audience. I’ve also bought myself a ukulele and set myself the challenge to start writing original compositions. Engaging with music again through Loophole empowered and motivated me, and more than that, it was a whole lot of fun.
Isolation is one of the biggest impacts of my condition.
Chronic pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties caused by Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalitis mean I can’t work or socialise regularly. Three years down the line, I find myself getting anxious about going to new places, experiencing new things and meeting new people.
Taking part in a Good Vibrations gamelan course at Jobcentre Plus helped me overcome these anxieties. Many people in the group were experiencing similar difficulties to me, so we could empathise and understand each other. Through working together as a team we helped ourselves individually. Connecting with new people in this way boosted my confidence in social situations and motivated me to push my boundaries further. I have already re-joined the local library and, while this might not sound like a big deal to some, it was a huge step for me. I’m hoping to do a Reiki course in the future too.
The gamelan music in itself was a therapy for me. For the first time in a long while I was able to fully focus on one thing. The experience was fulfilling. It gave me a real sense of achievement and helped me concentrate on what I can do rather than what I can’t. It reminded me that it’s important to do things for yourself in life.
Most importantly, the gamelan course was fun. We had freedom to experiment with different instruments and create new sounds, and the relaxed atmosphere meant we could socialise and laugh together. I would recommend taking part in a Good Vibrations gamelan course to anyone looking to build their confidence and have a completely new experience. If I can learn to enjoy my life again and relax, even when under a great deal of stress, anyone can.
Eternity Bleeps live video improvisation of Gamelan Playground by Emily Crossland on YouTube.