Links

Links - The usual disclaimer: I am neither responsible for, nor necessarily endorse the content of the web sites which are listed below. External hypertext links from this web site are of concern to me upon receiving notification that they connect to inappropriate content. If any of these sites are linked to others which you consider unsuitable for family viewing please let me know. You may come across some sites that do not necessarily reflect the views of Mental Health Survival Guide Dacorum & St Albans UK or your own opinions. I believe that people need choice to exercise responsibility - which is the hallmark of a free society. You may nominate a web site URL / address together with the title and description, for inclusion in these listings, via the Guestbook. Please use some degree of caution when visiting external sites and always remember that life is too short to get upset over a web page. Hypertext links are an important part of navigating the World Wide Web. The A - Z links below will take you to other web sites with similar or related interests.

With so many Web sites coming and going and changing it is inevitable that some, if not many of the URLs here will result in "404 missing" errors. I am resigned to this for individuals on mom-and-pop ISPs. However, there really is no excuse when large companies change their web site organization and don't provide an easy way to locate the replacement page for those that have disappeared. Some do but many don't seem to care if you find them or not. What kind of good business practice is that? Suppose your favourite store moved in the middle of the night and didn't provide a forwarding address? Even the Royal Mail will forward your post for several months. Out of courtesy, web sites should do this with web site addresses as well. Many do, but certainly not the majority! Perhaps I should add a "404 Hall of Shame"!

The best way for you to help is when you find dead links, use the Guestbook to tell me about it. Then, I'll either remove them or locate the replacement web site(s). Simply whining about how your valuable time has been wasted due to dead links is not being constructive.

Please let me know if you come across anything on my web pages that doesn't work in your browser (be specific about what browser you're using and what didn't work) and I'll try to fix it.

I am currently rebuilding this site to include a lot of new fresh content, obviously this does take a little time. Meanwhile, if you have found your way here by a search engine or a link somewhere and wish to surf further, please don't despair as I have included some links below to other great mental health related sites as follows:

AdviceNow - Making sense of the law and your rights. AdviceNow provides good quality information on the law and your rights plus educational resources for teachers and legal advisors.

Amaravati - Spiritual retreat in Dacorum. Amaravati Buddhist Monastery of Theravadan Thai Forest Tradition from the lineage of Laung Poh Chah. Residence of monks (Bhikkhus), nuns (Siladhara) and Anagarikas. Give meditation classes, retreats. Visits are welcome.

Benefits & Mental Health - How to claim your benefits. Advice on all benefits relating to Mental Health. Mental health benefits discussed and explained. Claim your welfare benefits with help from our site. We guide you through the benefits claiming system. Source of The Big Book of Benefits.

Benefits & Work - Valuable guides and e-mail updates. Independent benefits guides: disability living allowance (DLA), incapacity benefit (IB), employment and support allowance (ESA). Claims, medicals, appeals.

Benefits Now - Benefits and Health Information Service

Bipolar Aberdeen - Bipolar Affective Disorder, also known as Manic Depression, is a brain disorder that causes unusual and severe shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. This can result in damaged relationships, poor job performance and even suicide. But bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead a full and productive life. Bipolar Aberdeen provide a specialised service not provided by anyone else. Check out their free online newsletter.

Bipolar-Expedition.co.uk - An Autobiographical Journey into Bipolar Disorder by Neil Walton - Bipolarity, Mental Illness, Depression, Manic Episodes, Humour.

Bipolar Fellowship - Scotland. We provide information, support and advice to people in Scotland who are affected by bipolar disorder/manic depression and to all who care for them."

CAB - Citizens Advice Bureau. Offers free, independent, and confidential advice on issues such as debt, benefits, housing, legal matters, employment, and immigration.

C.A.L.M - Being silent isn't being strong. If you need to talk to someone you can call the CALM Helpline on 0800 58 58 58 (Open: Sat to Tues: 5pm 'til Midnight).

Cambridge MDF Bipolar Self Help Group - "We are one of over 100 local groups coming under the umbrella of the national charity, MDF The BiPolar Organisation, originally known as 'The Manic Depression Fellowship'." Credit is due for their first rate newsletter articles and entertaining humorous cartoons.

Carers in Hertfordshire - We aim to provide quality services to all carers throughout Hertfordshire in accordance with our Equal Opportunities policy. The organisation is governed by trustees, most of whom are carers themselves. Local newsletters.

Child Death Helpline - a helpline for anyone affected by the death of a child of any age, from prebirth to adult, under any circumstances, however recently or long ago. The helpline is open every day throughout the year. Your call will be answered by a bereaved parent. Freephone: 0800 282 986.

Colin's Mad World - Personal website. My name is Colin. I'm thirty years old and am currently living in Oxford. I suffer from chronic depression.

Community Legal Advice - A free and confidential advice service paid for by legal aid - all of our help and advice is completely government funded.

Computers for the Disabled - Our mission is to help disabled people, communicate and participate, in day-to-day activities most people take for granted. We do this by recycling computers, giving disabled people an alternative means of keeping in touch.

Connexions - Confidential advice, support and information for 13-19 year olds - search our website, contact us by phone, text, e-mail, or webchat or get in touch with a Personal Adviser in your area.

Counselling Directory - This website is a support network of UK counsellors and psychotherapists, with information on their training and experience, areas of counselling, fees and contact details. This service is free, confidential and easy to use.

Developmentals (The) - We want you as a new recruit! :) We are a new mental health service user music playing ensemble based in Hertford, Hertfordshire / Herts UK. Early days yet but The Developmentals could soon become a major player in the arena of daycentre entertainment.

Directgov - The official UK government website for citizens. Public services all in one place.

Direct Payments - Direct Payments is a strange beast. If you don't ask for it, you won't get it. Brought to you by Benefits Bob... The Welfare Weasel.

Disability Now - Living, Have your say, Latest news, Entertainment, Working, Newsletter, Editor's blog

Edspace - Edinburgh mental health information. Vast selection of useful links.

Electroboy - Fighting Depression and Bipolar Disorder. Manic depression, often referred to as bipolar disorder, plagued Andy Behrman, author of Electroboy, a young man who had 19 electroshocks and lost memory after involvement in counterfeiting, jail time, house arrest, hospitalization, and finally into healing.

Entitled To - Free online benefits calculator to work out your entitlement to benefits and tax credits.

Epilepsy Action - Provides information about coping with epilepsy and seizures. Provides free help and advice through the use of email and telephone helplines. Freephone helpline 0808 800 5050

Fax Your MP - Contact your Councillors, MP, MEPs, MSPs, or Northern Ireland, Welsh and London AMs for free.

Find Your MP - This service will recognise postcodes and names of MPs or constituencies, or fragments of these. If you are unsure of the name of your MP or constituency it may be easier to try searching by postcode.

FORWARD - Sign up for our free international fellowship newsletter FORWARD and receive a frequent bulletin with information that affects those with bipolar manic depression, their carers & families. FORWARD seems so far ahead of the curve that it is practically defining it! :)

Gift From Within - A non-profit organization with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) information and healing resources (essays, ptsd videos and dvds, articles, poetry, art, stories, webcasts,) for people suffering from traumatic events like child abuse, accidents, natural disasters, rape, and sexual assault. Includes educational tapes for therapists, social workers and psychologists who treat traumatized victims.

Goodbye Ana - Anorexia and Depression support site.

HereToHelp - Here to Help, A B C Information Resource for Individuals and Families Managing Mental Health or Substance Use Problem.

Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - The Trust is committed to providing excellent health and social care for both people with mental ill health and those with a learning disability. We aim to provide services which make a positive difference to the lives of service users and their carers.

Herts Mind Network - gateway page

Insanity Test - Pendragon's Online Insanity Test. This is an insanity test to see just how sane you really are. If you answer yes to any of these questions you get 1 point. Final points is a % of how much insane you are *grin*

Intalink - Welcome to Hertfordshire Travel Information... public transport in Hertfordshire

Jobcentre Plus - Support for people of working age. Find out what is happening in your area.

Keep an eye out... - Voluntary & Statutory Partnership. 'Mental' is a word which is seen almost exclusively in negative terms - as a term of abuse in the playground, at work and even in the family - it should not be, because it isn't. We are all 'mental' beings - in the same way as we are all 'physical' beings and mental health is just as important as physical health.

Life Love and Bipolar - "Bipolar divorce occurs in an alarming 90 percent of marriages in which one partner is suffering from bipolar disorder. The aim of this site is to provide those interested with the knowledge of potential pitfalls." I accidentally surfed on to this site and I'm glad I did! :) Some down to earth advice here but prepare for many advertisements. A simple, but effective well presented site that is easy to navigate and appears to be Australian.

LifeSIGNS - Guidance & Network Support

Lithium - rock for mental health!

MadNOTBad - Speaking Out: Contribute Your Poetry & Artwork. Rachel's personal site. MadNOTBad is a space for those affected by mental ill health and distress to share their experiences, opinions and creative talent online.

MDF The BiPolar Organisation - A user led charity working to enable people affected by Bipolar disorder / manic depression to take control of their lives.

Mental Health Care - From the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and Rethink. Information and research news. Mental health information for friends, family and carers aimed at anyone providing support to someone experiencing mental illness.

Mental Health Forum - Whether you are experiencing psychological distress, are a friend, partner or relative of someone who is experiencing mental health issues, or if you work in the mental health field - you are most welcome here.

Mental Health Foundation - The UK charity for everyone's mental health. Sign up for free email updates about new campaigns, podcasts and the latest news in mental health.

Mental Health In The UK - Personal experiences of mental health, poetry, stories, services, disorders, treatments, pen-pal scheme, links and a support forum/message board with chat make up this UK based site. Catherine's personal web site. Probably the most influential mental health themed personal website on the Internet.

Mental Health Shop - Offers a wealth of information on mental health in the form of publications, leaflets, booklets, videos and DVDs. This site is a joint venture between Rethink and Mental health Media providing all their information and materials in one central place. This site is specifically aimed at people with mental health problems, carers, health professionals and organisations who care for people experiencing severe mental illness and other mental health problems

Mental Health Social - a Mental Health Social Network/Community Support with features such as; Chat rooms, foums, blogs, groups, events, video and more!"

Mental Health Survival Guide - Watford

MIDAS - Mental Illness Diagnosed Agency Service

Mind - The leading national mental health charity in the United Kingdom. Contact your local branch for advice and information regarding housing support, befriending schemes, education, leisure, benefits, groups and clubs etc.

Mind in Mid Herts & Way2Work - gateway page

Mind Out! - Refugee Art® This is an alternative creative space for mental health services user Refugee Art® that will include; photographs, poetry, MP3s, stories, jokes, designs for perpetual motion machines and pretty much anything else that can be digitised, attached to an e-mail and shoehorned into our 50Mb of web space. If your art doesn't belong anywhere else, then it belongs here. Where else can you reach a potential audience of millions, for free? Go for it. Free is a currency we all understand! :)

Neath Mind - Source of The Big Book of Benefits. How to claim Benefits. Advice on all benefits relating to Mental Health. Mental health benefits discussed and explained. Claim your welfare benefits with help from our site. We guide you through the benefits claiming system.

NetDoctor - UK independent health site. Medical information and health website. Health advice on diseases, conditions, examinations and treatments. Latest health news, answers to health questions and search for doctors, consultants, health charities, support groups, hospitals, birth units, and complementary therapists.

NHS Choices - Your health, your choices. Health A-Z. Medical advice now. Symptom checkers, quick answers, email advice and phone numbers if you need medical help now.

One World Mental Health - World wide news reports.

Patient Opinion - This is our NHS... let's make it better. Patient Opinion is all about enabling patients to share their experiences of health care, and by doing so help other patients, and perhaps even change the NHS.

POhWER - The advocacy agency. Welcome to the website of POhWER, advocacy, making your voice heard.

Questions & Answers - The mental health bill. The government has published yet another bill intended to replace the Mental Health Act. But campaigners say it is still too draconian. David Batty explains. 17 November 2006.

Recovery In-Sight - A new social enterprise which offers training products and training services, research, advisory and self-help services undertaken by its team, academically-trained mental health service users and people who care for service users.

Rethink - Working together to help everyone affected by severe mental illness, including schizophrenia, to recover a better quality of life. Providing information on schizophrenia, depression, manic depression, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, schizoaffective disorder, borderline schizophrenia, treatments, therapies and medications, dual diagnosis, benefits, self harm, stigma and discrimination. Rethink is a provider of mental health services and carries out fundraising and campaigns to further it aims including influencing the mental health act.

Rightsnet - London Advice Services Alliance project. News about social security benefit matters; articles on welfare rights issues; a discussion group and FAQs on benefit entitlement."

Royal College of Psychiatrists - The online mental health resource for the public and professionals. Improving the lives of people affected by mental illness.

St Albans Bereavement Network - Seeks to bring together those groups working with bereaved persons and aims to enable anyone in St Albans and District to have access to bereavement support.

Samaritans - Provides confidential emotional support 24/7 to those experiencing despair, distress or suicidal feelings.

SANELINE - Tel: 0845 767 8000. Mental Health Charity SANE - meeting the challenge of mental illness. Information on all aspects of mental illness including depression, manic depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, phobia and obsession. SANE also funds and carries out medical research into severe mental illness.

Shaw Trust - National charity providing assistance for people who are disadvantaged in the workplace due to disability, ill-health, or other social circumstances.

SHIFT - An initiative to tackle stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health issues in England. Our aim is to create a society where people who experience mental health problems enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other people.

Suicide Junkie - Steve's personal web site. Author of Suicide Junkie, S Westwood's Official Website: living and surviving Body Dysmoprhic Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Self-Harm and Suicide.

There4u - Mental health Information service local for Berkshire and across England.

Together - A leading UK Mental Health Charity working alongside each person with mental health issues on their journey towards greater wellbeing. Informed, Responsive, Resourceful. Working for wellbeing.

Traveline - Public Transport Information. Plan travel by bus, train, coach, ferry or underground.

Turn2us - To access benefits & grants. Turn2us helps people access the money available to them - through welfare benefits, grants and other financial help.

Turning Point - People not Problems. Turning Point is the UKs leading social care organisation. We provide services for people with complex needs, including those affected by drug and alcohol misuse, mental health problems and those with a learning disability.

United Response - Supports people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities to live in the community, across England and in Wales. Support, training & work.

ViewPoint - "Difficulties facing mental health services users include stress, benefits trap, stigma, isolation and side effects of medications." - Newsletter Sept 2004. Would you like to help improve mental health services in Hertfordshire? Then ViewPoint would like to hear from you. ViewPoint exists to empower and support people who use or have used mental health services to be part of the decision making process. For more information contact: View Point, 62b Bridge Road East, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 1JU Tel: 01707 328014. I recommend ViewPoint, they have many exciting opportunities for mental health services users. Visit their website and sign up for their newsletter.

Volunteer Centre Dacorum - Provides fast access to all current local voluntary opportunities in Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring and surrounding areas of Hertfordshire. Lots of ideas and information on the hows and gains for individuals and groups getting involved in volunteering. Plus training, advice and guidance on good practice for those involved in volunteer management.

WHO - World Health Organization is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care and collective defence against transnational threats.

1Xtra via BBC - Does weed mess minds? Smoke cannabis once and you could increase your chance of mental health problems by 40%. Top scientists say they can't deny the link. What do you think?

Yellow Card - Helping to make medicines safer. Website for reporting adverse drug reactions within the UK.

Youreable.com - Resource for those with a disability. Youreable.com is the charitable internet site for people with disabilities founded by Joe Rajko winner of channel 4's eMillionaire show. Youreable.com provides disabled people with information and advice on travel, finance and banking, health, computing developments, work and employment opportunities, motoring as well as disabled equipment and discounts for online shopping.

ZYRA - Madness shown in a positive light! Zyra's website - Interesting eccentric and eclectic site with thousands of pages of informative and entertaining content and thousands of references to sites around the world.

Link Exchange - If you link to me I will link to you. This is what makes the World Wide Web work - links. Your site does not have to be mental health themed and I welcome a text or picture link using the graphic here for you to copy and upload to your server. So that I may reciprocate please use the Guestbook to advise me you have created a link to my Mental Health Survival Guide website URL:
http://www.houlston.freeserve.co.uk/mental.htm

Here are some web sites that have linked back to me:
ViewPoint
Mental Health In The UK

Computer Rage - Do computers sometimes make you feel like this? Perhaps you are struggling to build your own web site. Find relief from your suffering via this page. Whilst learning how to create my own web site I was most grateful to web masters in the USA who helped me with links to free online tutorials. Those links have been listed along with a few more I acquired. Master the skills of copy/paste and your free DIY web site will be just a few clicks away via Web Master Resources. Never be afraid to try something new - Remember: Amateurs built the Ark, Professionals built the Titanic.