Despite England finishing top of their group and making it through to the quarter finals, their performances and manager have occasionally come under criticism. With Southgate preferring a more conservative tactical approach, this has frustrated fans and pundits.

However, last night, Southgate got his starting XI just right as they faced AFCON Champions, Senegal in the Round of 16. As the team sheet was released, fans across Manchester and the country were baffled to see Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford dropped to the bench after an excellent spell against Wales, scoring two goals.

Although, all of Southgate’s wingers have contributed to goals and assists throughout the competition so far, and we could say that all of them deserve to start – but they can’t.

England’s starting XI vs. Senegal: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Rice, Henderson, Bellingham, Foden, Saka, Kane (C). Excellent representation of our Northern football clubs performing on the worlds biggest football stage.

England had to work hard to break the deadlock. Senegal were resilient, well organised and pressed with intensity and at times looked to be man marking the forward line. They were excellent at closing spaces for the midfield and blocking the channels to the front three.

We saw Senegal put England’s defense to the test in the first half with the first scoring opportunities of real threat falling to the AFCON Champions. Everton keeper, Jordan Pickford made some game saving interventions.

Then in the 38th minute came a stunning flick from Foden that opened up space for England to attack the Senegalese defense. As Bellingham cut back to Henderson, the Liverpool skipper was arriving late into the box to finish off the move and put England 1-0 up.

England’s second came not long after in the additional minutes of the first half, and the Manchester star was involved again. As Bellingham charged through midfield looking to counterattack, he slipped the ball through to Foden who took one touch through to skipper, Harry Kane for him to score his first goal of the World Cup 2022.

Senegal made plenty of changes at half time to keep their competition hopes alive, to no avail. England made their final clinical move of the game on the 57th minute as Kane loses the ball, Foden picks it up from the toes of Senegal and glides down the left flank, holding off Koulibaly before slipping it through his legs to Saka who was waiting in the 6 yard box.

Saka put England 3-0 up, and Southgate made his move with some changes. Saka and Foden were the first to make way for Rashford and Grealish. Followed by Stones and Bellingham for Dier and Mount, and the final change saw Henderson hooked for Phillips.

The changes enabled the England coach to save the legs of some of his key players. However, the changes did slow the tempo of the game for the Three Lions and the final minutes saw Senegal on the front foot without any real goal threat.

What seemed to be a comfortable win, it certainly wasn’t all England and Senegal were a tough opponent for large parts of the game. But with some England youngsters sprinkling some magic, they were able to progress to the quarter finals where they will face reigning Champions, France.

France, and in particular, Mbappe have had tongues wagging and are currently ranked 4th, one place above England. France won 3-1 against Poland yesterday, who have been underwhelming through the groups and we perhaps even lucky to make it to the Round of 16.

Can the Three Lions sweep France to the side and make their way to the Semi’s?

Depression can be experienced by anyone, and is more common than we realise. It’s something we can’t always see, so we need to try not to compare ourselves to those around us and presume they are “coping better”, which is something I hear a lot as a Psychotherapist.

Statistics show us that one in four of us experience depression; over 300 million people are affected globally – and that is just reported cases. Depression impacts individuals of all ages, lifestyles, backgrounds, genders, nationalities and ethnicity’s.

What is Depression?

Depression can be described as a state of “excessive sadness and lethargy”, which can impact our cognitive function, thinking, feelings, behaviours and general well-being. This is different from the “low” or “CBA” that we can all feel at times.

Symptoms of depression: can be categorised into four areas, including cognition (thoughts), behaviours, feelings and physical symptoms. However, everyone experiences depression differently, and may experience varying symptoms. That’s okay, it’s normal; it does not lessen our own experience in any way.

Cognitive symptoms: poor memory/concentration, difficulty in making decisions, expecting the worst/negative thinking, losing confidence in self and the world around us. When experiencing depression we tend to think negatively about ourselves, the future and the world around us. It can distort our perceptions so that we start to view and think about things with a negative bias – we don’t do this on purpose.

Feelings: deep sadness/despair, feeling numb, low, tearful, demotivated, isolated/lonely (even when around others). Feelings of irritability, frustration and agitation. We have a tendency to lose interest in the things we used to enjoy. We may also notice feelings of guilt, shame and anxiety.

Behaviours: avoiding people, staying in bed for longer or not getting up at all, lack of self-care, being inactive or doing nothing for long periods of time, stopping doing your usual activities, and feeling overwhelmed with things that used to be manageable. It’s important to remind ourselves that we are not lazy!

Physical symptoms: decreased/increased appetite, change in weight, lack of energy and fatigue, restlessness, sleep difficulties (sleeping too much, interrupted sleep, sleeping too little).

What causes depression?

Causes of depression can be divided into three distinct categories; stress and loss (common triggers: bereavement, loss of job, loss of/or change in financial stability, divorce), chemical imbalance (chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are low in the brain during major depressive episodes), and unknown reasons (everyone is unique and individual with different experiences and lives, varying from one person to the next, it’s important to become aware of our own triggers).

Are there things we can do to improve our mood? Yes – however, it takes work and practice.

Treatment guidelines: there are many treatments available for depression. The NHS National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, medication and Counselling. Remember, everyone is different and unique, and so not all treatments will work the same for everyone.

If you speak to a mental health professional, together, you can identify the best treatment for you. Manage your expectations, because it might be that one treatment does not have the desired outcome. That’s okay! There are lots of different types of therapeutic models to try, and a health professional will take the time with you to find what’s right for you – if you find that you have tried varying treatments with no luck, and health professionals aren’t listening, why not get in touch with us for some signposting?

If you feel that therapy or counselling is something you would like to try, speak with your GP and request a referral to an appropriate service.

Self-help Strategies

Seeking professional support and treatment is important, but there are things that we can do for ourselves. When we experience depression, it can sometimes feel that everything is so far beyond our control. Some of the tips and techniques in our previous post can help you to find some control again.

http://mintradio.co.uk/2022/10/23/steps-to-freshen-up-your-wellbeing-with-mint-radio/

Stay Active!

Research shows that keeping physically active can be as effective for mental health as medication. By engaging is physical activity, we can help our bodies to produce a cocktail of natural anti-depressants. It also helps us to establish routine and increase our motivation – the less we do, the more demotivated we feel. It can help us to feel better about ourselves, helps to boost energy, improves cognitive function, serves as a distraction from negative/unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, and gives us a sense of achievement, improving our overall general well-being.

Look after yourself!

A balanced diet, good sleep pattern, daily routine, relaxation all have a positive impact on our physical and mental health – remember that these two go hand-in-hand, making up our general well-being. If you need support with this, keep your eye out for future Mint Radio tips, or get in touch if there is anything you want to see specifically.

Be sociable!

Yes, even for us introverts. Connect with others. Even if it is with an online community you feel part of. Seeing friends and family can be helpful. Or building social support networks through local community activities that you have always wanted to try.

Set Goals!

Your goals can be small, or big. When we set a goal and work towards that, we release a feel good chemical called dopamine. Keep your eyes peeled for some Mint Radio SMART goal guidance.

Learn to challenge negative thinking. Ultimately, depression can lead to thinking with a negative bias – this is not your fault – it is part of depression. However, we can become more aware of the way that we think, we can then learn to challenge those unhelpful thoughts. Challenge them and replace them with more balanced thoughts.

This is important, because the way that we think, influences the way that we feel and behave. If we think something often enough, we will start to believe it and it becomes a negative thought “pattern”. If we think negatively, we will feel negatively, and then behave according to our feelings.

Keeping a journal can be helpful in helping you to identify those pesky thoughts that impact on our mood. There will be more to come from us on this, so that we can support you on your journey.

Change won’t happen over night, take one step at a time. Baby steps. Try not to expect too much of yourself. Do expect set backs. That’s okay – you can handle them and there is support out there.

Let us know if you found this helpful or if there is anything else you would like to see. We want to help you gain back your control.

We’re with you – Mint Radio!

What’s on in Manchester?

You heard it here folks, yes that’s right, Park Life Early Bird tickets are now on sale and you can purchase yours here: https://parklife.uk.com .

Tickets start from £79.50 with weekend tickets and packages also available. 

Manchester biggest festival, Park Life is one of the most popular festivals in the North West. Located in Heaton Park Manchester, there are 16 stages each with its own individual vibe to ensure your music taste is catered for. Acts range from pop, rock, grime, hip hop, club house, dance and indie.

The line up is yet to be mentioned but we will keep you informed; once we know, you know. Last years acts included 50cent, Megan Thee Stallion and Lewis Capaldi. This festival is not to be missed.

Park Life’s star studded event had some of the best acts in the industry last year and we are hoping for a formidable star line up in 2023. 50 cents successful performance had fans in awe and yes you guessed, he rolled up in one of the biggest convoys the festival has ever seen. You can check out previous line ups here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parklife_(festival)

With esteemed acts, to the new and upcoming, you are sure to enjoy a wide array of music. The festival is for music lovers alike and enjoyment is at the heart of music. So have fun, enjoy yourself and let the music light up your life.

When is the festival?

This years festival takes place on Saturday 10^th to Sunday 11^th June 2023. It is within easy access via public transport links but make sure you book your taxis early as to avoid disappointment at the end of the evening. 

How to get to festival?

The festival is located M25 2SW, Heaton Park Manchester. The venue is easily accessible by public transport routes, if you check the TFGM website for local bus routes. The Heaton Park tram stop is a 6 minute walk and you can get on the Bury Line Station at Manchester Piccadilly Train Station. You can also use the express shuttle service to Heaton Park Park Life located on Aytoun Street in Manchester.

You can reach Heaton Park from the M60 Ring Road, however there is limited parking on site. There is a local drop off point nearby.

 VIP tickets

The VIP tickets allow you access to two VIP bars with a selection of cocktails and many other features including private rest rooms, exclusive access to Park Life club and fast tracked VIP entrance. There are chill out zones located around the festival also.

Things to remember:

• This is not a camping festival and you will asked to leave at 11pm.
• Age restrictions apply and anybody under the age of 18 has to be accompanied by an adult.
• Bring photo ID
• Accessible tickets available 
• Payment Plans are available for tickets.
• Portable charges allowed.
• No alcohol or liquids of any kind are permitted.
• Parklife is cashless.
• With a capacity of 80,000+ this is not a small festival.
• Parklife tickets sell fast.
• No readmittance allowed.
• Gates open approx 10:30 am 11am. Sunday and late admittance is 5pm.
• Gates close at 11pm
• Parklife stage hosts the main headline acts.
• Weather permitting – if it rains it’s likely to be muddy.
• Pay and display car parks.
• Located on the Papal field of Heaton Park

This year the official @parklifefest has announced that @nandosuk will be there to ensure the festival goers are energised and ready to dance the day away. So what are you waiting for get your funky festival outfits at the ready and book your tickets now.

As winter and Christmas fast approaches, meaning darker mornings and nights, unappealing weather, financial worries and milestones for those with lost loved ones; it is not unusual for mood to dip.

If we think of our mental health the same way we think about physical health for a minute; if we wanted to improve our physical health, we would eat well, sleep well, exercise, cut out takeaways and alcohol. We’d feel better and slowly introduce these habits back in, until feeling sluggish and unhealthy again.

Mental health is similar. There are things we can do to maintain our psychological wellbeing. We sometimes do these for a time, and then stop them when we start to feel better. Then what happens? We can start to feel sluggish and unhealthy again.

The trick is to make them part of a routine, and remain consistent where possible – maybe Mint Radio can help you stay on track?

Here are 5 ways that you can maintain your psychological wellbeing through difficult periods:

Activity

Research shows that psychical activity reduces anxiety and depression across all age groups (keep your eyes out for our upcoming depression and anxiety tips to find out why).

Mental and physical health go hand in hand to complete our overall wellbeing. We can make a lot of progress if we begin to see these two as partners, rather than two separate entities.

The physical activity does not have to be drastic, and we don’t have to be super fit. Walking, home workouts, bike rides and dancing along to Mint Radio are ALL forms of activity that can help boost our feel-good hormones.

Connection

Human beings are social by nature. We always have been – even us introverts! If we reflect on what we know from thousands of years ago, when humans moved in tribes. If a member was rejected from the tribe, they wouldn’t survive.

Luckily, we live in a different world now, and no one needs to be alone. Research shows that feeling connected to someone/people and feeling valued is positive for our wellbeing.

When we are feeling low or anxious, we have a tendency to isolate from those around us, which exacerbates symptoms of anxiety and depression in the long-term. If you find yourself isolated or you don’t have any social support, here are some ideas:

• Join a club/group
• Volunteering/befriending elderly
• Begin a new hobby
• Contact us at Mint Radio

Give to others

Research shows that those who participate in community engagement or helping others report being generally happier, with a sense of fulfilment and purpose.

Giving to others could be something from volunteering for an organisation, to checking in on an elderly neighbour. We can adjust what we give to our own core values.

Be Mindful

Being mindful is simply a way of thinking, a way of being. By paying attention, on purpose in the present moment.

This can help prevent the tendency to ruminate when feeling low and prevent worrying which leads to or exacerbates anxiety, and we can make more balanced choices leading to positive outcomes.

Additionally, by being mindful and increasing our level of awareness we can monitor our mood and triggers more effectively, which helps to give us a little head start in managing and implementing techniques.

Learn

We could say that life itself and all of our experiences are opportunities to learn, even if we don’t like the lessons. However, learning new things has been shown to improve cognitive function, self-esteem and have a positive influence on psychological wellbeing.

Blending learning with creative activity can have an even bigger benefit and provide a sense of achievement. Learning a new language, to play an instrument, to knit or paint can all be low-cost activities.

Stay tuned for more tips and mental health talk from the Mint Radio Team, or comment if there are any specific topics you would like to hear about.

We’re with you!