Introducing the PAUSE Team

PAUSE stands for Psychological Awareness of Unusual and Sensory Experiences. The PAUSE Team is a local team that works with people who are having experiences that place them at increased risk of developing psychosis. This is known as an At-Risk Mental State. Click here to learn more about Psychosis.

The PAUSE service works with young people from the age of 14 who are having unusual experiences for the first time.  This means new, changed feelings or thoughts – you might say it feels weird and/or confusing.  This can also be a very scary and lonely time.

You may be experiencing some of the following experiences:

• Feeling that your body or the world has changed in some way
• Feeling like you are in danger when there is no evidence of this.
• Thinking that others can hear or see your thoughts
• Thinking something impossible is now possible
• Being able to sense something others cannot – whether this is hearing, seeing, touching, smelling or tasting something
• Believing that objects have a special message or meaning that is just for you

Having some of these experiences may make you feel that:

• You don’t want to or can’t be bothered to do things you used to enjoy
• You don’t want to talk to people or be around friends or family
• You are not able to go to school like usual
• Confused and not able to concentrate

There is no single reason for new and unusual experiences and they often go away by themselves after a while, but sometimes they may not.  This is where PAUSE can be of benefit  as getting early help can reduce these experiences.  The PAUSE team will meet with you in a safe space; this could be somewhere in the community or your home. They will work with you and those that support you to help you find ways to understand and manage these experiences and set goals for the future.  They will teach you coping strategies and also help you to find social, leisure and cultural activities which may support you.

Help, support and resources.

Click here for more information about the PAUSE team.

You can also contact the PAUSE team Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm on 0116 215 6288.