Mental Health and Wellbeing

Achieving personal wellbeing should be your personal responsibility!   It cannot be delegated to someone else, nor can you rely on someone else to supply all the solutions.   There are many ways to create the right environment in which your personal wellbeing can thrive!

What is mental wellbeing?

Mental wellbeing doesn't have one set meaning.   We might use it to talk about how we feel, how well we're coping with daily life or what feels possible at the moment.

Good mental wellbeing doesn't mean you're always happy or unaffected by your experiences.   But poor mental wellbeing can make it more difficult to cope with daily life.

Tips for improving your mental wellbeing

There are lots of things we can try to take care of our wellbeing.   Here are some tips to help you:

• Relax and reduce stress
• Find ways to learn and be creative
• Spend time in nature
• Connect with others
• Look after your physical health
• Try to get enough sleep

It's not always easy to start with caring for your wellbeing.   You might find it helpful to:

• only try what feels comfortable
• give yourself time to figure out what works for you, going at your own pace
• take small steps. Pick one or two things that feel achievable at first, before moving on to try other ideas.

If you're finding things difficult and these tips don't feel possible, it's ok to ask for help.

Please click on the following link on seeking help for a mental health problem for guidance on finding support and treatment for your mental health.

Please click on the YouTube link below to watch a short video on AT’s – Automatic Thoughts.   Are you someone who is good at catastrophizing?   If yes, watch this video!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2zRA5zCA6M

Understand Stress and Stressors

When you are feeling stressed or you think someone is feeling stresses, take the opportunity to ask the following questions:

• How does your body feel when you’re stressed?   Are your muscles or stomach tight or sore?   Are your hands clenched?   How is your breathing?
• What are you feeling?   Angry or Sad?
• What are you thinking of?
• When you feel like this, what can you do to calm yourself down?

When supporting someone remember to use empathy, not sympathy!   Watch this short video if you would like to know the difference:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

The following websites offer further support:

https://www.mind.org.uk/

https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/services-kent-children-young-peoples-mental-health/

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/childrens-mental-health/

https://www.place2be.org.uk/our-services/parents-and-carers/supporting-your-child-s-mental-health/

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/news/covid/supporting-children-young-people-mental-health

https://www.annafreud.org/

https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/our-work-and-impact/children-and-families/good-mental-health/

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/nhs-voluntary-charity-services/charity-and-voluntary-services/get-help-from-mental-health-helplines/

https://www.samwestfoundation.org/about-us

https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk/?fbclid=IwAR18gUIAO3xwNN9-ECKoGEkWlxttvpQ9tGJpHe7c_UTiUhJWOvQp6_rk-k8

https://hubofhope.co.uk/ 

Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services - CAMHS

Specialist CAMHS services are available to children and young people who have severe, complex and enduring emotional/behavioural/mental health difficulties. Specialist CAMHS will accept referrals of children and young people whose symptoms or distress and degree of social and/or functional impairment are severe.

https://camhs.elft.nhs.uk/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/for-children-and-young-people/understanding-camhs/

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/your-guide-to-support/guide-to-camhs/

https://www.kelsi.org.uk/support-for-children-and-young-people/health-and-wellbeing/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-service

More information can be found on our other Mental Health page, please click here to go to this page.