Sign up to receive email updates about our work and how you can support children and young people. Early support hubs would provide a place where young people aged can drop in and talk about their mental health. NHS services and school support simply can’t keep up with the demand. Here are some helplines and websites where you can find information and advice or talk to someone about what you’re going through. If you’re finding it hard to reach out, or struggling while you wait for support, try to think of ways you can make yourself feel better. Self-care is an important part of feeling comfortable in who you are.
Get support for yourself
If it feels too much, remember you can always pass the conversation on to another team member. Consider if there is a referral your organisation can offer or if the family need to visit their GP, or both. But this time can also feel rushed or inappropriate, and may be interrupted.
- Demi Lovato shares her personal story with mental health problems and offers advice for young adults.
- Here are some helplines and websites where you can find information and advice or talk to someone about what you’re going through.
- It’s also important to get support for your own mental health if you need it.
- It’s important to know that there’s no right or wrong way of feeling.
- Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services.
Find time regularly to connect with friends, family, classmates, co-workers or others. YoungMinds has information on how to have a more positive experience online. Try creating things (e.g. drawing, https://militarychild.org/resource/wellbeing-toolkit/relevant-resources/ painting, writing, crafting), playing games or puzzles, decorating, or spending time watching or creating content on social media or streaming sites.
Find help and support
Here are some tips to help you talk to someone. It’s normal to worry about how people will react or that talking about things might cause other problems. Opening up about how you feel can be scary. Your wellbeing matters and taking the first step to ask for help is incredibly brave. Even though the road to getting support may be challenging, it’s worth sticking with it. But the more these conversations happen, the easier they become and the more natural they’ll start to feel.
Being at school, college or university can bring particular worries or challenges. Many organisations offer practical tips for managing your mental health. Make sure you’re in contact with your therapist or other mental health professionals by phone, video call or email. Be as understanding of yourself as you are to a friend, especially if you’re finding things difficult or your plans have had to change. If we’re unable to exercise in the ways we prefer, we may not be as active as we usually would – which is important for our mental health.
Learn how to talk with and support everyone in a family when one member is struggling. Join our fight for children and young people’s mental health. We have information, tips and resources for you to feel confident when responding to a young person’s wellbeing needs. We’re a charity that offers information and advice to young people, parents and carers.