Mental Health Support
We all have mental health.
Useful Links
Promoting Positive Mental Health
The Wheel Of Wellbeing
The Wheel of Wellbeing is made up of six easy steps, so why not give them a try and see how they can make a difference to your happiness? Body. Mind. Spirit. People. Place. Planet. The Wheel can also be used in your everyday life to help improve your mood and reduce stress.
Why Wellbeing Matters
More and more research is showing us how certain things we do can improve our moods, reduce the risk of depression, strengthen relationships, keep us healthy and even add seven years to our lives.
Body: Be Active…
Your body is the engine that powers your wellbeing. It’s designed to move. Physical activities like walking, waltzing and Wii-ing can positively influence the way you think, feel and function. Practicing an activity you enjoy for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, is a necessary ingredient for a long and happy life.
Mind: Keep Learning…
Studies are showing that life-long learners are some of the healthiest, happiest people around. Our wellbeing can improve by taking up a new hobby, practicing the piano or even struggling with Scrabble.
Spirit: Give…
Did you known that giving to others does amazing things like reducing your blood pressure and improving your sleep? Practicing random acts of kindness, volunteering time, or simply saying ‘thank-you’ all work wonders for your wellbeing.
People: Connect…
Close relationiships with friends and family can add up to 7 years to our lives. That’s the same benefit as giving up smoking! So plan a party or get together for a gossip to connect more with the people around you.
Place: Take Notice…
Noticing nature helps us press the pause button. It reduced the stress of our 21st-century ‘hurry-worry’ lives. Savouring our surroundings gives us, quite literally, more breathing space.
Planet: Care…
Keeping our blue planet in tip-top shape is the best recipe for world wellbeing. It can sometimes feel like a hopeless task, but small positive changes like getting on your bike and switching off your charger, can make a big difference.
Anxiety & Panic, Low Mood & Depression
Anxiety is a normal, human feeling of fear or panic. When we face stressful situations, it can set off our brain’s in-built alarm bell system, which tells us something isn’t right and that we need to deal with it. Our brain wants the difficult situation to go away, so it makes us feel more alert, stops us thinking about other things, and even pumps more blood to our legs to help us run away.
Most of us worry sometimes – about things like friendships or money – and feel anxious when we’re under stress, like at exam time. But afterwards we usually calm down and feel better.
But when you’re not in a stressful situation, and you still feel worried or panicky, that’s when anxiety can become a problem.
We all feel low or down at times, but if your negative emotions last a long time or feel very severe, you may have depression.
Depression is a mood disorder where you feel very down all the time. Depression can happen as a reaction to something like abuse, bullying or family breakdown, but it can also run in families. Depression often develops alongside anxiety.
Depression is one of the most common types of mental illness. Although it’s hard to feel optimistic when you’re depressed, there is lots of support available to help you feel better.
To find out more about anxiety and how to manage it please click here to visit the Young Minds Depression webpage.
Trauma & Bereavement
Useful links for help with trauma and bereavement:
Exam Wellbeing
Exam time can be a really stressful and challenging time for pupils and it can be especially hard for young people who are struggling with other areas of their school or home life. We asked young people to give us some wellbeing advice for exam time and put together this handy poster for you to use at school.
Staying Well During Revision and Exams
- Always take a moment just to breathe, whether in the exam, before or after.
- Remember that school does offer support, just reach out and ask!
- Keep your work balanced. Spend time revising, but socialise and relax too.
- Keep a self-care routine so that your revision is the most productive it can be whilst you feel as good as possible.
- Break up revision with food and exercise to make sure you stay energised.
- Remember that results do not define you.
- Find a revision space and style that works for you: silence, background chatter, music with or without lyrics.
- Work to your own pace – everyone is different in how they work.
- If you feel nervous about the time pressure of an exam, practice timing yourself when you revise, or try some test papers.
- Plan in some treats to reward yourself, and celebrate when it’s all over!
Don’t Keep Things To Yourself
It’s important to do everything in your power to preserve your mental and physical wellbeing during the exams. But if you feel like you’re slipping under a huge load of stress, it’s important to talk to someone. Talk to your friends and family. You can talk to our School Counsellor as well.
Don’t worry. Exams are stressful, but it’s not a situation that lasts forever. You know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Stay strong and carry on!
