Should you need urgent health advice please contact your GP or call NHS 111. In an emergency please visit A&E or call 999
Emotional health impacts on everyone at different times, whether it’s good or bad. Sometimes we need help to cope with stresses and worries so this is where we can help.
Stress is our response to challenge, threat or excitement. Small amounts of stress can be a good thing and push us to do well in exams, sports, art or whatever you feel passionate about. It can help us be more focused and alert.
Large amounts of stress can do the opposite and blur our thinking and negatively affect our mental and physical health. This kind of stress can make us feel nervous, anxious or even hopeless. Reaction to too much stress makes us feel like we can’t do the things which normally come naturally. We can’t cope and things are unfair on us.
It’s important that when we feel like this we realise it and try to do things to build our self-esteem. The first important thing is to connect with someone. It may be a friend, teacher, parent or carer or school nurse or counsellor. Friends especially can help us feel good about ourselves.
It’s important to be active. You don’t have to be an Olympian but research shows that people who exercise have less low mood and depression. If exercise is not your thing being outside can lift your mood as it encourages us to produce vitamin D which enables the body to produce serotonin which is the good mood hormone. Something we could all do with.
We should also take a step back. Just take a few minutes to look at the world around us. If the world around us doesn’t look that good then close your eyes (if safe to do so) and imagine your best day ever.
Learning is also important for our emotional health. If we feel we are keeping up at school it reduces the stress we feel. It doesn’t just have to be school work which makes us feel good, learn an instrument, game or cooking.
Another thing we can do is give. People who help others tend to be happier themselves. You don’t have to give money but giving time out of your day to help someone else could be the boost you’re looking for.
If you feel you need more support for yourself or a friend you can see your School Nurse in the health drop in or via CHAT Health on 07520619051 or look on:
BEAM
If you want to speak to someone in person look in the directory of services for BEAM in Telford and Shrewsbury.
Or
Call Child Line 0800 1111
Samaritans 116 123
Kooth
