Exercise: Has been shown to have positive impacts on both mental and physical
health. It can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as improve sleep
quality and energy levels. For more information and resources on physical
exercise, click here.
Socialising and group activities: Feeling connected to one another has been found to
have a positive impact on our mental health. There are lots of ways that we can
achieve this, for example, through meeting up with friends, sharing hobbies together
or joining team sports. You can find more information about this here.
Creating something: Be it art, music, carpentry or even cooking – can have a positive
impact on our mental health. Getting creative requires focus and concentration, and
allows someone to disconnect from the everyday worries and stressors we might
have.
Mindfulness: Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts
and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing. Join
our mindfulness practitioner, Peter Helmer, runs free weekly virtual mindfulness
classes.
Spending time outdoors: Research suggests that spending at least two hours a week
in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. It is also possible to combine
time in nature with other mental health strategies such as exercise and physical
activity. For more information read more here.
Talking to someone: You do not have to go through any difficulties alone.
Smoking, alcohol and drugs: Research shows smoking, alcohol and drugs increase
the likelihood of developing a mental health condition, such as anxiety and tension. In
the long term it can also worsen existing symptoms and make harder to treat. Visit
our substance use self-help page for free access to resources.
Binge Eating:Regular binge eating can lead to feelings of embarrassment, guilt and
shame. It can also lead to physical health difficulties as a result of weight gain. Visit
a local website called Nurtured Coaching for help with this.
Overworking: Working long hours can have an impact on the quality of important
areas of your life such as sleep, food/drink intake and relationships with friends and
family.
Excessive spending: This can develop into a habit that becomes hard to stop. It can
lead to feelings of guilt and shame, and can potentially damage work life and
relationships. Visit our financial wellbeing self-help page for free access to resources.
Risk-taking and addictive behaviours: Risk taking behaviours such as gambling,
unsafe sex or pornography addiction can lead to a combination of difficulties. For
example, if you are gambling you may find yourself feeling anxious/stressed or
having financial difficulties. If you are having unprotected sex you are risking
pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection (STI), including HIV, and possibly stress. If
you become addicted to sex/pornography then you may find that it becomes difficult
for you to control urges or actions, despite the difficulties it may cause in your
relationships, finances and professional life.
