The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard for everyone. Feeling a bit down right now is normal. In fact, it would be strange not to be affected by recent events. Remember you’re not alone and there is help out there. For starters, here’s five simple things you can do to support your wellbeing.
- Connect with other people: Keep in touch with friends and family, especially people who make you feel positive. Message, video or voice call them, or even go for a walk together if you can. Spending too long on your own can lead to a spiral of negative thoughts.
- Keep active: Regular exercise is good for your body and your mind. If you can exercise outdoors in a safe environment, you will often feel even better.
- Eat well: Eating regular, healthy meals is so important for your overall wellbeing. Taking time to prepare and eat meals, sharing them with someone else if you can, and getting a balanced diet are all linked to positive mental health.
- Get a good sleep: Don’t under-estimate the importance of getting enough sleep. Sleeping might not be as fun as some of the other tips, but lack of sleep or strange patterns of waking and sleeping can actually affect your mood.
- Do something productive: Find a sense of purpose for the day. It could be tidying your room, doing that piece of study, baking a cake or calling a relative. Even small achievements will make you feel good!
If you are feeling really low and none of these things make a difference, maybe it’s time to talk to someone, like a family member or your GP, to get some support. We all need a bit of help sometimes.
Our team at Stoke and Staffordshire Child Exploitation and Missing service have collated a list of organisations and charities offering free support to young people who may need extra help at the moment. Covering a wide range of topics, from youth crime to mental health support, there is someone you can talk to.
We’ve outlined the ways you can get in touch with these organisations, so that you can access support quickly and easily if you need it. In addition to the national support that is available, there are a number of organisations also providing support to young people in Staffordshire specifically.