Mental Wellbeing

Information, tips and where to access support when you're feeling down.

Fit & Healthy Healthy Mind

We all have bad days (and sometimes weeks), but that's okay - it's normal!

How can I boost my mental wellbeing?

There are lots of ways that you can boost your mental wellbeing, such as these 5 Ways to Wellbeing from Mind.

Connect - stay connected with loved ones, make plans to see them, give them a call or speak to somebody new.
Be active - take part in regular physical exercise - this is a great way to boost your mental wellbeing.
Take notice - you could get a new plant for your work place, take notice of how your friends are feeling or active or take a 'clear the clutter day'.
Learn - continuing learning helps to increase self-esteem and encourage social interaction.
Give - take time out to help others around you.

Take action: Find out more about the 5 Ways to Wellbeing from Mind.

Why am I feeling like this?

Sometimes we're unsure how we're feeling or why we're feeling a certain way. Getting out these feelings can help you to understand how you are exactly feeling, why you're feeling like that and help you to feel better. You could:

Write down your feelings or reasons you may be feeling like this
Draw a mind map to display your feelings
Draw a picture which shows how your feeling
Write a letter to yourself, telling yourself how you're feeling

If you're going through a busy time and it's causing you to feel down, creating a 'to do' list is a great way to make sure you get everything done in time, have a clearer head - being able to cross each task off is also a great way to boost your mood.

Mental wellbeing during lockdown:

Lockdown has been and continues to be a very strange and difficult time for us - so you are not alone! There are lots of online places that you can get support with your mental wellbeing and any worries that you may have:

BBC Newsround is full of information on the Coronavirus, including tips to help you stay safe
Childline offers some information on how to deal with worries of world and how to deal with what you hear in the news
Young Minds offers advice on Coronavirus and mental health.

Get moving!

Young people should be getting at least 1-hours exercise per day and this is really important as it has so many benefits, such as:

Boosting your mental wellbeing
Keeping you fit and healthy
Building confidence
Helping you forget about your worries.

If you're looking for ways to get active, you could:

Do some home workouts, such as PE with Joe Wicks
Go for a run, walk or cycle around your local area
Find a new hobby, such as tennis or swimming - check out Activities Oxfordshire for lots of groups and clubs in Oxfordshire
Try these short 10-minute Shake up Games

Find out more: about how much physical exercise you should be doing and how you get moving.

I need extra support

Sometimes self-help isn't enough and we need extra support, that's totally okay! There are lots of places that you can find support. You can access support from your School Health Nurse or GP or online. Here are our favourite places to find support online:

If necessary somebody, such as a GP, parent/ carer of teacher can refer you to CAMHS for extra support.

This short video offers some more simple ways that you can stay mentally healthy.