CAMHS Mental Health Helpline

If you feel you need urgent (non-emergency) mental health support and would like to talk to someone, you can contact the CAMHS Mental Health Helpline - 0800 023 2133

Monday-Friday 5pm-11pm, Weekends & Bank Holidays 9am-11pm. Between 11pm-9am please contact NHS 111, option 2, to access mental health crisis support.

In an emergency: If you or someone else has seriously injured themselves, taken an overdose or are on the point of doing so, call 999 or go directly to A&E.

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Mental Health Helpline

Anxiety

Everyone gets anxious sometimes

You might recognise the signs of anxiety when your heart starts beating faster and your breathing speeds up. Anxiety may build when you are about to start something new (a new year group, a new school), when exam time is approaching, or when something goes wrong with friendships. Look after yourself and anxiety can pass.

Although feeling anxious is normal, there are times when feelings of anxiety can be constant, overwhelming, or out of proportion to the situation, affecting your daily life. If this is the case for you, then you may need to think about ways to get some additional support.

5 Steps to Reducing Anxiety

Connect

Connect with family and friends, at home, school or in your local community. Research has shown that contact via social media is no substitute for face to face contact.

With this in mind, try to do something different today and make a connection.

  • Talk to someone instead of sending a text.
  • Speak to someone new
  • Ask how someone’s weekend was and really listen when they tell you
  • Put five minutes aside to find out how someone really is

 

Be Active

Go for a walk or a run. Whatever you do getting active is good for us, especially when we are outside in the fresh air. The most important thing is to find a sport/physical activity you enjoy and that suits your mobility and fitness.

Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups.

Today, why not get physical? Here are a few ideas:

  • Take the stairs not the lift
  • Go for a walk at lunchtime
  • Walk into school – perhaps with a friend – so you can ‘connect’ as well
  • Get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the final part of your journey to school.
  • Organise a sporting activity
  • Have a kick-about in a local park
  • Do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, before you leave for school/college in the morning

Take Notice

Be curious. Notice what’s around you, the countryside. The changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to school, eating lunch or talking to friends. Take note of how you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.

Studies have shown that being aware of what is taking place in the present directly enhances your well-being and savouring ‘the moment’ can help to reaffirm your life priorities.

Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few ideas:

  • Get a plant for your room
  • Have a ‘clear the clutter’ day
  • Take notice of how your friends are feeling or acting
  • Take a different route on your journey to or from school
  • Visit a new place for lunch.

Keep Learning

Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for a course, join a team, learn to play an instrument or learn how to cook your favourite food. Learning new things will make you confident as well as being fun.

The practice of setting goals, which is related to adult learning in particular, has been strongly associated with higher levels of well being.

Why not learn something new today? Here are a few more ideas:

  • Find out something about your school friends.
  • Sign up for a class
  • Read the news or a book
  • Set up a book club
  • Take up a new hobby
  • Research something you’ve always wondered about
  • Learn a new word.

Give

Do something nice for a friend or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Join a community group. Volunteering can be very rewarding as well as a great way of making new friends.

Individuals who report a greater interest in helping others are more likely to rate themselves as happy.

Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing.

 

When should I seek more help with my anxiety?

This video explains in more detail about when you may need to seek further support to help you with your anxious feelings. It also details some of the types of treatment which might be helpful for overcoming anxiety. If you think this is you and you need more help, please contact us using our contact form here.

Short Films About Mental Health – Anxiety

Helpful Resources

Anxiety Hacks

Here is a playlist of Youtube videos by Pooky Knightsmith, which describe ‘Anxiety Hacks’ or techniques which you can use to help you when you feel anxious.

Below is an example of one of her Anxiety Hack videos.

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