Brighter Days
Helpful Articles
Reaching Out
We all have mental health. 1 in 4 of us experience mental illness at some point in our life. We can
choose to keep it private however, many people find it helpful to talk and share with those around
them. So talking about our feelings can be a positive step and help us to connect with each
other. Take it at your own pace, do what feels right for you.
Who to talk to?
Consider who you can talk to.
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Social network: Family and Friends
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Professionals: GP, Mind, nurse, support worker, counsellor, support group.
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Online: Hafal, Kooth, Online counselling, TESS, Childline, Samaritans, CALM. See links below.
•
School and Work: Teacher, Line manager, Supervisor, School nurse and Pastoral support,
Counselling service
Why?
There are so many reasons why we might want to talk about our mental health. Here are just a few
reasons why we might want to share.
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Getting support can help us understand our mental health and enable us to build on our
strengths to live a fulfilled life.
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You may want to gain further understanding and clarity to enable you to move forward.
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You may feel your mental illness is impacting on your life in a negative way and would like to
achieve your ambitions and goals.
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To put an end to the stigma of mental health and connect with others.
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To get treatment to feel well again.
By talking about our mental health, we can get to know one another better and build upon our
strengths and abilities to overcome illness.
Helpful tips:
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Choose a place and a time you are comfortable with.
•
People may respond differently when we talk about our mental health. Some ask lots of
questions while some are unsure how to reply. Consider how you might feel about the different
responses and do what feels right for you.
•
If you can’t find the words you could print out some information or write down your symptoms
to give to the person.
•
Remember you are not defined by your mental health, it is just one aspect of our lives. Make a
list of your strengths and abilities, what makes you YOU!
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Services you can access:
http://www.timetochangewales.org.uk/
Mental health charity with loads of helpful information!
Aims to improve the lives of people with mental illness in Wales through
recovery.
Online counselling service for young people aged 11 -25 years.
Helpline for children needing someone to talk to.
https://selfinjurysupportorguk.wordpress.com/
Text helpline for self injury support.
https://
Online support, helpline for those a
ff
ected by mental illness.
https://
Online support and helpline for men nationwide.