If you have ticked 'Often' or 'Sometimes' in four or more of
the statements, you should probably think about ways of managing stress better.
There are lots of things that all of us can do to improve
our mental health and cope better with stress.
Try doing some of the following:
|
 |
Do a little physical exercise - no need to run a marathon, anything small helps. A ten minute walk, a swim, go skateboarding or bowling.
|
|
Try to eat healthy foods....including snacks. Fruit or nuts rather than crisps and sweets. We often think of our mental health and physical health as two different things but they
are not. If you look after your body through diet and
excercise, then your mental health will also be improved.
|
|
Keeping fluid levels up helps to reduce tiredness and keep us mentally healthy. Fruit juice or water works best. Alcohol
won't help as it dehydrates the body. Tea and coffee are
fine in small doses but lots of them affects your mood.
|
|
Find what works best for you. Different natural remedies work for different people. Try a massage from your girlfrield or boyfriend, listening to a particular piece of music, or take a long soak in the bath.
|
|
Think........and take a deep breath before acting. If you feel angry or upset, try to wait a day or so before responding. How many of us have sent an angry e-mail or said something we regret in the heat of the moment.
|
|
Make time in your day. Try to plan some time to relax into every day and stick to your plan. Don't put off your relaxation time because 'there is too much to do'.
|
|
Make a commitment to try and take control of the things which stress you. At the end of a stressful day, think back
and try to work out what it is that is winding you up. Then
ask yourself "If I could have made one change to make today better, what would I have done?" Make this one thing realistic and practical. Then try and actually do it. Next time, make the change and see if you feel any better.
|
|
Try talking to someone about how you are feeling. This could be a friend or someone in your family. Just saying the words can help. If you cannot think of anyone to talk to, try contacting a Youth Worker at Grapevine. SHARE Young People's Counselling Scheme are based in Gloucester and The Samaritans are always happy to talk through worries with you. The contact details for these are available in the Links section of this site and in the Help and Advice section under useful telephone numbers.
|
|
Don't forget, if things are really getting on top of you, speak to your GP or to a support agency. They are there to listen and help.
|
