Mental health
Mental health is similar to physical health in that it changes over time and can be affected by the things you experience.
It involves the way you think, feel and respond and can have an effect on your behaviour, the decisions you make and how you experience life.
You might notice patterns in your mental health and recognise that some situations have a positive impact whilst other things can be challenging.
Help in a mental health crisis
For immediate help in a mental health crisis call 111 and select the mental health option.
If you or someone else is in danger or at immediate risk of harm, please call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
If you feel suicidal (like you want to kill or seriously harm yourself), you can get help at:
Childline
Call: 0800 11 11
Samaritans
Call: 116123
You can also text YM to 85258 to get help from the Young Minds text line which is open 24/7 (texts are free from EE, 02, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BTM mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus).
How to help yourself
Develop good self-care habits around eating well, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, exercising and socialising. All these activities will impact on your overall health and the way you feel.
Pay attention to your body and mind, notice any things you find difficult and do more of the things that make you feel balanced and positive.
Remember mental health fluctuates and we all experience uncomfortable feelings, difficult moods and negative thoughts from time to time. Be open and honest with the people you trust about your feelings and if you are finding things hard or are worried speak out about this.
Try some of these resources and activities to learn more about mental health, wellbeing and resilience:
Take the NHS Every Mind Matters quiz
Building self-esteem:
Mindfulness:
You can also read our information about healthy lifestyles.
Where to get support
Occasionally there might be times when you need to access support from services or professionals to help you with your mental health.
Self-harm is when you deliberately hurt yourself; this could be cutting, burning, pinching, poisoning, hitting or punching things or injuring yourself on purpose. There are several reasons why a young person might do this and it is important you tell an adult that you trust if you are self-harming.
Self harm resources:
If you are worried about your mental health or think something is not right, you should seek help or advice from a health professional such as your family doctor or a trusted adult such as a parent, teacher/tutor or support worker. This could include feelings like anger, low mood, worry or distressing thoughts which don’t go away or you are having difficulty around eating or body image (how you feel about the way you look).
Your local mental health service for young people is accessed through YOUnited, and requires a referral from a professional such as your GP or a trusted adult at school
Sixth form and regional colleges will have a designated person to help students with emotional wellbeing (often known as the Designated Lead for Mental Health). Some schools and colleges have mental health support teams attached to them. Ask your mental health lead if your school is one of them.
There are some steps you can take to look after your mental health, like managing your emotional wellbeing and building your resilience.
Emotional wellbeing is the way in which you notice your feelings and take action to look after your mental health.
Resilience is your ability to cope with stressful or difficult situations and is something you can develop yourself through practise of self-care techniques.
Read more about managing stress and developing resilience.
It is helpful to think about the way you feel and notice any changes. Talking to a friend or trusted adult can help you understand some of what you are experiencing.
Find a list of digital resources developed by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.
