To celebrate World Mental Health day today, October 10, we are sharing tips, information and advice from mental health charity Mind on how to look after your mental health.
The next technique recommended on the Mind website is to connect with others to have a greater sense of belonging and reduce feelings of loneliness.
Talk to someone you trust
Opening up to a trusted friend or family member can help you feel listened to and supported. Sometimes, just acknowledging your feelings by saying them out loud can also help.
Try peer support
If you're finding things hard, talking to people who have similar feelings or experiences can help. This could be face-to-face at a peer support group, or through an online community like Mind’s Elefriends. See its pages on peer support to find out more.
Volunteer
Using your time to help others can give you a sense of purpose, help you meet people and boost your self-esteem. See the Do It website for volunteering opportunities.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here