Mental health is the way we think and feel. We all go through times when we feel worried, confused or down.<\/p>\n
Mental health problems are when difficulties get in the way of how we think and feel. This can mean that we find it hard to cope with family life, relationships, school or the wider world.<\/p>\n
Mental health conditions include such things as depression, anxiety and eating disorders.<\/p>\n
It can be hard to open up and talk about difficult thoughts and feelings, but your friends and family really care about you and will want to support you.<\/p>\n
Lots of people have difficulties with their mental health and being honest with how you feel is the first step to getting the support you need.<\/p>\n
Finding life tough does NOT mean that you are weak \u2013 everyone finds life tough at times in different ways. You\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
We all struggle with our mental health in different ways.<\/p>\n
Sometimes we can get ill with our mental health just like when our body is unwell, it\u2019s important to get the help we need.<\/p>\n
Because of these change in feelings, you might experience some of the following:<\/p>\n
General \u2018wellness\u2019 is an important factor in improving self-esteem.<\/p>\n
If you look after and respect yourself you will hopefully find that this positivity grows.<\/p>\n
This will help you to feel better about who you are as well.<\/p>\n
Not a sports fan? Don\u2019t worry, exercise doesn\u2019t need to be particularly intense for you to feel good.<\/p>\n
Slower-paced activities, such as walking or swimming can have the benefit of making you feel good as well providing some level of exercise.<\/p>\n
Find tips on what you can do to add some activity into your day on the NHS physical activity guidelines for\u00a0 young people<\/a> website.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As a teenager, your body is going through many physical changes \u2013 changes that need to be supported by a healthy, balanced diet.<\/p>\n The NHS website has some top tips for eating and being a healthy weight.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll be pleased to hear that eating healthily doesn\u2019t have to mean giving up your favourite foods.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n One in three of us suffers from poor sleep, with stress and computers often to blame.<\/p>\n But lack of sleep can contribute to problems such as depression, and a solid nights sleep is important for being healthy.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re having trouble sleeping, have a look at the NHS website for Sleep and Tiredness<\/a> for some tips and ideas, or take a look at the resources on our\u00a0Understanding and Dealing with Poor Sleep<\/a>\u00a0page.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n