Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week and the focus of the week was anxiety.
What did we do at YANA?
We spent two days with Suffolk Rural students exploring stress and anxiety. We know the earlier people can learn about stress and anxiety the better equipped they can be to cope with challenges in life.
Everyone experiences anxiety
Whilst its normal to experience stress & anxiety, too much, for too long can be the cross over point to poor mental health. Things can start to become more serious and affect our daily life.
This video explains the reason why we experience anxiety which can be helpful for us to make sense of some of what happens in our bodies when we experience anxiety.
Developing self awareness
Increasing our self awareness of the unique ways we experience stress and anxiety is important. Taking time out to reflect can help us to do that more easily.
Once we recognise and know how we respond it makes it easier to do something to help at an earlier stage.
Take a look at some tips for coping with anxiety on the Mental Health Foundations website
Anxiety isn’t ‘just anxiety’
We know anxiety can be severe and can affect every day life, it can be there all the time, and distract us from our lives.
If you experience anxious thoughts, worries, and fears, for longer than 2 weeks, or in a way that prevents you getting on with life. Please seek help. Find someone trusted to talk to, or use one of the many support organisations available.
Seeking help
If you are concerned about your child or teen, you can find helpful resources and support at Young Minds UK
Our helpline can be contacted on 0300 323 0400 or helpline@yanahelp.org.
What now?
Mental Health Awareness Week might be over, but the conversations, the awareness raising, and educating, will continue long into the future.
No-one is ok all the time, and that’s okay. It doesn’t have to be that way forever.