Mental health self-help resources
How to manage anxiety and maintain good mental health and wellbeing.
Assess your stress
Fill in the NHS Get your Mind Plan to assess your stress levels.
Sleeping problems
Sleeping problems are often linked to anxiety. Any reason that causes you to worry or stress can make it harder to fall asleep and lead to sleep deprivation. Being able to understand and recognise the link between insomnia and anxiety is fundamental to mental wellbeing.
If you have trouble sleeping, take a look at the Sleep problems and insomnia self-help guide . It has activities to help you recognise and understand anxiety and sleep deprivation.
Anxiety
Anxiety is often described as a feeling of fear or unease - and it's something everyone experiences at times. Feeling anxious is a perfectly natural reaction to some situations.
Take a look at Managing anxiety
Depression and low mood
Difficult changes and experiences in life can sometimes leave us feeling in low spirits or cause depression. If this is you, it could be worth trying some self-help tips to help heighten your spirits.
Staying active, eating healthy, reducing alcohol intake and having a good night's sleep can all help you feel more in control and feel better. There are many resources available for people looking to become more healthy. The Kirklees Wellness Service can offer support.
Other self help resources for depression and low mood also include meditation, breathing exercises and learning to change your perspective on things.
How to Meditate is a free short book which can help you understand how to connect with meditation.
Counselling
This involves speaking to a trained therapist about your worries and things which are causing you stress. The therapist will listen to you, take notes and help you find ways to deal with emotional issues.
The NHS offers free counselling if you are registered with a GP. You can also Find an NHS talking therapies service to refer yourself.
Private counselling is also available in Kirklees.
Mindfulness
This is useful a skill to help you feel more connected and aware of the present moment. When practiced regularly, it can become a tool to understand ourselves and make ourselves feel better. Mindfulness can help you notice signs of stress and anxiety early.
This video helps to understand mindfulness better and how to apply it to your everyday life:
Digital self-management
Brain in Hand is a digital self-management support system for people who need help remembering things, making decisions, planning, or managing anxiety. Find mental health support provides more information about Brain in Hand.
Building resilience
The Brunswick Bounce Programme is a learning and self-development tool to help you become more self-aware, more in control of your life and emotions, and ultimately, more resilient.
The course is free and online.
It is suitable for anyone who struggles with the day-to-day challenges that life throws at them. It is also suitable for people who have goals they would like to achieve, but that feel stuck or unsure about how to progress. To feel the full benefit of the course, it is recommended that you take around 12 weeks to complete it.
It has bite-sized tutorials between 3 and 11 minutes long. Daily activities take no more than a few minutes reflection each day. They can be introduced slowly, one or two at a time, to ensure that the work doesn't feel overwhelming.
Self-advocacy
Self-advocacy is the ability to speak up for yourself. It means you are able to tell people what you think and feel. It helps other people to understand what is important to you.
The Self-advocacy toolkit gives you different ways to ask for what you want and need. This is important. Being heard means you are able to be part of decisions that are being made about things that affect you and make sure that your rights in any matter are upheld.
The toolkit can be used to help you get your views, wishes and opinions across to others. It will help you to be at the centre of your care and support. You will be able to play an active part in decision-making about issues that affect your life.