Where to find advice and information about your mental health
For many children and young people, while it is perfectly normal to experience mental health problems, at first it can be sometimes difficult to talk to someone about how you are feeling.
While we would always encourage you to try and tell someone as soon as you can β a family member, teacher, or friend - and to not be afraid to do so, there is information and advice available online which can use to help you start to try and cope with how you are feeling. It may also help you identify whatβs making you feel this way and can help you to build up the confidence to ask for more help.
The website Young Minds has lots of helpful advice about looking after yourself, recognising feelings and symptoms, asking for help and information about support available to guide you through this period.
The Wessex Healthier Together website What0-18.nhs.uk also has useful sections for both children and young people about a range of different mental health issues; worry, low moods, eating difficulties, learning difficulties.
The Mix is another useful website with everything you need to know about mental health, from anxiety and depression to self-care and counselling.
Childline also has a wide range of online help and information from tips to boost your mood, advice on building your happy place, to managing anxiety, helping a friend and a range of other helpful information.
The charity Mind also has a section on its website especially for children and young people with information that you might find helpful and the Youth Trust IW has a website and Facebook page which is kept up to date with useful information.
If you are a young carer looking after someone else, itβs important that you also look after your own mental health. You may find this information on the Young Minds website helpful to you. Young Carers IW also has a website that you might find useful.
You may also find these self-help tools (videos, phone apps etc) useful click here for more information.
If you feel you need more help and want to talk to someone click here. Or if you feel you need urgent help, contact the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Crisis Line for Young People free on Tel: 0300 303 1590 (Monday-Thursday 3pm-8.30pm)
