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Self-help guidefor young peopleMental health and wellbeingin the Scottish Borders

Crisis? Suicidal thoughts?ASK FOR HELP. If you have problems that will not go away oryou need help to cope, you may need specialist mental healthsupport. Ask your GP or, if you are at school or college, speak tothe Guidance staff. You can also get immediate support fromthese helplines.Emotional support and risk of suicideAny worries that you have, no matter how big orsmall. Free and confidential.Childline0800 11 11SamaritansPersonal crisis, risk of suicide and emotional support.116 123Or TEXT 07725 Call free from any phone. Standard rates apply fortexts.90 90 90Borderline0800 027 44 66 Confidential help-line for people in the ScottishBorders with mental health needs.A free, confidential phone service for anyone inScotland experiencing low mood, depression oranxiety.BreathingSpace0800 83 85 87The MixHelpline0808 808 4994 The UK’s free, confidential helpline service for youngPapyrus0800 068 41 41 Prevention of young suicide.Or TEXT 07786 HOPELineUK - confidential support and advice.Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org209 697LGBTScotlandHelpline0300 123 2523 Information and emotional support to lesbian, gay,Stay AliveApp#Stay Alivepeople under 25 who need help, but don’t knowwhere to turn.bisexual and transgender people and their families,Email:friends and supporters. Open every Tuesday andhelpline@lgbthealth.org.uk Wednesday between 12 - 9pm.A mobile App for those at risk of suicide and peopleworried about someone.

FACT:1 in 10 young people has adiagnosis of a mental health problemThere are many different types of mental health problemsthat young people can experience.There are also many different sources of support and helpavailable - and things that you can do to look after your ownmental health.This guide is divided into two parts:Part one: Six ways to be wellIn the Scottish Borders we have developed the‘Six ways to be well’. This guide uses the sixways to recommend what young people can dofor themselves to help look after their mentalhealth and wellbeing. Find out which Apps andwebsites can help.Part two Self help for mental health problemsUse this part to find out about some of thecommon types of mental and emotional healthproblems young people can face and what Appsand websites are out there.The information in this guide has been produced by apartnership between Penumbra Borders, Hawick High School,Scottish Borders Council and NHS Borders.

Part one - six ways to be wellNurtureTo nurture ourselves we should try to eat well, sleepwell, be active and cut out things that are bad for us.Try and make time to relax and have fun. Try to thinkpositively rather than negatively.Could you find a way to nurture yourself - perhaps eat ordrink more healthily?Useful websites and appsEat Better Feel Better - Make changes to how you shop, cook and eat- tips, recipes and advice. www.eatbetterfeelbetter.co.ukStressBusters Borders - NHS Borders website to help you managestress and links to all the Doing Well self-help booklets. Many topicsincluding anxiety, depression, panic and lthy/stress-bustersTake Life On - Find out about ways to eat healthier and get active inyour local area. www.takelifeon.co.ukHappify App - Effective, evidencebased solutions for better emotionalhealth and wellbeing.Relax Melodies App - Relax, unwind,loose any anxiety and sleep better. Usesounds, meditations, and music tocreate a relaxing mood.

Be ActiveExercising regularly can make you feel moreconfident, happier, less stressed, sleep better and bemore energised.Children need to be physically active for at least an hour a day. Foradults, activity should add up to at least 2½ hours of moderate activitya week.Could you find a way to be more active?Useful websites and appsActive Scotland - Looking for ways to get active, but not sure where tostart? Active Scotland is here to get you going. Put your postcode ortown in the search box and find activities close to home, from easy toextreme. www.activescotland.org.ukLive Borders - Find your nearest sports centre and find out how youcan become more y Fitness Pal App - A free journal App that you candownload to help keep track of food and exercise.Strava App - Millions of runnersand cyclists use the Strava Runningand Cycling GPS App to recordactivities and share stories.FitStar App - Personaltrainer App by FitBit to helpyou get in shape.

BelongOur identity is shaped by belonging to a community ora particular group. Feeling that we belong - that weare included - is good for our wellbeing.Could you find a new way to connect with someone?Useful websites and appsPenumbra Borders - Specialists in wellbeing assessment and support.www.penumbra.org.uk Tel: 01896 751177 or email:borders@penumbra.org.ukYouth Borders - Youth Clubs, cafes, projects, after school clubs andvoluntary projects in the Borders. Drop-ins, activities and opportunitiesfor young people - see the list at the end of this booklet for local YouthServices and Hubs. For full details of all youth groups and services visit:www.youthborders.org.ukLGBT Youth - Youth groups and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender young people in the Borders.www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/bordersScouts and Guides - Research has shown thatpeople who were Scouts or Girl Guides inchildhood go on to have better mental healthlater in life. For more information about Scoutsand Girl Guides visit:www.borderscouts.org.uk andwww.girlguiding.org.ukProject Toe - Connect with someonewho needs to talk or share your ownstruggles. www.projecttoe.com

Be KindSmall acts of support and kindness can make a bigdifference to people and communities. Being kindhelps to build trust and a sense of safety.Giving and receiving from others helps to build a support network.Take notice of how you feel when you give to another person - it canmake you feel good.Could you do something kind for yourself or somebody else?Useful websites and appsVolunteer Centre Borders - Volunteering your time can be good foryour wellbeing. Volunteer Centre Borders can help you to find avolunteering placement and give you more information about the SaltireAwards. www.vcborders.org.ukAction for Happiness - A movement of people committed to buildinga happier and more caring society. www.actionforhappiness.orgBorrow My Doggy - Leaving ‘Pawprints of Happiness’ on the lives ofdogs and people. Dog lovers help out because they love dogs, not to getpaid. www.borrowmydoggy.comMoodbug App - A tool for sharinghow you feel with your close friendsand letting them know when you’rethinking about them.www.moodbug.meEpic Friends - Helping you to helpyour friends who might be strugglingto cope emotionally.www.epicfriends.co.uk

Enjoy and LearnA lifestyle that includes enjoyable activities andinterests can help you to have greater wellbeing andfeel more fulfilled.Think about what you enjoy doing - it could be something creative, ormusical, or outdoors. Only you can decide what you enjoy doing. Trydifferent things until you find what you like.Could you find an activity or interest that you enjoy doing?Useful websites and appsYouth Borders - Supports youth clubs, youth cafés, specialist projects,after school clubs and voluntary groups - links on website to a range ofgroups and supports for young people. www.youthborders.org.ukWhat’s On in the Scottish Borders - Published by Live Borders covers culture; heritage; theatre; sport; art; music; film; exhibitions;dance; drama and festivals. Includes information about free events.www.liveborders.org.ukDoc Ready - Helps young people prepare for going to see their GPabout a mental health issue. www.docready.orgUnstuck App - Unstuck is adigital coach that helps us see andsolve situations with freshperspective through questions,tips, and action tools.Wishfund App - Inspires you to takecontrol of your finances by savingtowards a particular goal.

Be AwarePaying more attention to the present moment, beingaware of your thoughts, feelings and surroundings canmake a difference to how you feel. This is calledmindfulness.Becoming more mindful can help your wellbeing and help you tode-stress. Give yourself some ‘me time’.Could you find a few minutes of ‘me time’ each day?Useful websites and appsHeadspace - Meditation made simple.www.headspace.comBe Mindful - Learn about mindfulness and how it canhelp you. www.bemindful.co.ukSafeSpot - App and website for creating a personal'safe spot' with tools, resources and planning to getyou through tricky times. www.safespot.org.ukIn Hand App - A simple tool to help you focus on whereyou’re at and help bring back balance to daily stressesand anxiety. www.inhand.org.ukMoodometer App - Interactive mooddiary for monitoring and understandingemotional well being.

Part two - self help for mentalhealth problemsGeneral information and resources about mental healthproblemsMoodJuice - NHS website designed to help you think aboutemotional problems and work towards solving them.www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.ukYoung Minds - The UK’s leading charity committed to improving theemotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.www.youngminds.org.ukSee Me - Scotland’s programme to end mental health discrimination.Includes information about young people’s mental health.www.seemescotland.orgAye Mind - Improving the mental health and wellbeing of youngpeople by making better use of the Internet, social media and mobiletechnologies. www.ayemind.comBBC Advice - Information about mental gk4dXNjrcvctZg/mental-healthMental Health Foundation - Information about mental health.www.mentalhealth.org.ukHands On Scotland - An online toolkit of helpful responses toencourage children and young people’s emotional wellbeing.www.handsonscotland.co.ukTalk to Frank - Information about drugs and drug use. Confidentialhelpline for anyone concerned about drug use.www.talktofrank.comGet Self Help - Self Help and therapy resources.www.getselfhelp.co.uk

depressionEveryone has times when they feel upset or down - it’s normal to feellike this. Sometimes, when it lasts for longer than two weeks, it may bedepression. Depression is a lot more common than you think.It can affect people of all ages and in many different ways.What are the common signs and symptoms? feeling hopeless or worthless a loss of appetite feeling very tired or on the other hand, agitated and unable toconcentrate on anything finding it hard to sleep, to study or to find pleasure in hobbies avoiding friends or feeling like they want to harm themselves.Useful websites and appsBreathing Space - Is a free, confidential phone and web basedservice for people in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression oranxiety. www.breathingspace.scotDepression in Teenagers - Information and resources aboutdepression for young people. NHS Lothian website.www.depressioninteenagers.co.ukMoodtools App - Aid for depression. Designed to helpcombat depression and alleviate negative moods.Moodkit App - Designed to help people with anxiety ordepression improve their mood.T2moodtracker App - Allows people with anxiety, braininjury, depression, post-traumatic stress, or stress to monitortheir moods and their general well-being.What’s Up? App - Coping strategies for depression, anxiety,anger, stress and more. Information and a place to make yourown notes.