Emotional health

If you are being bullied, don't keep it to yourself. Tell an adult you trust today.

If you need help or advice about bullying, here are helplines and websites that can provide you with information and support:

Confidence and self-esteem can play an important part in your happiness and how you feel about yourself. We all have times when we lack confidence and don’t feel good about ourselves. But when low self-esteem becomes a long-term problem, it can have a harmful effect on our lives.

The good news is there are loads of ways you can start to improve your confidence.

Find out more by visiting:

The Source - Information and Advice for Young People in Suffolk: Confidence and self-esteem
Chat online with a Childline counsellor who will be happy to offer any advice
NHS: Raising low self-esteem
Moodzone Podcast: Low confidence and assertiveness
4YP: Suffolk Young People’s Health Project
Kooth: online support for young people
The Mix: support for the under 25s
School Nursing Texting service ChatHealth – see ChatHealth for more information

Divorce, separation and other family changes can mean losing the home, school and friends you are used to, as well as seeing less of one or more family members.

Remember, it's not your fault and it doesn't affect how much your family loves you. It's OK to miss a parent who has left, and to ask for support from someone you trust.

Below are a list of helplines and websites offering help and support:

Many people struggle to cope at one point or another of their lives. Experiencing a range of emotions during these times is common. We all experience not being OK differently. Take the first step and talk to someone you trust.

Where to get help for urgent mental health support including details of 24 hour helplines.

These helplines, websites and apps can provide you with further information and support:

Samaritans
Childline
The Source Information and Advice for Young People in Suffolk: Feeling overwhelmed or suicidal
Young Minds: Suicidal feelings
PAPYRUS: Prevention of Young Suicide
The Mix: support for the under 25s
CALM: Campaign Against Living Miserably
NHS: Help for suicidal thoughts
4YP: Suffolk Young People's Health Project
Kooth: online support for young people
AMPARO: Support following suicide
Every Mind Matters provides support, including how to improve your mental wellbeing
SHOUT provides free, confidential 24/7 text message support
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has information for young people, parents and carers about young people's mental health
NHS: Mental Health for Children, Teenagers and Young Adults

Relationships can be confusing and it’s important we that can recognise when relationships are not healthy.

Find out more about relationships and how to stay safe:

People can self-harm for many different reasons, including bullying, difficulties at school, problems at home, being a victim of abuse, low self-esteem or other emotional difficulties.

Self-harm is a way of coping with emotional distress. However, it is only a temporary relief, and it won't stop the negative emotions from coming back. If you're using self-harm as a way to deal with your feelings, it's important that you talk to someone and seek help.

Take the first step and talk to someone you trust. You can go to your GP for help at any age. Anything you talk about is confidential and will be kept between you and your doctor.

If you're 16 or over, you can also refer yourself for free support from the Suffolk Wellbeing Service. This could be in the form of short-term counselling or a telephone call from a professional, or wellbeing workshops or classes. For more information, visit the Suffolk Wellbeing Service website.

Find helplines and websites that can provide you with information and support:

See also sections - Emotional Wellbeing Hub and Feeling overwhelmed and suicidal

Feeling like something's not right?

Things have been very different this year. And it’s been difficult for everyone.

You might be worried about:

things that have happened to you or someone else
not knowing where to go when you’re scared
being at school, your exams or the future
coping with your mental health.

Whatever’s happening, you don’t have to cope alone.

For help and advice visit Childline Somethings not right

If you are worried about being at school this webpage may be helpful: EBSA - Emotionally Based School Avoidance

Everyone has experienced stress at some point in their lives, whether in the run up to exams, before a driving test, or around a big change in your life. Stress can either be caused by our thoughts and anxieties, or by events and experiences.

People are affected by stress in different ways. A little bit of stress can be a good thing as it triggers the 'fight or flight' response which can help you to deal with certain pressures. But when the stress builds up and hangs around, we need to learn how to relax and de-stress.

Find out how to recognise and manage stress:

See also Feeling overwhelmed and suicidal.

Solihull Understanding your Brain

Understanding your Brain is an online course for teenagers only: support and advice to help you understand how your brain is changing as you get older.

This free online course will help you to answer some questions you may have, including the following:

Have you noticed changes in your behaviour?
Do you sleep more than you used to?
Do you want to know why teenagers are more open minded?

Visit www.inourplace.co.uk and follow instructions to set up an account. Once you have created an account enter the access code: WOLSEY. Your account will remember your access to that course and resumes where you left off.

Solihull Understanding your Feelings

This course was created because of the rise in mental health problems in young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. It introduces teenagers to the issue of mental health, recognising and processing feelings in the context of relationships. It presents our view of why the COVID-19 pandemic has had such an impact on emotional health. The course suggests how you can deal with this.

Visit www.inourplace.co.uk and follow instructions to set up an account. Once you have created an account enter the access code: WOLSEY. Your account will remember your access to that course and resumes where you left off.

When someone dies, some of the words you will hear to describe what happened are bereavement, grief and mourning.

Grief describes the feelings you may be having after the death of someone close to you, whether it is a member of your family, a friend or a pet.

Losing someone or something you care deeply for is one of the hardest things we have to face in our lives. It can be a confusing time and you may feel overwhelmed with all sorts of difficult emotions. It is important to know that everyone experiences and expresses their feelings to grief in different ways and there is no right or wrong way to do this. You could feel great sadness, relief, disbelief or you could feel frightened or numb.

You are not alone. Here are some websites that offer advice and guidance:

Emotional health

Bullying

Confidence and self esteem

Divorce and separation

Keeping safe online

Feeling overwhelmed or suicidal

Relationships

Self harm

Something's not right

Stress

Understanding your brain

Understanding your feelings

When someone dies