Protecting our mental health

Connect with nature

Getting closer to nature can have a calming effect on us. Take a deep breath and tune your senses to what’s around you – the trees, plants, birds and animals.

Talk to someone you trust for support

By talking things through with a person we trust can help and feel like a relief.

Talking may also change how we see and feel about a situation and this can help with our mental health.

Be kind

If you have ever felt lonely, you will know how much it helps to have even a small connection with someone else.

Even something as small as offering a smile or a few kind words can boost our mood and can make a difference to another person.

If you would like to do a little extra, you can help others by getting involved in volunteering work and/or getting together with other people to help with good causes. Doing these things can give us the sense that we can make a difference.

Eating healthy is good for our bodies, brains and mood

Having a balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables is essential for good physical and mental health.

Doing things such as sport, gardening, dancing, cycling, walking the dog, are great ways to improve our mental and physical health. It can also help our minds switch off.

Also, having meals with other people can help us to connect and grow relationships.

Get more from your sleep

For many, sleep is often the first thing that suffers when we're struggling with our mental health.

If you’re struggling with your sleep, think about making a few simple changes.

For example:

• Develop a relaxing bedtime routine to help you start winding down before you actually go to sleep
• Avoid TV and mobile screens, alcohol and caffeine before bed
• Go to bed and get up at around the same time every day, including weekends.

For more suggestions, try this guide to sleep and mental health. It includes information about potentially helpful apps and getting professional help if self-help isn’t working for you.

Plan things to look forward to

Planning things that we enjoy and look forward to can help us increase our sense of hope, which is important for our mental health.

Things to look forward to, including fun activities, can help us cope with difficult situations.

Making plans for things we enjoy can increase our sense of hope, which is important for our mental health. Our plan could be for anything from small pleasures, like a cup of tea or your favourite TV programme or dance class, to a trip with family or friends, or seeing your favourite film, sports team or singer. Whether it’s a small or a big one, the important thing is to plan it.

A mental health crisis often means that you no longer feel able to cope or be in control of your situation. It often involves a sudden or continued worsening of your symptoms. You may feel great emotional distress or anxiety, feel you can't cope with day-to-day life, think about suicide or self-harm, or experience hallucinations and hearing voices.

If you live in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens or Warrington and need urgent help with your mental health, you can call one of our 24/7 crisis lines for free.

Urgent mental health support for young people

Our 24 hour response team is for young people up to the age of 18 experiencing emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties which are causing difficulties in their school, family or social life.

The service is for children and young people who are registered with a GP in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens and Warrington, up to their 18^th birthday presenting in crisis needing an emergency response.

They provide:

• No wrong front door for emergency referrals, providing advice and consultation to professionals, parents, carers and children and young people
• Emergency assessment and follow up
• Brief intervention and home treatment.

Within four hours they will do an assessment, a risk assessment, keep young people safe, offer advice to children and families, working with social care, schools and other professionals.

You can contact the team on 01744 415 640 – 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Symptoms, mental health conditions and medications

There are many different types of mental health issues and symptoms. Check out our dedicated page on our website, that has information to help you understand more.

Help Us Help You

Help us help you stay well by following the top tips on our dedicated webpage to look after yourself and your family. You can also view/download our self help guides and apps.