Emotional and mental health is important because it is a vital part of your life and can impact on your thoughts, behaviours and emotions. Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity and effectiveness in activities like work, school or care giving.

There are steps you can take to improve your mental health every day.

Please click on the links below to access some incredibly useful websites that can help you with your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mental Health UK

https://mentalhealth-uk.org/help-and-information/covid-19-and-your-mental-health/

Gov UK

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

JAMI

https://jamiuk.org/mental-health-and-covid-19/

Mental Health Foundation

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak

NHS

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-at-home-tips/

Mind

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

Here are some suggested strategies to help you reduce with anxiety, fear and panic:

Do

• Try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor. You could also contact any of the organisations in our "useful telephone numbers" section.
• Use calming breathing exercises.
• Exercise – activities such as running, walking, swimming and yoga can help you relax.
• Find out how to get to sleep if you are struggling to sleep.
• Eat a healthy diet with regular meals to keep your energy levels stable.
• Consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website.
• Listen to free mental wellbeing audio guides.
• Search and download relaxation and mindfulness apps or online community apps from the NHS apps library.

Don't

• Do not try to do everything at once – set small targets that you can easily achieve.
• Do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better.
• Do not avoid situations that make you anxious – try slowly building up time spent in worrying situations to gradually reduce anxiety.
• Try not to tell yourself that you're alone; most people experience anxiety or fear at some point in their life.
• Try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve anxiety as these can all contribute to poor mental health

The above information has been sourced from the NHS website.