th
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

“Having anxiety and depression is like being scared and tired at the same time, It’s the fear of failure but no urge to be productive. It’s wanting friends but hate socialising. It’s wanting to be alone but not wanting to be lonely. It’s caring about everything then caring about nothing. It’s feeling everything at once then feeling paralysingly numb.”
‘Anxiety and I’ - Matt Haig
Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre
Striving for Excellence

Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre
Striving for Excellence

Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre
Striving for Excellence

Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre
Striving for Excellence

Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre
Striving for Excellence

Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre
Striving for Excellence

People say they're the best of years of your life, but growing up is hard.
Many people start experiencing mental health problems in their teens and early twenties, but when it's you, and you feel like you can't talk to anyone, it can feel like you're the only one.
We are 13 people aged 18-25 with mental health problems and this is our message. You're not alone. Things will get better. Ask for help.
Let us tell you in our own words….
Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre
Striving for Excellence

.
Everyone is different, so getting to know your habits when you are feeling well can help you to notice sooner if you are struggling mentally.
Make a note of how much sleep you usually need, whether you are a morning or an evening person, how much energy you have at different times of day and how often you feel hungry. If any of these factors change dramatically it can point to some kind of distress, emotionally or mentally. This can work for parents to observe changes in their children too.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

Today’s world is so fast paced and demanding. Thanks to the internet we take in more information in one day of our lives than our great grandparents did in a whole year of theirs. The constant barrage, plus demands on our time, can feel overwhelming. Make sure you take time each day to relax and do whatever you enjoy, whether it’s a bath, a few stretches or losing yourself in your favourite music.
Don’t feel selfish for doing this, particularly if you’re a parent – you’re no use to anyone stressed, exhausted and strung out.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

• If you can, avoid having any technology in your bedroom. Pledge to switch your phone off and put it in a drawer for at least two hours each day. It can be tempting to mindlessly scroll through social media if you’re bored, but all that stimulation can interfere with sleep, which is crucial for good mental health.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

• When you’re stressed, your mind can feel like a spinning top – you reach out to grab a thought but can never quite catch it.
Get those thoughts out on paper, whether it’s in the form of a ‘to do list’ or a diary. Just the act of writing something down can be incredibly cathartic.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

The mind and body are connected – physical health issues impact mental health and vice versa.
Exercise has been shown to help alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety, plus it helps to maintain physical health.
Outdoor sports where you can also get fresh air are ideal.
Having said that, keep your exercise habits in check – it can be addictive. Half an hour per day is optimum.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

Lots of people ‘self-medicate’ for mental health problems by drinking to excess or taking drugs. It’s important to remember that whilst this might feel temporarily liberating, whatever the real issue is will still be there in the morning, along with a hangover. Alcohol is also a depressant so binge drinking can actually cause mental illness.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

You can encourage them to talk about how they are feeling and get them to work out what they can do, or what they need to change, in order to deal with their depression.
You can show that you care by listening, sympathetically, by being affectionate, by appreciating them, or simply by spending time with them.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

Ruby Wax:
If you are the lucky one that doesn’t have depression, the three odd out of four that might not understand it and you meet somebody with depression, the worst thing you can do is say
“Come on pull yourself together.”
Just imagine that inside of their head they are just as ill as somebody maybe who broke their leg or who has diabetes.
• You wouldn’t say “Don’t take the insulin.” I mean you really have to believe that this is the real thing.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

Listen.
Simply giving someone space to talk, and listening to how they’re feeling, can be really helpful in itself. If they're finding it difficult, let them know that you're there when they are ready.
Offer reassurance.
Seeking help can feel lonely, and sometimes scary. You can reassure someone by letting them know that they are not alone, and that you will be there to help.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

Stay calm.
Even though it might be upsetting to hear that someone you care about is distressed, try to stay calm. This will help your friend or family member feel calmer too, and show them that they can talk to you openly without upsetting you.
Be patient.
You might want to know more details about their thoughts and feelings, or want them to get help immediately. But it’s important to let them set the pace for seeking support themselves.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

Try not to make assumptions.
Your perspective might be useful to your friend or family member, but try not to assume that you already know what may have caused their feelings, or what will help.
Keep social contact.
Part of the emotional support you offer could be to keep things as normal as possible. This could include involving your friend or family member in social events, or chatting about other parts of your lives.
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence

• Tutors/Sixth Form
Team
• Teachers
• Parents
• Friends
• Mrs Jevons
• G.P.
• Teens in Crisis (01594)
546117
• MIND
• Samaritans (01452)
306333 (9am-10pm)
• www.youngminds.org.uk
Newent Community School and Sixth Form
Centre
Striving for Excellence