Your wellbeing matters
What is wellbeing?
In an ideal world, we would always hope to feel happy. However sometimes life can be challenging, and our emotions may be difficult to deal with. Everybody feels sad sometimes, however if these feelings last for more than a few days or affect how you feel about yourself or others, you may want to ask for help or advice.
It is important to recognise when you are not feeling okay, and that it is okay to receive help to feel better.
Here are some few things that would help you know that you may not be well
- Feeling sad or tearful
- Having little or no interest in things you previously enjoyed
- Not wanting to speak to, or spend time with, other people
- Feeling anxious or panicking about things that have happened or might happen
- Feeling lazy or oversleeping
- Struggling to fall or stay asleep
- Feeling distracted or having poor concentration
- Struggling to manage how you feel and react
- Becoming easily angry
What to do when you are feeling sad
There are different things you could do to improve how you feel about yourself or others. Here are few steps to help you. You only have to remember the word CALM the next time you are feeling down. In English, CALM means feeling relaxed and stress-free.
C – Connect
It is helpful to connect with people when we feel sad. They may be able to provide a more positive perspective on what worries us.
- There are different people that you could contact. For example, your foster carer, social worker, or any other person who has a positive impact on your life.
- You can also get in touch with youth groups available in your region. Attending activities or socialising with others can distract you from your worries.
- Or simply choose to connect virtually. There are different activities you can do online like watching movies, listening to music or anything that interests you or brings you joy and relief.
A – (be) Active
You may want to consider going for a walk or some fresh air when you are feeling sad. Exercise is widely regarded as having a positive impact on wellbeing, including reducing anxiety and sadness. You can visit your nearest park or simply walk around your neighbourhood. You can also join sport clubs like cricket, football, or martial arts which raises the chances to connect with new people and boost your wellbeing further.
L – Let Out (your emotions by expressing your creativity)
There is no better way to express your feelings than through arts. There are different activities you could consider. For example:
- Drawing
- Dancing
- Singing
- Sewing
- Cooking
And many more…
Most great artists, like Edward Munch or Picasso, produced great masterpieces while attempting to express their emotions through their artmaking.
M – Meditate/Mindful
When we are anxious or experiencing persistent sad moods, it is easy to lose track of our physical health and the flow of our thoughts.
You may want to try breathing exercise which can help with relaxation and motivation. Childline provides an interactive tool to support you through this.
Also, you may find helpful to keep a record of your thoughts in a journal. You can look back at them or choose to share with others when you feel ready.
Where to go for help
Your social worker and foster carer are available to connect you to the right service. If you choose to speak to them about your worries, they will help you to find solutions.
It is not a sign of weakness to ask for, or to receive help, we are all better when we embrace support from others.
There are also online platforms that can help when you feel sad:
Or you can contact these helplines, anonymously if you wish, that offer a safe space to share your worries and concerns:
- Samaritans – call 116 123 available 24 hours if you need support to manage emotional distress
- Shout - text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 if you feel that you cannot cope anymore or are in crisis.
- Papyrus – call 0800 068 4141 (10am -10pm) if you are struggling with suicidal thoughts
