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Everybody has things going on in their personal lives and as a result, our mental wellbeing can vary day to day. It's difficult to take action to help your wellbeing, especially when you're not feeling your best. There are small steps that we can take each day that will help look after our mental wellbeing. According to the British Medical Association, research has shown that there are many benefits of taking action to support your wellbeing. These include:
It's important to notice when your mental wellbeing spiralling, so that you can take action to prevent it and help yourself. There are some questions that you can ask yourself if you think you are experiencing mental wellbeing issues.
Spot the signs, reflect on how you feel and ask yourself:
Helpful questions you could ask yourself:
University can be very busy and stressful sometimes, which can make it more difficult to find the time to look after your mental wellbeing. When you're busy, stresses can pile up and have really damaging effects, so it's important to take some time to prioritise your own mental wellbeing. ?If you have:
Finding the time to look after your mental wellbeing can be difficult. Try choosing one way to prioritise your mental wellbeing this week. It is best to anchor your intention to a known time or other commitment, e.g. 'after my lectures on Thursday'. Use the phrase "I will do this specific action on this day." and see how it goes! Sometimes, the thought of doing anything is just too much. If this describes your situation, don't punish yourself. The great thing about taking small steps is that it doesn't matter how small your goal is. You decide what you want to achieve and what is realistic for you to achieve. That way, the completion of any task - no matter how simple it may seem - is recognised as the achievement that it is. You may find it useful to record how you felt during/after doing things to support your mental wellbeing in a journal. Doing this means that you can look back when you next feel low and remind yourself of what has helped you in the past and some achievements you've had (even if they feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things!) If you experience mental health difficulties which are preventing you from doing the things you want to do, seek help - whether through friends, family, a doctor, or your university support services. View further support on wellbeing.