Things you can do to help yourself

• The NHS website has information on common problems, what you can do now and mental wellbeing audio guides.
• The Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust provides useful information on managing your own mental health.

At any given time, approximately one in four of us will experience a mental health condition. Some of the most common conditions (for example, depression, anxiety, stress) can be relieved by following the five ways to wellbeing - these are proven techniques to help boost your general wellbeing. They are things we can all incorporate into our daily lives and following these steps to the best of your ability is a good place to start:

1. 🤗 Connect with people – your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Speaking to people over the telephone or online can help, but there’s nothing like being in the company of others to boost your mood.
2. 🎽 Get active – take a walk, go cycling, join a dance class, go swimming, or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Anything that raises your heart rate – even cleaning the house – can help.
3. 🧠 Keep learning – give yourself a sense of achievement and a new confidence. Why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, learn a new language or figure out how to fix your bike?
4. 😃 Give – even the smallest act can count – whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre can improve your mental wellbeing and help you make new friends.
5. 🧘‍♂️ Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body, and the world around you. Some people call this ‘mindfulness’, it can positively change the way you feel about life, and how you approach challenges.