Hello Everyone, this article has actually been collaborated by multiple article writers, we hope to share some light on the importance of Wellbeing and Mental Health. We have separated this article into three sections: tips, services and apps. Thanks!
Why is it important to look after your mental health?
Mental Health impacts your thoughts, behaviours and emotions. Having good mental health is essential to enjoying life and being able to cope with unexpected changes and challenges throughout your life.
TIPS:
Looking after yourself and making sure your body is physically, mentally and emotionally healthy is vital for building better mental health. Self-care can be different for every individual, as everyone’s needs are different and change over time - it is important to find what works best for you.
Developing a regular sleep schedule and making sure you sleep well can help you to feel more energised and stay more focused. Take personal time to do stuff that you love to do - like those favourite hobbies of yours, whether it's playing games, listening to music or watching TV - it can help you relax and have fun, give you a sense of accomplishment and purpose, boost your confidence and help to connect with others. This can also help distract you from any negative emotions or stress that you are facing.
Staying active, socialising through clubs/committees and spending time outside or in nature can all be ways to help. Its important to find different ways to express yourself ( whether it be through art, music, journaling, dance).
For some people, being involved in spiritual or religious practices can improve wellbeing, help in coping with stress and reduce symptoms of mental illness. This can include belonging to a faith community, meditation, prayer, mindfulness or practices such as yoga and Tai Chi.
Self-care and distraction: Having favourite hobbies, personal time to enjoy what you like, rest breaks, spending time with friends and family are all great ways to spend self-care time and deep relaxation.
Building relationships/Reaching out to people for any problems you’re facing: Parents, family, friends, teachers, counsellors, psychologists, your GP. Mental health support services, such as the ones below are all great places for you to reach out to for help.
SERVICES:
Nowadays, getting help is as easy as dialling a number. Options for helpline services dedicated to supporting adolescents who may feel as if their mental health needs support with a safe place for therapize and vent to. Here are five of those support lines or websites that any teenager could visit:
Kids Helpline provides many options to choose from, ranging from stories from other teenagers to online quizzes and games.
Lifeline is a national charity and a 24/7 support phone line, available to anyone at any time of the day.
Headspace is a mental health foundation that allows teenagers to talk or text about a wide variety of issues. Headspace also includes ‘headspace centres’ which are locations in Australia for teenagers who feel like they need to see a mental health professional in real life.
Beyondblue is a support service that could be called 24/7, the homepage for Beyondblue has tons of information on topics for people to read about, as well as stories and experiences.
Reachout.com also provides information about all sorts of issues or topics, ranging from communication skills to body image and much more.
APPS:
*Rating: 4.8 stars
1. Headspace:
First off, I’ve chosen one of the more common meditation apps. Clients can choose from hundreds of guided meditations on a range of tasks such as anxiety, sleep, focus & mind-body health. This app offers 3 minute sessions for those who have busy schedules. Headspace is suitable for ages and can be purchased for free on both the App Store (for iPhone users) and the Google Play Store (for android users).
Website: https://headspace.org.au/
*Rating: 4.2 stars
2. Smiling Mind:
“Developed by psychologists and educators to bring balance to your life.” This online and app based program helps young people improve their wellbeing through mindfulness meditation. This app provides age-specific content for a range of age groups, for example, 7-11, 12-15, and 16-22. This app can be purchased for free on both the App and Google Play stores. As mentioned above, this app is suitable for 7+
Website: https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
*Rating: 4.8 stars
3. Wysa:
The best app of 2020, Wysa is an emotionally intelligent chatbot that uses Artificial Intelligence to react to the emotions you express. This app allows clients to vent and reflect on their day, Practice Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) techniques, build resilience and deal with loss, worries or conflict. The app uses conversational coaching tools and mindfulness exercises to help individuals relax, focus and sleep peacefully. I highly recommend this app as it aims to build confidence and reduce self-doubt in the individual along with managing anger, anxious thoughts and conflict at work, school or in relationships. You can purchase this app for free from the App and Google Play stores. Suitable for 12+.
Website: https://www.wysa.io/
*Rating: 4.7 stars
4. Daylio Journey:
This versatile app can be used for your personal fitness goals, as a mental health coach, as a food log or mood tracker. This app works as a log, keeping track of all your entries. It works by the individual picking a mood and adding an activity they have been doing during the day. The individual can add notes and add a dairy, your entries are collected and you receive statistical data to better understand your habits. This free app is available on both the App and Google Play stores. Suitable for all ages.
*Rating: 4.6 stars
5. Breathe: meditation & sleep:
Another app some may like is Breathe. This app uses easy intuitive and progressively questions based on behaviour science. Based on this interactive conversation they create (and then continue to update in real-time) a curated toolkit perfectly designed for individual life situations. The new myLife kit feature not only aims to alleviate what's bothering you in the moment, but also helps to address the underlying root cause of your anxiety or stress. This app is available for free on both the App and Google Play stores. Suitable for all ages.
Website: https://breethe.com/
*ratings are based on the app store.
I would also like to take the time and mention two important things:
1. As many of you know, our school has its very own on-site councillor.
2. Wildflower has its own advice column for general everyday tips, please check this section out on our website, you can find it on the top menu bar, also if you would like advice on a certain topic that hasn’t already been mentioned, you can send it to the Wildflower team anonymously and we will get back to you. To do this, find the ‘want advice, ask’ section at the very bottom of the website.
I hope this helps, until next time!
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