What mental health is and where to go for help for young people with SEND.
If you need urgent help, call Childline for free on 0800 1111 open every day, 24 hours a day, or contact them on Childline website.
Mental health and wellbeing
Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave. Your mental health is very important.
Good mental health means you can:
- cope with normal levels of stress
- be more independent
- learn to cope with difficult situations and events
When you don't feel well, you might feel:
- sad
- depressed
- worried
- anxious
- stressed
- upset
- angry
- confused
This doesn't necessarily mean you have a mental illness. Lots of things can make us feel this way, such as being in pain or changes in our life. Sometimes we feel down for no reason at all.
Information about mental health and wellbeing:
- an easy read guide to anxiety
- The charity Mind explain about understanding feelings
- Bristol's Community Access Support Service have leaflets explaining pdf anxiety(253 KB) , pdf depression(241 KB) and pdf stress(244 KB)
Asking for help
It's always okay to ask for help. Asking for help can feel hard at first, but reaching out for support can help you to:
- find support to help with how you're feeling
- feel like you're not alone
- share how you feel with someone you trust
- understand your feelings better
- stop things from getting worse
Where you can go for help with your mental health
You can get support from:
- someone you trust, such as a friend, family member, teacher or school nurse
- your doctor
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for Learning Disability
- Childline: helping a friend
- Creative Youth Network: One to One support
- Horizons Youth: free and confidential support around alcohol and drug use for children and young people aged 11 to 18 years old
- Kooth: free online counselling and emotional wellbeing platform
- Mind: Guide for young people on talking to friends and family about how you are feeling
- Mind: Support for mental health for 11 to 18 year olds
- Off The Record: Mental health charity for young people aged 11 to 25 in Bristol. Their website has lots of information on getting support
- SEND And You (SAY): Support line and face-to-face sessions
- Student Minds: the UK’s student mental health charity
- Well Aware: List of mental health services in Bristol
