Looking after your mental health

There are many ways you can manage your mental health and wellbeing independently. However, it can be overwhelming and difficult to know where to look. There are websites with information on the support available in your area or online.

Mind Yer Mind is a locally developed website with simple advice and information about groups and activities across Aberdeenshire that can help you look after your mental wellbeing in five steps. These are five things that can help your mental health.

Here are some websites with more information about these steps:

• five steps to mental health wellbeing NHS inform 
• five ways to wellbeing Mind 
• Mind's five ways to wellbeing video (duration 5:15 minutes)

Connect

Interested in meeting new people? Use A Local Information System for Scotland (ALISS) website to find groups and activities in your local area.

Be active

There are lots of ways you can get active. Go for a walk, take up swimming or yoga. Take the stairs instead of the lift.

NHS inform has information about the benefits of exercise and ideas on keeping active.

Learn

Living to the Full has free online courses covering low mood, stress and resiliency.

Reading Well website recommends books to understand and manage your mental wellbeing.

Use our Community Learning and Development Service to find out about other local learning opportunities.

Give

Use Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action website to find volunteering opportunities in your local area. 

Take notice

Whether you’re spending time with friends or taking a moment for yourself, try to stop to take notice and be aware of the present. Set aside time to practise mindfulness or take up yoga. Take notice of how your friends or colleagues are feeling. Spend time outdoors, enjoy the fresh air and notice what’s around you.

Improving your mental wellbeing

Find out what others have found helpful to improve their mental wellbeing. Mind to Mind as real-life stories from people dealing with:

• anxiety or panic
• handling stress
• coping with money worries
• lifting your mood
• moving through grief
• sleeping better

Find an app that helps you look after your mental health and wellbeing on the the CAMHS resources website.

There is help available if you are looking after or supporting someone with mental health problems:

• VSA provides support and advice to unpaid carers looking after someone with a mental illness in Aberdeenshire
• Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) factsheets have advice on how to cope when supporting someone else and how to help friends and family
• Mind website  has information and advice for friends, family and carers supporting someone with a mental health problem, as well as on looking after your own wellbeing

Advocacy services

If you have a mental illness, advocacy services can provide help to express your needs and wishes. They can help with making decisions about your care and support options.