Mental Health Awareness Week

During Mental Health Awareness Week, we asked our young people some questions about their mental health. 

How is your mental health at the moment?

I’ve been at home and not doing anything which is normal for me. I feel like the effects of Wild earth have worn off because it has been so long since I was there.

I have been getting happier and happier and I have been focusing on doing things for other people

I have been happy, I have been spending a lot of time with family and in the garden.

I am happy, I do a lot of walking and exercise and cleaning in the house.

My mental health has been up and down with low days and high days; I have been trying to keep myself as busy as possible and I have stopped watching the news.

I’ve been all over the place, but I’ve been doing things to make others laugh as that cheers me up.

Struggling to cope because I cannot see my friends and the lockdown is giving me a lot of anxiety, but my family have helped me by reassuring me that we are ok.

What have you been doing to make you feel happy?

 I do things in the garden like watering and weeding, my climbing rose is my favourite.

I found focusing on myself has made me worry at a lot so I’ve been trying to be selfless and do things for others, I’ve spent time meditating and teaching myself to calm down.

I have been playing Fifa19 on the Xbox and spending time with family, I miss going caravanning!

I spend a lot of time cleaning and helping family, I spend time in the garden, and I go for walks to the park.

I have stopped watching the news as its so negative, I’ve been focusing on feeling good and happy, I’ve been reading books, gardening, painting in the garden and making new beds for planting.

I’ve been trying to make my friends laugh, I find that making others laugh and happy makes me happy too.

We have been spending a lot of time with Felix the cat, lots of comedy films and stand ups. And going for walks.

What have you done for fun or play?

Virtual football and playing football in the garden.

A lot of comedy, making sure we’re laughing a lot!

I have been downloading and trying new games with friends.

If you are struggling, what does nature do to help?

Nature sets an example- it provides an opportunity to each creature and each living thing knows what it should be doing, how to do the job it was essentially created for. It sets me examples like dandelions growing through concrete it reminds me to stay determined and kind. It reminds me there is waves of energy connecting everything and that I do know what I’m supposed to be doing I just need to push through the doubt.

I realised that I was starting to feel like I had no control over what’s happening and I needed to get out and connect with nature. I went on a dusk bike ride and was met by a bat that flew next to me, I saw Jupiter in the sky and an owl called. It was what I needed to get myself back on track and gave me what I needed to push through the things that were scaring me.