Many people are experiencing worry and stress at this current time. The added pressures of working from home in isolation from colleagues and peers, is likely to have a long-lasting effect on their mental health and wellbeing.

As a local mental health charity, Norfolk and Waveney Mind is here to provide you with a range of mental health services, along with associated training, advice and information.

Attending to our mental health now has the potential to provide resilience and skills to help us in the future.

Here are some top tips on managing anxiety:

• Remember that your anxiety is not a permanent state of affairs – it will pass.
• Limit your exposure to the news. Of course you need to keep abreast of the latest advice but constant exposure to the news may keep triggering your anxious state.
• Be active to look after your mental health – it’s good for your immune system too!
• Be aware of your own signs of stress and take action to relieve them:
  • Do regular ‘brain dumps’ – write or type out your worries to get them off your mind.
  • Talk to people. Sharing your concerns can help bring perspective to them.
  • Create a routine with balanced activities (a variety of chores and pleasure) with regular times for meals and sleep. This sends reassuring signals to the brain and will benefit those around you too.
  • Set yourself small, achievable goals each day (personal or work related).
  • Do things to change your emotions – watching funny or inspiring films, reading positive stories, and going walk for a walk can all be very powerful!

With our young people going back to school and college, it could be an anxious time for both them and us and the following may help:

• Encourage young people to think about their mental health and the things that help them to feel well such as eating healthily, exercising, doing things they enjoy, spending time with their friends.
• Practice being kind to themselves and other people.
• Remind them that it took time for us all to get used to being at home and it will take time to get used to being back at school.
• Use rewards in and out of school or college to help young people manage any anxiety.
• Have a worry box where your child can write down and post their concerns. Make sure you spend time with them to go through the worries and chat about them.
• Listen to your children’s concerns acknowledge their feelings and let them know that you understand it is hard for them.

If you would like to find out more about Norfolk and Waveney Mind’s services or how you can support their work, please visit www.norfolkandwaveneymind.org.uk  or call 0300 330 5488.