Why Should We Talk About Mental Health?

Here are 5 reasons why it's important to break the stigma around mental health.

'Mental Health Awareness' is becoming a popular term, with society shifting towards a more open and accepting stance on mental health. Social media has been a powerful platform for people to be able to share their experiences, learn about mental health conditions, and connect with others online, all behind the security of a screen.

Whilst we have come a long way since the days of repression, inhuman mental asylums, and bizarre and shocking diagnoses and treatments, we still have a long way to go. Shame, fear, anxiety, negative beliefs, and misinformation are just a few of the many roadblocks to openly and comfortably talking about what's going on in our minds and our bodies. The weight of historical baggage still hangs heavy upon our collective unconscious and feeds into our modern-day perception and education around mental health and...

Top tips to help your teen cope with EXAM ANXIETY

Exams and academic performance can be really stressful for young people and put additional pressure on their mental health. Exam anxiety was a serious struggle for me, but something I learnt to manage over time. So today I’m going to share my top tips to help your child cope with exam anxiety.

#1 Helping them to prepare

What I found really helpful was to make sure I was fully prepared for an exam. This included having my notes in order and starting revision early. Spreading out the revision made me feel less rushed and less panicked in the lead up to the exam. Maybe try recommending to your teen not to leave revision until the last minute as this can often cause extra stress.

They might appreciate you helping them to get small things ready for the exam, such as a pencil case or a nice pen, or helping them work out where the exam is located, so the small things don’t add to your teen’s anxiety. Sometimes having even the smallest thing go wrong on the...

5 ways to support your teen with their depression

All teens have low moments. But when those low moments become the norm and regularly affect their day to day lives, we call this depression.

I’m now a 23-year-old woman, but I experienced depression all through my teens. It left me feeling lonely and detached at times, but depression is much more than feeling sad. Some days I would feel as though things just felt ‘wrong’ or ‘off’, feeling really irritable around friends and family, even carrying a conversation, or smiling felt like a struggle. Other days, I would be crying for seemingly no reason, or feeling so incredibly numb, I felt hopeless and as though I was suffocating in all these overwhelming thoughts and feelings.

I’m writing this blog to give parents, grandparents, or loved ones some ideas and guidance as to how you can support your own child through depression and ease their emotional states during their low moments.

How can you help your child manage the emotional strain of...