I can’t believe its almost Christmas and the end of 2023! It has been at times a challenging year but I do love the holidays, even though we don’t celebrate Christmas. But its nice to come together as we’re all off work here in the UK and have family time, food and watch movies.
My favourite thing about this season are the cosy, twinkly lights and light trails. We’ll be doing one this year at a stately home. Lighting up the darkness feels appropriate this time of year.
I know that Christmas is not easy for everyone and many struggle with their mental health and relationships this time of year. Please know you are not alone and reach out to Samaritans 116 123 if you need to talk. There is also the Shout text service.
I hope your festive season will be merry and bright… and if it isn’t please tell someone and seek help if you can. You are never alone.
In 2015, Alexander Walton had an idea. It was an emotional short story that he wrote, then placed in brightly coloured envelopes and randomly distributed across the city he lived in. Each one also contained a small gift: a symbol of hope. He called this project Find My Story and through the support and kindness of others, it expanded across the globe.
Over the next five years there were three stories in total. Hundreds of volunteers. Thousands of envelopes. And an avalanche of profound and moving responses from people who had found one of these envelopes, and had the curiosity to open it.
This experience was the inspiration for The Kind Mind Method and ultimately changed the author’s life in ways he never could have expected. He continues to advocate kindness and positivity through his books and ongoing projects.
(image: Alexander Walton)
For years, scientific studies have continuously demonstrated a clear link between kindness and mental wellbeing. Throughout that time, there has never been any unified mechanism to harness this power. Until now.
Do you feel as if you are stuck inside your own head? Does worry stop you engaging with the wider world? Do you sometimes feel helpless to stop negative thoughts? The Kind Mind Method is a simple thought process that will allow you to embrace a positive mindset in everything you do. It will change you in ways you never could have imagined and snap you into the moment like nothing else you have tried.
Built upon proven scientific principles and leveraging the power of kindness, Alexander Walton will explain how you can benefit from this profound change. Through clear steps and real-world examples, he will guide you through its adoption and ongoing usage. Along the way, he will examine how this approach provides you with a true alternative thought that you will actively want to pursue. And by the end of this book, you will understand how it can offer a structured mechanism to deal with any situation, and watch as you seamlessly embrace a different thought. A better thought. A kinder thought.
Here were just some responses to the Find my Story envelopes:
Found your story and you have no idea at what time it entered my life and the impact it had.”
“It is impossible to describe how this story made me feel…I will keep this gift on me until I feel I need to pass it on myself.”
“THANK YOU for writing your story, and sending that message of hope out into the world. I needed it so badly and I’ve kept the gift with me ever since. I’ll never forget the feeling of opening your envelope.”
A Christmas carol’s feeling in the belly. Your story is beautiful and your letter found me in a very special time. A time of uncertainty and doubts where this star blowing in the middle of the night was somehow something I didn’t expect anymore. Thank you so much for that.
You can find Alexander Walton on his website and his book is out now.
A car accident can be a traumatic experience that can leave a lasting emotional impact on a person. It’s so important to not only look after your physical wellbeing but to also prioritise your emotional wellbeing. Here are some effective ways to cope with emotional trauma after a car accident.
Allow Yourself to Feel Your Emotion
Emotional reactions are common after a car accident, such as shock, nervousness, or panic. These feelings are natural and normal but also can be overwhelming. It is essential to recognize and label your emotions, express them in a healthy way, and avoid suppressing them. Consider talking to a friend, family member, or professional counselor to help you process all that you’re feeling and experiencing.
Self-Care Practices
After a car accident, it is crucial to care for yourself, physically and mentally. Engage in self-care practices such as taking walks, meditating, listening to music, taking a relaxing bath, or other activities you find calming and comforting. Eat well-balanced meals, get enough sleep and avoid alcohol and drugs that may escalate your emotional reactions.
Reach Out For Support
A car accident is an extremely stressful event. If you’re finding it difficult to manage your emotions, it may be helpful to reach out for support. You can talk with a friend or family member or join a support group for people who have experienced car accidents. Professional counselors and mental health experts also can help you learn how to process and cope with your emotions.
Speak to Legal Help
After an accident, it is common to seek legal guidance to navigate compensation and payment for damages and injuries. During this process, if you experience anxiety or depression, talking to a legal professional may be beneficial. To lessen the burden of insurance claims, a car accident injury lawyer can help secure compensation and provide emotional support for their clients.
Be Patient with Yourself
Recovery and healing from emotional distress can take time and patience. Allow yourself the time and space you need to recover. It’s crucial to keep communicating your needs and emotions with friends, family, and professionals who can help support you through your healing process. You might not feel ready to drive again due to the accident. And that’s okay. Allow yourself time to heal and get back into the swing of things.
A car accident can be a life-changing event that can have a lasting impact on your physical and emotional well-being. Coping with emotional trauma after a car accident can be overwhelming, but it is possible with the right tools and support. Practice patience with yourself, seek the help of qualified professionals, and prioritise your self-care practices. Together, these steps will help you heal and rebuild after a car accident.
In today’s fast-paced, stress-laden world, it can be a real challenge to keep yourself mentally and physically balanced. It’s easy to overlook the impact of your lifestyle choices on your overall well-being and end up feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and burnt out. However, maintaining a healthy mind and body is crucial for long-term happiness and success. This post intends to explore tips and tricks for prioritising your mental and physical health and keeping them in balance. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or just seeking a more balanced lifestyle, there are answers to follow.
Eat Healthily
The food you eat keeps your body in shape and can significantly impact your mental health. Research shows that eating a balanced and nutrient-rich diet can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Try incorporating more whole foods, fruits, greens, and lean proteins into your diet, and steer clear of processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats. If you want to take it a step further, try meal prepping always to have healthy food when you’re in a rush.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise is one of the best ways to balance your body and mind. Whether going to the gym, taking a yoga class, or going for a run or walk, exercise releases endorphins that lift your mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Make sure to find something you enjoy that you can stick to long-term. Even if it is just 30 minutes of physical activity daily, you’ll notice a huge difference in your overall well-being.
Rest and Relax
With life’s stressors always looming, finding time to rest and relax can be challenging. However, taking care of yourself by getting enough rest is crucial to balancing your mental health. Ensure you are getting enough sleep, aiming for around seven to nine hours per night, and take other measures to relax, such as massage, a bubble bath, or indulging in your favourite hobbies.
Prioritise Your Mental Health
Mental health is just as important as physical health. If you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or another mental health problem, it’s essential to prioritise your mental health. Seek professional mental health care if necessary, talk to trusted friends and family about any concerns, and make sure you take time each day to do things you love. Self-care and meditation can also work wonders to quiet your mind, reduce stress, and ease feelings of anxiety.
Find Balance in Your Relationships
Achieving balance in your relationships is also crucial for mental health. Sometimes, unhealthy relationships can lead to unhealthy habits that throw you off balance and make you feel worse. Make sure you only surround yourself with people who support you, respect you, and have your best interests at heart. Ensure you set boundaries, say no when necessary, and openly communicate your needs and feelings.
Keeping yourself in balance mentally and physically is an ongoing process that requires continual effort and investment. However, the rewards of prioritising your mental and physical health can be nothing short of life-changing. By taking care of yourself and making sure you are eating healthily, exercising regularly, getting enough rest, prioritising your mental health, and finding balance in your relationships, you can achieve a balanced and fulfilling life. So, try some of these tips, and watch yourself grow into the best version of yourself yet.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance blogger, researcher and writer.
She sits nervously clutching her GHD straightened hair. Its meant to look poker straight but her curly waves never seem to look like Avril Lavigne’s hair. Except for that time when her friend tried to tame it for her with straighteners and an iron!
She lives in a bedroom in the family home- half child, half adult, the wallpaper pink with pictures of little bo peep covered with music posters- Destiny’s Child (Beyonce, Kelly and Michelle in their Survivor jungle outfits peer down) and Joss Stone with her nose piercing. She looks up to these women and wishes she could be them, especially Joss, who is only a year or so older than she is. Mariah Carey is another huge influence and she listens to her Daydream and Greatest hits albums on repeat on her CD player, trying to sing like Mariah but failing to hit those notes.
At school, she loves Drama- she loves to perform as different characters and study theatre. She has a wonderful group of friends who she will remain friends with today. She dreams of going to drama school.. and she will achieve her goal!
She is me, aged 16 years old in 2004.
She is ‘baby Ellie’- the teenager who had no idea what was in store for her life or to come. Who should have been free to party, make mistakes, not worry about life. Who should have been discovering life safely but enjoying teen life.
She was given the diagnosis of a severe mental illness, bipolar disorder, when she was still a child.
She struggled with depression, mania and psychosis from the age of 15.
She has been medicated for 19 years (and had changes of medication).
She has been in therapy for longer.
but she survived and thrived.
And she still loves theatre and music and friends (although the GHD’s have been relegated to the back of the cupboard!)
So dear Baby Ellie,
Whatever happens – everything is going to be OK and you will achieve things beyond your imagination- except being able to sing like Mariah Carey.
When I look back at her, I hear the lyrics of the song ‘Looking in’ on Mariah’s day dream album that I used to play….
Binge eating disorder (BED) is a severe eating disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of consuming large amounts of food in a short period. This disorder is associated with acute physical and psychological complications that can affect an individual’s quality of life. Recovering from binge eating disorder can be a challenging process, but with the right guidance and support, it can be achieved. This blog post will discuss five tips for successfully recovering from binge eating disorder.
Seek Professional Help
Recovering from binge eating disorder requires professional guidance and support. The first step towards recovery is to seek professional help. Consulting with a healthcare provider (such as the NHS or privately) or a registered dietician can help an individual develop a personalised treatment plan that addresses their unique needs. The medical professionals (psychiatrist, GP) can also screen individuals for underlying health problems that may contribute to binge eating disorder, such as depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders.
Establish a Support System
Establishing a support system is essential for individuals recovering from binge eating disorder. This support system may consist of family, friends, or support groups. Support groups can help individuals connect with other people experiencing similar conditions and receive emotional support and encouragement. It can also provide information about recovery resources and strategies that have worked for others.
Identify Food Triggers
Identifying food triggers that lead to binge eating can help an individual manage such situations. Food triggers may include certain foods, emotions, or social situations. Identifying these triggers can help an individual prepare and develop strategies to cope with them when they arise. Strategies may include therapeutic skills including distraction techniques, mindfulness, or relaxation techniques.
Embrace Online Binge Eating Recovery Services
Online binge eating recovery resources like Lightwork Nutrition can provide valuable support and information for individuals experiencing BED. Online support groups, forums, and recovery programs offer anonymous access to peer support, real-time chat, and educational resources. Using these online resources can help individuals connect with others facing similar challenges from anywhere at any time.
Cultivate Self-Care Habits
Cultivating self-care habits may improve an individual’s physical and mental well-being, ultimately aiding in their recovery. Self-care habits may include healthy eating habits, gentle exercise, and stress management techniques like mindfulness, yoga, or meditation. These habits enable people to manage stress, boost self-esteem and confidence, and improve overall health and well-being.
BED can have significant impacts on an individual’s quality of life. Recovering from binge eating disorder can be a challenging, yet achievable process for individuals. Seeking professional help, establishing a support system, identifying food triggers, embracing online binge eating recovery services, and cultivating self-care habits can enable individuals to overcome binge eating disorder effectively.
Remember, recovery is a process, and with hard work, patience, and dedication, individuals can experience good mental health and well-being.
This article was written by freelance writer Lizzie Weakley.
Most modern workers are stressed out, with stress taking a toll on their relationships, sleep, and health, eventually affecting their work productivity. Add to that are the pandemic, job losses, and feeling isolated for those working remotely.
Remember, employees are the backbone of a company. Without them, a company cannot function as it is. As an employer, you should not ignore their sense of well-being. While you cannot entirely alleviate stress, you can do some things to help minimise them. Here are some ways companies can help their employees avoid burnout.
Prioritise Workplace Wellness
Wellness should be a priority in every workplace, and there are many ways employers can make wellness a priority. Start by offering a quiet place for employees to unplug, meditate, and relax for a few minutes. A short break from work is one of the most effective ways to manage, fight, and eliminate workplace burnout. Encouraging your employees to take a short break can reduce unwanted stress that could affect their focus and hinder productivity.
Investing in a few aesthetics to improve the office environment is another way to invest in the well-being of employees. Instead of the usual dull white walls, put a splash of bright colour to positively impact the mood of your employees. Furnish the space with inviting chairs, plants, and beautiful pictures to establish a relaxed and carefree environment.
In those days of high stress due to increasing workload, encourage employees to take a mental health day that can combat burnout. It’s a day to take a break from work and minimise work commitments and responsibilities. They can use this short break to focus on relaxing, relieving stress, and having fun, which are the most effective ways to prevent workplace burnout.
Know How to Spot the Signs
As an employer, you should be aware of how to spot the signs that your employees are stressed or suffering from burnout. While not everyone has this ability, you will find some great online courses about Safeguarding to help you determine the signs of a struggling employee, which may be related to workplace burnout or other factors. Whether work-related or not, employers should be aware of any employee suffering from burnout.
Some of the most common signs your employees are stressed include missed deadlines, decreased productivity, reduced work quality, procrastination, and lack of interest. Remember that failing to address workplace burnout can quickly cost your company money. The lower the productivity, the higher the percentage of profit you’ll lose.
Social withdrawal is another common sign of a stressed employee. It typically means a reluctance to participate in workplace activities and wanting to stay alone instead of mingling with co-workers. Workers suffering from social withdrawal often love to argue and cause chaos in the workplace. You can address the situation by talking to the employee, listening to complaints, and making the employee feel valued through rewards and incentives.
Encourage Teamwork
Another way companies can help employees prevent burnout is to encourage teamwork. Several studies have shown that it can positively affect the quality of work, productivity, and job satisfaction. Co-workers can serve as an essential line of emotional support for struggling employees. They understand how everyone feels at work and can help each other deal with stress.
One of the reasons teamwork can help prevent burnout is it can serve as a welcome distraction. If an employee is stressed due to reasons outside work, being part of a team can be a good distraction from these stresses. When surrounded by others, you can absorb their energy. So, if you’re feeling sad, you can be uplifted by the generally happier circumstances surrounding you, leaving you feeling better.
Thus, one of the roles of managers is to develop a work environment where people are happy to help and work with one another. An effective manager can establish a committed and highly cohesive team, encourage teamwork, and communicate frequently with everyone, welcoming their thoughts and ideas, regardless of differences.
Maintain Communication
Companies must find ways to prevent burnout for employees with specialist roles, such as software developers, so they will not lose these team members. To help retain software developers and other vital positions, burn out prevention is essential. One of these is proper communication, which is even more essential for remote workers with specialist roles. Working from home has many benefits but could exacerbate burnout in some employees.
Proper communication with the team can also mean listening to work-related problems. Listening is essential in every situation, but many managers feel as though they are great in this area. Unfortunately, only a few managers prioritise frequent communication with employees. Studies show that employees with managers happy to communicate and listen to their work-related problems are 62% less likely to become burned out.
If employees find that their managers are willing to communicate with them, they will feel at ease since their managers genuinely care about them. The most effective companies are those that demonstrate they value the employees by investing in them through time, attention, and communication. They value employees, celebrate their achievements, schedule performance discussions, and show respect to their employees.
Create Reasonable Workloads
If employees deal with an incredible workload, they will always have to play catch-up. It can cause them to become overworked, often the main reason behind workplace burnout. Pre-empting your team’s workload is one of the best ways to prevent them from getting overworked, and this is especially true for companies with unpredictable workloads.
Using workload forecasting tools is one way to pre-empt your team member’s workload. These tools rely on historical data and AI algorithms to determine the amount of workload at a specific time frame. Knowing the reasonably accurate estimate of a team’s workload can help companies evenly distribute workload, preventing workplace burnout.
Workload forecasting can also help to ensure that a workplace is not overstaffed or understaffed and that the team will always remain productive. Companies should also encourage managers to monitor employee productivity and performance. If they notice that performance is slipping down, it could indicate that such a particular employee is stressed and needs help.
If an employee becomes burnt out and needs help with their mental health, you can encourage them to reach for support. Consider also putting in place workplace counselling services too. Wellbeing in the workplace is extremely important and making sure your employees avoid burnout, taking care of their mental and physical health so they can be more productive, healthier and happier.
Chronic illness can take a toll on one’s physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Individuals struggling with chronic (long term) illness often feel lonely, isolated, and anxious, leading to a decline in their overall quality of life. While individual therapy can be helpful, group therapy can offer additional benefits and support. Group therapy allows people to connect with others who understand and relate to their struggles.
A Sense of Community and Connection
The sense of community and connection that group therapy provides can be incredibly powerful for those dealing with chronic illness. Often, those dealing with illnesses can feel isolated and misunderstood. In a group therapy setting, individuals can connect with others who are going through similar experiences and struggles. This can help reduce feelings of isolation and provide a sense of comfort and understanding, with a qualified therapist.
Learning from Others
In group therapy, people can learn from others who are further along in their journey. For example, someone who was recently diagnosed with an illness may feel scared and uncertain about their future. Hearing from someone who has been living with illness for a longer period of time can offer hope and reassurance and also provide practical support.
Psychoeducation
Some group therapy can provide an opportunity for psychoeducation on chronic illnesses. Members can learn about their illness, medications, treatments, and therapeutic interventions that can help reduce their symptoms. This can give them a sense of control and improve their quality of life.
Better Coping Skills
Chronic illness can be overwhelming and stressful; it often requires individuals to develop new coping mechanisms to manage their symptoms. In a group therapy setting, individuals can learn new coping skills from other members. This can include stress management techniques, mindfulness exercises, and ways to manage pain or fatigue. Learning new coping skills can lead to a reduction in anxiety and an improvement in overall mental health.
Mutual Support
Whilst in group therapy, members can offer mutual support to one another. Those who are having a particularly difficult day or week can lean on other members for support and encouragement. Group members can offer a listening ear or share coping strategies that have worked for them. This provides a sense of comfort and fosters a sense of belonging.
Group therapy can be a valuable tool for individuals struggling with a chronic illness. It provides a sense of community and connection, the opportunity to learn from others, psychoeducation, better coping skills, and mutual support. If you are struggling with chronic illness, consider seeking support through group therapy.
Remember, you are not alone. There are others out there who understand and can support you on your journey. You can also be referred for therapy.
Coping mechanisms are strategies that people use or develop in order to deal with, or avoid dealing with, difficult and stressful emotions or situations. Whilst some people may use exercise, a healthy diet or meditation as a way to process difficult feelings, it can be very easy to fall into unhealthy habits instead, especially if we have pre-existing mental health conditions.
For example, those who have suffered with eating disorders may automatically fall back into restrictive eating habits or fall into a pattern of binge eating when life gets difficult. Whilst we can easily beat ourselves up for not ‘handling things’ in a healthy and productive manner, it’s important to remember that coping mechanisms serve an instinctive purpose. In times of stress, we seek comfort and safety. On a biochemical level, unhealthy coping mechanisms are serving that purpose.
That doesn’t mean we should allow them to continue, however. Part of overcoming mental illness is learning how to cope in healthy ways that serve a higher purpose for you long term. Here, we will take a closer look at how mental illness can affect our coping mechanisms, and how you can learn to shift your unhealthy coping habits into more helpful ones.
Why mental illness makes us vulnerable
Mental illnesses come in a wide variety, and each person will experience them slightly differently to the next. But essentially, mental illness means that our brains aren’t working exactly how they should. This can warp our perception, and make us feel more anxious, stressed, insecure and prone to depression than we would be otherwise.
When we are stressed, we seek instant comfort. Our brains instinctively drive us to seek the quickest fix and push us to run away from our cause of stress. This is why when you are really, really hungry, all you want to do is eat sugary foods such as chocolate – your body knows that’s the quickest fix for its hunger, even though you know consciously that it’s not the healthiest option.
For people with mental illness, this stress response can trigger a repetition of a familiar pattern of negative behaviour that instantly soothes or avoids the initial problem, but also creates bigger issues long term.
Recognise your behaviour
It’s important to recognise when we are relying on unhelpful coping mechanisms to avoid facing stress, as they can lead to more serious mental and physical problems. If you are fixating on something that is not going to help you long term, such as obsessive cleaning, isolating yourself from family and friends, or abusing alcohol, you need to consciously recognise the signs that your habits are not serving you.
You may find it helpful to write down the root causes of your negative habits, and commit to facing the problems head on instead of allowing them to cause you further problems. Talking to someone you trust can be a massive help and relief, and can help you springboard yourself into a better place mentally.
Make small changes
Often when our mental health is low, we can feel overwhelmed by the thought of fixing everything. Remember, your perception is magnified when you are struggling mentally, so everything will seem worse and harder than it truly is. Being kind to yourself and committing to changing just one small habit at a time can be really helpful in focusing on what you can achieve – one step at a time.
Speaking to a health professional can be an intimidating thought, but sometimes it is necessary in order for us to make profound changes to our health and wellbeing. There is no shame in asking for help, and you are not alone. By recognising when our coping mechanisms are beginning to be less than healthy, we can make the choice to improve them.
Thanks to our friends at Vuelio, who not only ranked as again as a Top 10 UK Mental Health blog which is amazing- but included this little blog in the top 5!!
This is our highest ranking and I am so honoured. Thanks to all the writers and business/brands we work with too for their hard work in creating content.
This blog is in its 7th year now and can’t wait to see what the next year will bring. This is particularly special as this week is Mental Health Awareness Week too. The aim of this blog is to provide information to help people feel less alone and to dispell any myths of stigmas around mental illness.
Well done to all on this list and all the fab mental health bloggers out there.
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