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Things you can do yourself

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Self-help is not the right tool for an emergency. If you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E. If you need urgent mental-health help but it is not an emergency, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental-health option.

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Practical things you can try today — without pretending a walk and a glass of water can cure everything.

Self-help is support, not a test.

If these ideas help, brilliant. If they aren't enough, the answer is not to try harder indefinitely — it may be time for professional help.

Get through today first You do not have to sort your entire life out today.Make the next step embarrassingly achievable When motivation has vanished, “transform your life” is a terrible first task.Borrow some structure When your head is chaotic, a little predictable structure can reduce the number of decisions you have to make.When your brain won't stop holding meetings Thinking harder is not always the solution to thinking too much.Bring your attention back to where you actually are When thoughts are racing or anxiety is pulling you into imagined futures, grounding can help reconnect attention with the present moment.Slow the physical escalation Breathing exercises are not magic.Get it out of your head and onto something else You don't need a leather notebook, scented candle or to begin with “Dear Diary”.Leave the four walls for a bit Getting outside will not fix every mental-health problem.Move because your head matters too Exercise is not punishment for what you ate.Come back without making it a big announcement The longer you've ignored messages, the more awkward replying can feel.Let them in The person closest to you may already know something is wrong.Start awkwardly if you have to You don't need to suddenly become a man who says “I'd like to discuss my emotional wellbeing”.Give sleep a fighting chance When sleep goes wrong, desperation can make bedtime feel like an exam you keep failing.Check what the drink is doing for you The useful question isn't only “how many?”.Make your phone slightly less in charge You don't need to throw your phone in a lake.Make work smaller than your whole life You may not be able to change the job overnight.Maintenance, not pampering Sometimes self-care is a bath.Don't make one person carry everything Support is stronger when it isn't resting entirely on one pair of shoulders.A bad week doesn't need a sequel Everything slipped.Write the manual before you need it You know yourself better when you're relatively okay than when you're right in the middle of a rough patch.Helping yourself can include asking for help “Self-help” should never be translated as “sort yourself out on your own”.

Pick one, not twenty

When you're struggling, a massive wellbeing checklist can become another reason to feel behind. Choose the tool that matches the problem you have today.

Self-help doesn't mean alone

Good to Talk home · When to get help · When self-help isn't enough

Sources & further reading

Self-help can support mental wellbeing, but it is not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment when those are needed.