Mental health
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UNDERSTANDING MENTAL HEALTH
Learn about different mental health issues in this handy A-Z guide.
‘Self-care’ is a phrase you’ve probably come across, but what does it really mean? Find out what we mean by self-care and how to find what works for you.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE
MindMate was designed with young people, for young people, to provide a central place for information about common mental health issues and where you can find support.
If you're going through a tough time, you're not alone. Mind have got lots of information and advice to help.
Whether you want to understand more about how you're feeling and find ways to feel better, or you want to support someone who's struggling, Young Minds can help.
Your online mental wellbeing community: free, safe and anonymous support.
A booklet for young people offering advice about asking for help with their mental health when they need it.
MANAGING EMOTIONS
Explains anger, some possible causes and how it can make you feel and act. There's practical suggestions for what you can do and where you can go for support. This includes advice for friends and family.
Explains paranoia, including possible causes and how you can access treatment and support. Includes tips for helping yourself, and guidance for friends and family.
Explains loneliness, including the causes of loneliness and how it relates to mental health problems. Gives practical tips to help manage feelings of loneliness, and other places you can go for support.
Understanding how to deal with sadness will allow you to process your emotions in a healthy way. Learn more about dealing with sadness in a healthy way here, as we discuss both the causes and how to cope.
SELF-HELP
A worksheet from Mind that you can use to understand how you can take steps to better your mental wellbeing.
Learn about different practical coping strategies and how to use them in this video.
Having a healthy sleep schedule is so important for your mental health. Find out more here.
In this video, a doctor explains a self-help method for those experiencing low mood and depression. This video adopts a CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) approach and helps you to understand how your thoughts and feelings and behaviour can act together to keep you feeling bad.
Friendship is a crucial element in protecting our mental health. Our friends can keep us grounded, help us get things in perspective, and help us manage life's problems. Find out more here.
Scary world news can affect our mental health, and learning about global events that cause uncertainty, you may feel fear, anxiety or a loss of control over your own life and plans. You may worry for the safety of strangers, loved ones or yourself. And if you have lived through similar events in the past, it may bring up traumatic memories. Access help here.
Information for young people about coping with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Access a range of useful support to impact on feelings of loneliness.
EXAM AND COLLEGE STRESS
Pressure to do well in exams can be overwhelming and affect your mental health. Here's our advice if it's all getting a bit too much.
If you’re feeling stressed about your exams, you aren’t alone. Get advice and tips to help you cope.
Working towards exams can creating feelings of worry and being under pressure. However there are a range of things that you can do to help deal with the stress that you might be feeling.
SPECIFIC ISSUES LINKED TO MENTAL HEALTH
Being treated differently or unfairly because of our race, skin colour or ethnicity can negatively affect our mental health. Here's some information on how to get help if you've experienced racism.
Our cultural identity is a big part of who we are, which means it can affect our mental health and influence what support we need. Find out more about the relationship between cultural identity and mental health, how to navigate expectations and pressures, and how to get the support that’s right for you.
Experiencing Islamophobia can be scary, upsetting and traumatising. It’s never okay and it’s never your fault. We have information and advice created with young Muslims that can really help if Islamophobia is affecting your mental health.
This booklet is designed to support young Muslims and their parents navigate mental health and find support.
Debt problems can often lead people to experience bad mental health. You can find more information about this here, including how to get help.
People gamble for many reasons: the adrenaline rush to win money, socialise or escape from worries or stress. However, for some people, gambling can get out of control. If you find yourself betting more than you can afford to lose, borrowing money, or feeling stressed and anxious about gambling, you may have a problem. Find out more here.
Gaming can be a way to relax and stay connected with your friends. But sometimes, gaming might get in the way of things like studying or sleep. If you're feeling like this, here are things you can do to enjoying gaming in a positive way.
If you are an Afghan refugee, you might be experiencing concern or worries about what you have been through and what is happening back home. This guide can help you.
CRISIS SUPPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
If you need urgent help, call 999.
Whatever you're going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. They're here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can call them free on 116 123.
Shout 85258 is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.
CALM run life-saving services and bring people together so they reject living miserably, get help when they need it, and don't die by suicide. You can visit their website where there is a webchat, or you can call their helpline between 5pm-midnight every day of the year on 0800 58 58 58.
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK is a helpline offering a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. They are open from 6pm to 3:30am every day on 0800 689 5652. Anybody is welcome to call if you need to talk.
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK is a helpline offering a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. They are open from 6pm to 3:30am every day on 0800 689 5652. Anybody is welcome to call if you need to talk.
Andy’s Man Club are a men's suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. You don’t have to have felt suicidal to attend a meeting - they are a safe space to talk.
Anxiety UK is a national registered charity for those affected by anxiety, stress and anxiety-based depression.
Access free self-harm support for 10 to 17-year-olds.
If you have OCD or are worried about it, you can contact OCD Action for help and support. Visit the website or call the helpline on 0300 636 5478.
BHI Counselling Service confidential counselling service for African, African Caribbean, Dual Heritage and other minority ethnic adults and young people aged 13+ in Leeds and surrounding areas.
BMM is a support service which provides free, one-to-one, culturally-relevant therapy for black people in the UK. Visit their website to find out more and join the waiting list.
Home of the largest community of Counsellors and Psychotherapists of Black, African, Asian and Caribbean Heritage in the UK.
It can be hard to know where to turn to find help, if you’re feeling emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts. Visit the site to get information about different support options in Leeds.
MINT provides support groups in Morley, Wakefield, Otley, and Middleton for adult men aged 18 or over to come together and find help with mental health issues.
Just ‘B’ offers expert emotional wellbeing and bereavement support to children, young people and adults across the communities of North Yorkshire. Visit the website or call 01423 856 790 (children) or 01423 814 480 (adults), or you can call the Hear to Help line on (01423) 856 799.
Empowering girls and young women in Leeds aged 11-25 to learn new skills, build confidence and resilience, and raise aspirations. Visit the website or call 0113 240 5894 to speak to someone.
Touchstone Support Centre is for Black, Asian and minority ethnic people living in Leeds who have mental health needs or care for those with mental ill health. You can call 0113 271 8277 or 0113 216 4143 (Punjabi) to speak to someone, or visit the website.
Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service offer free or low-cost counselling and psychotherapy services for women and girls on low incomes in Leeds. Visit their website to find out more or call 0113 245 5725.
Women’s Health Matters champions freedom for disadvantaged women and girls in Leeds so they may have a fair chance at a better life. These women are most at risk, including those experiencing domestic violence, sexual and emotional abuse, those with children in care or at risk of being removed, young mums, women seeking asylum, women with learning disabilities, and women with complex needs or mental health and wellbeing needs. Visit the website to find out more about the many services available.
A mental health peer support group for autistic adults in Leeds. You must be 18 or older to attend this group.