Taking care of yourself means doing things just for you to help you to feel better. Learning to slow down your thoughts and change how you see things can help you to feel better, concentrate on study or work and find new ways to cope with difficult situations. Looking after yourself can take time and practice. But the more you do it, the easier it can get.
Some things you can do to look after yourself
1
Think about whether you’re hungry, thirsty or tired – and eat, drink or rest if you need to.
2
Focus on things right now. If you feel stressed or angry, pause for 30 seconds and feel your feet firmly on the ground or your back against a chair.
3
Take a break. Make time to listen to music, go for a walk or have a chat with family or friends.
4
Do something nurturing or caring for yourself each day like having a nice bubble bath or listening to your favourite music.
I make sure that I give myself ten extra minutes in the morning to do deep breathing and then eat a good breakfast. It means that I start the day feeling like I can cope.
More about mental health and wellbeing
Siblings like all other young people can have mental health problems. If you are very sad or anxious it is important to talk to someone.