A quick way to check in on your mental health

It was World Mental Health Day yesterday in the UK. Even though there has been so much progress in changing the way we think about mental health there is a lot of stigma attached to having a mental health condition. But mental health isn't just the absence of illness. 

Here’s a simple way to remember that mental health is a continuum. There are always things we can do to help ourselves. The first step is to stop exisiting on auto-pilot, where things can often build up in the background without us realising it. This quick question could be the start of us really checking in with how we’re doing. We all have some days that are better than others. If you could think of patterns - which word in the diagram below would best describe your mood last week? Do you jump from categories and colours quickly? Do you notice you feel differently at work or in your free time?

If you find your answers are more around yellow, orange and red then this is time to get some support.

Support can look different for everyone. Maybe you reach out to a friend or a colleague at first. Or you could book in for a confidential call to talk about how you’re doing and what might help..

As a Therapist and Coach I normally see people when they’ve been struggling for a while or they’re in crisis. Everyone needs a bit of support sometimes and most people don’t need much.