Opening up about your mental health

Talking to people who care about you can help you look after your mental health and cope with how you’re feeling.

But it might feel scary, or you might not know where to start. You might be nervous about telling people what’s going on, or don't know what to say to them. We're here to help you find a way that works best for you.

 

Why should I open up about how I feel?

It’s okay to feel worried about telling someone how you feel or what you’ve been going through. But trying to deal with things on your own can make you feel worse.

Talking to someone you trust can help you to:

Feel like you're not alone

Feel supported by the people around you

Help other people understand what you’re going through

Get support with practical things

Find out that other people have been through similar things

Stop things from getting worse

Start to feel better

You might not know what you’re feeling or what you want to talk about, and that’s okay.

 

When should I open up?

There’s no perfect time to open up. But remember: whatever you’re going through, you don’t need to cope on your own. We all deserve support.

You might want to think about opening up about your feelings or what you’re experiencing if:

• You’re struggling to cope with how you feel
• You’ve been through or are going through something difficult
• You’re not feeling yourself
• You’re finding it hard to cope with everyday life
• You want someone to know how you’ve been feeling
• It’s affecting your relationships
• You feel you want or need help

You can open up about how you’re feeling at any time – you don’t have to wait for it to get worse. The sooner you can open up, the sooner you might start to feel better. And it’s never too late to talk about how you feel.

 

How do I know who I can trust?

Deciding who to talk to can be hard. Try to think of someone you know who:

• Is kind, understanding and a good listener
• You feel safe around
• Might have gone through a similar experience
• Will be open to what you have to say
• You feel comfortable talking to
• Has supported you or other people before

 

Who could I talk to?

You don’t just have to talk to family, carers, friends or partners about how you’re feeling. You might find it easier to talk to someone you don’t know as well or aren’t as close to. Other people that can help might be:

• GAPS
• Teachers
• Other staff at school, college or uni, like school counsellors, nurses, pastoral leads or teaching assistants
• GP
• Youth club workers
• Work manager / HR
• Sports coaches
• Social workers
• Religious leaders or people from your faith group

Remember that even if one person doesn’t understand, or is unsure how to help you, you can always try opening up to someone else. Everyone reacts differently and it’s not your fault if they do not understand.

Remember: everyone reacts differently to different things. It can be hard to open up again when people don’t understand, but it’s important you get support for how you're feeling.