I have only started learning how to do self-care. When I was growing up I never thought about taking time for myself. There was too much going on around me.

You might have seen somewhere that having adverse childhood experiences (ACES) can lead to difficulties in physical and mental health, but this is not always the case. Everyone’s experience is unique. While it is possible to feel weighed down by past difficulties, different people find ways to recover at different times and in different ways. You might at times recognise strengths and coping skills you’ve built along the way.

Sometimes we can be our own harshest judge. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s normal to feel tired, stressed, or unsure at times – like a runner after a marathon, you may need recovery time. This doesn’t make you weak; it means you’ve been using a lot of strength already. You might be surprised how many other people are carrying around their own struggles, often well hidden from public view.

You can protect your mental health by learning more about yourself and learning if there are any experiences that still impact you. For example, itcan be difficult to trust others if your trust has been broken before. But trust is fundamental in good relationships and good relationships are important for mental health. Good relationships are important for well-being. Trust can be hard if it’s been broken before, but finding people who listen and care can make a big difference.

As well as professional help there are some things wecan do to look after our mental health. Aiming to understand our thoughts, behaviours and triggers is an important step. There are a lot of resources and advice available to help you to better understand and take care of your mental health.

Taking time for yourself helps your mental well-being. I have learned about quality of life and that I deserve to have it. Every time we do something positive for our own health, we send a message to ourselves that we are worthy of love and care.

If you would like to speak with your GP or someone close to you about your mental health but do not know where to start, here are some ideas that can help:

• Write down what you are struggling with in your words.Write down your triggers/mood changes and what influences them
• If you are not comfortable speaking to someone face to face you can send a message. It is better to get the words out than to not get them out at all.
• If you are going to your GP you can take someone with you for support.
• Write down what you want to get out of speaking to someone – someone to just listen? Practical advice?
• Next steps – what do you want to happen after you have spoken to someone?

If you do not want to speak to someone face to face there are other options, such as telephone and online advice. Find links below.

Some things that we can all do to take better control over our mental health are:

• Address yours worries – Debt, relationships problems and other challenges can impact our mental health if we do not address them. It can seem daunting, but confronting the issue is the first step to solving it.
• Understand our traumas, triggers, behaviours and thoughts (you can keep a journal, access therapy, read and learn about trauma and its affects)
• Understand the brain – Understanding how the brain is formed and how it works can really help us to understand some of our behaviours.
• Understand our mental health – what impacts it? What helps it? (Having a list of things that makes us happy  can be helpful when we are feeling down)
• Self-care – is paramount to good mental health – our sleeping patterns, diet and exercise all impact our mood. Identifying things you can improve and taking small steps can be empowering.
• Time – Some things get easier with time. Make sure you have time to yourself to reflect and have fun!

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Medication can help some people and/or therapy might help you to improve your mental health. There are many types of talking therapies available such as:

·       CBT – cognitive behavioural therapy changes unhelpful thoughts and behaviours; helpful for depression, anxiety, complex trauma.

·       MBCT –mindfulness-based cognitive therapy combines mindfulness with CBT techniques.

·       EMDR – eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, often used for recovery from trauma.

Counselling can help you find ways to deal with difficulties in your life.

If you are not ready to access support services in person you can access advice and helpful techniques and steps to take to better help you manage your mental health. Please know you are not alone – nobody gets through life without a need for support at some stage.

Don't make self-care too hard for you. Notice what helps you to feel better. Think about wee things you could do as part of your self-care routine and build them up.

To speak to someone confidentially you can contact Breathing space - 0800 838587 (Monday to Thursday, 6pm – 2am; Friday 6pm to Monday 6am)  breathingspace.scot

You can  also speak to someone through NHS 24 – Telephone – 111 Website – nhs24.scot

Find more information on talking therapy and how to self-refer here.

You can access more information about Trauma and Adverse childhood experiences here.

For more information on local services and support you can call or visit SAMH website  -  0141 530 1000 e: enquire@samh.org.uk  w: samh.org.uk

If you are concerned for someone’s mental health or would like tips in supporting someone you can access that and more here.

Information and help for suicidal thoughts can be found here.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, you should confide in someone or call NHS24 on 111 to seek help.

For further reading and ways to access support you can visit citizens advice here.