Mental Health

Everyone goes through hard times growing up, and when you are a grown up! When you are LGBTI+, sometimes there can be extra challenges that you may face such as coming out or accepting your identity.

It’s normal to feel anxious, stressed, or worried because of this. It can be hard to focus when studying or working, and you may feel alone or isolated. If any of these feelings sound familiar to you, it is important that you do something about it.

Self Harm

When we are in crisis, it can be hard to see beyond it and come up with a safe response. Some people may turn to self-harm as a way of coping with overwhelming feelings. Others may contemplate ending their lives. If you are in a situation that makes you think about either of these, it is important that you turn to professional help as soon as possible. You can find help here.

It is possible to replace self-harming with positive coping strategies. Getting support from a professional is the best thing you can do to work through the reasons you are self-harming. They will help you come up with more positive ways to deal with your experiences and keep you safe. If you are unable to get immediate support, try
some of these techniques to stop the urge to self–harm becoming an action.

Talk: Let someone know how you feel, this could be a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or a helpline.
Exercise: Go for a walk or run to take your mind off any negative feelings and the urge to self-harm.
Relax: Become aware of your breathing. Slow and deeper breaths can have a
calming effect.

Suicide

For some people thoughts of suicide and ending your life may last a long time. For others it may be a brief thought. Either way, you may be feeling afraid, alone, and not sure what to do next.

If you, or someone you know, is at risk of suicide, you should act immediately and get help. With support, you can start to feel hopeful and more positive about the future.

If you don’t think you can keep yourself safe, go to A&E, call 999 or 112 and ask to speak to the ambulance service.
Talk to your GP. They can offer you advice on accessing the best support services for you.
Call a helpline like the Samaritans who offer a safe place to talk 24 hours a day. You can reach them on their Freephone number 116 123. Here is a list of places where you can find free, confidential support.