Suicide Prevention
About suicide5 Steps to WellbeingÂ
Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
1. Stay Connected
Developing relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours can help you to stay connected with your community and get perspective on issues in your life. Why not:
- Say hello to your neighbours when you pass them?
- Talk to someone instead of sending an email or text?
- Go to a local sports team’s next game?
- Arrange to meet up with a friend you haven’t seen for a while?
2. Get Active
Regular physical activity can help to improve your mental health as well as your physical health. Sports and hobbies like gardening, cycling and dancing will help you feel good. Other simple and effective ways to get active include:
- Taking the stairs not the lift.
- Walking into work or to an appointment
- Getting off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walking the final part of your journey.
- Clearing out your attic or cupboards
3. Give
Helping other people is a good way of linking you to a wider community and it is very rewarding. Research has shown that doing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period can increase your wellbeing. Why not:
- Smile at the next person you see
- Volunteer your time to a charity
- Check on a neighbour who might need help
5. Learn
The challenge of achieving something new can be fun, satisfying and good for your confidence. Learning can improve your self-esteem, as well as helping you to connect and get active. Also, setting goals for yourself can really help you to stay mentally well. So why not:
- Learn something new today
- Sign up for a class at a local college, or on the internet: many online courses are free
- Learn a new skill from a friend
- Try a new magazine, newspaper or book.
- Research something you’ve always wondered about: your local library can help
4. Take Notice
Noticing the beauty of everyday moments as well as unusual ones and reflecting on them helps you to appreciate what matters to you. Being aware of what is taking place in the present is good for your well-being. Here are a few other ideas:
- Challenge yourself to find one thing to be grateful for every day
- Take notice of how your friends or colleagues are feeling or acting
- Take a different route on your journey to or from your regular destinations
- Keep a diary of your feelings, thoughts and achievements
Message of Hope
If you have suicidal thoughts, you may be in so much pain that you don’t know how you’re going to survive, but if you can just push through each day, it gives hope that things can get better in the future. One day a time, or even one hour at a time. By never giving up you’re quietly building an inner strength and resilience that will fortify you.
Your Feedback – comments, concerns and complaints
NHS Lanarkshire is committed to improving the service it provides to patients and their families. We therefore want to hear from you about your experience. If you would like to tell us about this please visit our feedback page.
