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We often drink alcohol to change our mood. Some people drink to deal with fear or loneliness, but the effect is only temporary.

When the drink wears off, you feel worse because of the way the alcohol has affected your brain and the rest of your body. Drinking is not a good way to manage difficult feelings.

Apart from the damage too much alcohol can do to your body, you would need more and more alcohol each time to feel the same short-term boost. There are healthier ways of coping with tough times.

Occasional light drinking is perfectly healthy and enjoyable for most people.

Stay within the recommended daily alcohol limits:

3 to 4 units a day for men.

2 to 3 units a day for women.

Many people also smoke or use drugs or other substances to change how they feel. But, again, the effects are short-lived. Just like alcohol, the more you use, the more you crave. Nicotine and drugs don’t deal with the causes of difficult feelings. They don’t solve problems, they create them.

Mental Health Foundation
/www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/looking-after-your-mental-health/drink-sensibly

#MHAW17
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

More advice

More advice on drinking sensibly can obtained from the OneYou Shop in Park Mall, Ashford or

from the OneYou website
www.nhs.uk/oneyou/drinking

Your brain needs a mix of nutrients in order to stay healthy and function well, just like the other organs in your body. A diet that’s good for your physical health is also good for your mental health.

There are strong links between what we eat and how we feel, for example, caffeine and sugar can have an immediate effect.

But food can also have a long-lasting effect on your mental health. Your brain needs a mix of nutrients to stay healthy and function well, just like the other organs in your body.

A diet that’s good for your physical health is also good for your mental health.

A healthy balanced diet includes:

• lots of different types of fruit and vegetables
• wholegrain cereals or bread
• nuts and seeds
• dairy products
• oily fish
• plenty of water.

Eat at least three meals each day and drink plenty of water. Try to limit how many high-caffeine or sugary drinks you have, and avoid too much alcohol.

Please Note: The advice on this page may not apply if your doctor or dietician have given you specific dietary advice, e.g. if you are a kidney patient or a diabetic.

Mental Health Foundation
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/looking-after-your-mental-health/eat-well

#MHAW17
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

More advice

More advice on eating well can obtained from the OneYou Shop in Park Mall, Ashford or
from the OneYou website
www.nhs.uk/oneyou/eating

You can also get advice at the OneYou shop in Park Mall, Ashford.

Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and can help you concentrate, sleep, and look and feel better. Exercise keeps the brain and your other vital organs healthy, and is also a significant benefit towards improving your mental health.

Experts believe exercise releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and help you concentrate, sleep, look and feel better.

Exercise also keeps the brain and your other vital organs healthy.

Exercising doesn’t just mean doing sport or going to the gym. Walks in the park, gardening or housework can also keep you active.

Experts say most people should do about 30 minutes’ exercise at least five days a week.

Try to make physical activity that you enjoy a part of your day.

Mental Health Foundation
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/looking-after-your-mental-health/keep-active

#MHAW17
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

More advice

More advice on keeping active can obtained from the OneYou Shop in Park Mall, Ashford or
from the OneYou website
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/moving

Mental Health Awareness Week

Good mental health is more than the absence of a mental health problem. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we are going to look at mental health from a new angle. Rather than ask why so many people are living with mental health problems, we will seek to uncover why too few of us are thriving with good mental health.

Mental Health Foundation
/www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

Talk about your feelings

Talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled.

Talking about your feelings isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s part of taking charge of your wellbeing and doing what you can to stay healthy.

Talking can be a way to cope with a problem you’ve been carrying around in your head for a while. Just being listened to can help you feel supported and less alone. And it works both ways. If you open up, it might encourage others to do the same.

It’s not always easy to describe how you’re feeling. If you can’t think of one word, use lots. What does it feel like inside your head? What does it make you feel like doing?

You don’t need to sit your loved ones down for a big conversation about your wellbeing. Many people feel more comfortable when these conversations develop naturally – maybe when you’re doing something together.

If it feels awkward at first, give it time. Make talking about your feelings something that you do.

#MHAW17
#timetotalk

Mental Health Foundation
www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/looking-after-your-mental-health/talk-about-your-feelings