Award Winning Mental Health Blog

When we are faced with something new or unfamiliar our threat or fight/flight response kicks in.  We have evolved to respond in this way, it’s a survival strategy, if we aren’t sure what awaits us, nature believes it is best to expect and prepare for the worst: In the days when we might have found ourselves foraging for food, if a nearby bush rustled it was best to assume there was a predator lying in wait and run, if we were wrong all that was lost was some foraging time.  […]...

A good night’s sleep has positive effects for us all, but in modern times with pressurised schedules this is an aspect of our daily living which may not be prioritised. Springtime is an ideal time to kick start some new sleep habits with a view to boosting your sleep, or just trying something new. 1. If possible, avoid using electronic devices at bedtime. 2. If possible, avoid using electronic devices through the night. 3. Set an ideal sleep time and try to loosely plan around it. 4. Check that your […]...

Don’t Be Put Off by First Impressions The new series of Love Island started last week and with it some quite strong opinions based on first impressions of the Islanders. People can be quick to judge and judge harshly those that put themselves out there. These young people with their bravado and bikinis, who are still working out who they are and how they want to be, can become easy targets for the anger and frustration that some of us hold on to for other things in our lives. I […]...

If December is the ‘season to be jolly’, January is the season to be depressed. Hot on the heels of the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ is the most emotionally and psychologically challenging. At The British CBT & Counselling Service requests for therapy triple in January with people feeling more depressed and anxious than at any other time. So why is this time of the year so difficult? 1. Family time At Christmas we often find ourselves spending an extended period of time with our family, and as no […]...