Managing your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic

Find information and tips for managing your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic (also known as Covid-19). Whether you’re social distancing or self-isolating you may be feeling anxious or stressed during this time, and that’s completely normal. There are simple steps you can take to look after your mental health and wellbeing. We will continue to add and update the information to this page.

Latest mental health advice and information

Returning to your workplace and your mental health

As Covid-19 related restrictions ease and the situation changes, more employers are asking their staff to return to their workplaces. Change can bring about worry and stress. We’ve got some advice for employees and managers on how to manage the return to work.

How to look after your mental health while working from home

With new social distancing measures what can we do to look after our mental health and wellbeing? We’ve put together some tips and ideas.

Supporting employees on furlough

The government have offered a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in order to help support businesses during this difficult time. Those on furlough will also need to adjust to a significant change. We’ve outlined some of the ways you can support furloughed staff with their wellbeing.

How you can help others during self-isolation.

Here are some practical ways you can help your local community during the coronavirus outbreak.

How to have an open conversation with young people about coronavirus.

Advice to parents and carers to help support open conversation with young people about their worries during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Managing your mental health as a key worker during the coronavirus outbreak.

Now more than ever you might be feeling the pressure if you’re a key worker. We’ve put together some ways to help you manage your mental health during this period.

6 ways to boost your wellbeing while staying indoors.

It’s natural for our emotions to feel very up and down in these uncertain times. We’ve got lots of practical tips and ideas to help you manage your mental health, and stay entertained, while we’re advised to stay inside.

Looking after children and yourself while working from home.

Emily from our Fundraising Team at Mental Health UK writes her thoughts and tips for looking after young children while working from home amid the coronavirus outbreak.

5 tips for coping when you've got a mental health condition

Seaneen, MindWise’s communications manager, shares 5 tips for coping with the Covid-19 restrictions when you’re living with a mental health condition

Coronavirus and my wellbeing

Jemima from the Fundraising Team at Mental Health UK provides her advice for looking after your mental health if you’re experiencing problems for the first time as a result of the pandemic.

Five tips for looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak.

Our founding charity partners in Wales, Hafal, put together their top five tips for managing your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak.

Managing your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Peer from the Digital Team at Rethink Mental Illness looks at the simple steps you can take to look after your wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus: Advice for carers of those with severe mental illness.

This information is for anyone who is a carer of someone who lives in the community with a severe mental illness. By ‘carer’ we mean an unpaid carer, such as a relative or friend.

Mental health and Money Advice

At Mental Health and Money advice, we support anyone who is struggling with their money as well as the impact of those financial worries affecting their mental health.

Mental health and money advice for COVID-19 outbreak

Whilst focus is on people’s physical health at the moment, the fallout and dramatic changes will take a toll on people’s financial wellbeing as well as their mental health. We provide vital information and links to help provide support during the COVID-19 outbreak.

How to budget your money during the COVID-19 outbreak

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused several people to lose their jobs or have a reduced income. At Mental Health and Money Advice, we understand the link between financial difficulty and poor mental health. We explain how to budget during the COVID-19 outbreak, so you feel more in control of your finances and mental health.

Wellbeing tips

It’s easy for work to get on top of us, especially when emotions are running high in times of change, and the stress can eventually lead to mental health problems. We’ve got lots of tips and ideas to help you manage your mental health and wellbeing so you can be your best for working at home.

Useful contacts

For reliable sources of information regarding corona, please visit the following websites:

UK Government website for up-to-date information about travel and work.

NHS website for all advice regarding your physical health and coronavirus. You can also use the NHS symptom checker if you’re concerned that you or a family member might have covid-19.

For mental health support during this time you can contact the following organisations:

UK-wide

Samaritans: Free emotional support line open 24/7, on 116 123

England:

Rethink Mental Illness: Contact them 9:30am to 4pm Monday to Friday via webchat, email ([email protected]), or phone 0300 5000 972.

Sane: Emotional support line 0300 304 7000 4.30pm – 10.30pm daily

Scotland:

Support in Mind Scotland: Call their National Information Service on 0300 323 1545 Monday to Friday 9am-3.30pm or email [email protected]. They also have a section on their website dedicated to coronavirus information and guidance.

Wales:

For the latest mental health news, key mental health contacts and information on legislation and rights, visit: Mental Health Wales

Clic is a free, moderated online community which gives people in Wales the space to connect with others, talk about their mental health and build friendships.

Adferiad Recovery are Wales’ leading charity delivering a flexible and coordinated response to the exceptional circumstances faced by people with co-occurring mental health and substance misuse conditions and related issues.

Northern Ireland:

MindWise support people affected by mental illness in Northern Ireland. Our website has dedicated, Northern Ireland specific mental health information and support.

Here2Help is a Northern Ireland focused app that uses information from MindingYourHead. It contains a huge range of support services to contact if you need help or are supporting someone else. Download it on Google Play Store and the Apple iTunes App Store.

Calm Harm is an app designed to help people resist or manage the urge to self-harm. It’s private and password protected. Download it on Google Play Store and the Apple iTunes App Store.

Aware hold online support groups for people who are affected by depression or bipolar disorder on a Tuesday afternoon from 2.30pm – 3.30pm. Find out more: https://www.aware-ni.org/how-we-can-help-you/aware-ni-online-support-groups

Extern: during this difficult time Extern offer over the phone support for those impacted by mental health, drugs, alcohol and have thoughts of suicide. Their crisis intervention helpline number is: 0800 085 4808 you can also email [email protected] or call 07442533165

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