We asked men on Instagram ‘what do you do to look after your mental health when things get tough?'
Explore the top tips
- Reach out - chat to a mate when you start to hide away
- Be listened to - have a chat, and get it off your chest
- Follow social media accounts that you can relate to
- Have a chat with someone who will listen and not ‘fix’ – a mate, colleague, family or a helpline
- Keep up with your routine - or add a new structure to your day
- Get outside for a short walk
- Make a motivational playlist
- Read a motivational or inspirational quote - to get perspective
- Do something new like volunteering
- Take up a new hobby
- Get out of your comfort zone - feel a sense of achievement from this
- Stop and pause – take time to check in with your head by using mindfulness, writing or meditation
- Focus on breathing – breathe in and out slowly for 3 minutes
- Switch off – in a way that works for you, with a book, film, video game etc.
- Ask a mate how they are – doing something for a mate can make you feel better
Are there any tips that aren’t on the list that help you? If yes, get in touch and tell us about them.
If you feel overwhelmed and want to be listened to, then CALM is available on 0800 58 58 58 from 5 pm to midnight 365 days a year. They also have a web chat. You can find out more about what they do at thecalmzone.net.
Our work on men’s mental health
When we consider men’s mental health, it’s hard to look beyond the fact that suicide is a leading cause of death for men up to the age of forty. We want to share with you the work we do at the Mental Health Foundation to tackle men's mental health.
