Emotional Wellbeing
Emotional Health
Young People –Emotional health problems affect approximately 1 in 10 young people, including depression, anxiety and conduct disorder and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives.
Alarmingly, 70% of young people who experience an emotional health problem have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
The emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health. Good emotional health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and supports them to grow into well-rounded, healthy adults.
Things that can help keep young people emotionally well include:
- Being in good physical health: Eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise
- Having the time and the freedom to play
- Being part of a family that gets along well (most of the time)
- Going to a school that looks after the wellbeing of all of its pupils
- Taking part in local young people activities in the community
Other factors that are also important include:
- Feeling loved, trusted, understood and safe
- Being interested in life and having opportunities to enjoy themselves
- Being optimistic
- Having opportunities to succeed
- Accepting who they are and recognising what they are good at
- Having a sense of belonging in their family, school and community
- Feeling they have some control over their own life
- Having the strength to cope when something is wrong (resilience) and the ability to solve problems
Most children grow up emotionally healthy, but surveys suggest that more young people have problems with their mental health today than 30 years ago. That is probably because of changes in the way we live now and how that affects the experience of growing up.
What mental health problems commonly occur in children?
- Depression affects more children and young people today than in the last few decades, but it is still more common in adults. Teenagers are more likely to experience depression than young children.
- Self-harm is a very common problem among young people. Some people find it helps them to manage intense emotional pain if they harm themselves, through cutting or burning, for example. They may not wish to take their own life.
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can cause young people to become extremely worried. Very young children or children starting or moving school may have separation anxiety.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can follow physical or sexual abuse, witnessing something extremely frightening or traumatising, being the victim of violence, severe bullying or surviving a disaster.
- ADHD: Children who are constantly overactive (hyperactive), behave impulsively and have difficulty paying attention may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- Eating Disorders: The number of young people who develop an eating disorder is small, but eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa can have serious consequences for their physical health and development.
Emotional Health Support
Community Mental Health Services
Emotional health difficulties can make day to day living hard, affect relationships and your ability to hold down a job. There are a range of Community Mental Health Services available which aim to help you recover and achieve the things that are important to you.
Emotional health can affect anyone at any time in their lives. They are very common and it is important not to be embarrassed about seeking help.
If you a dealing with a mental illness, the Community Mental Health Services aim to help you by:
- Helping you identify and diagnose the problem
- Helping you to feel safe
- Offering a range of treatment options
- Helping with your recovery
- Getting you involved in social activities
- Helping you to feel more independent
Community Mental Health Services are made up of social workers, community mental health nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and support staff.
Tower Hamlets CAMHS, 18 Greatorex Street, Whitechapel. E1 5NF
The Emmanuel Miller Centre, 11 Gill Street. Isle of Dogs, London. E14 8HQ
Telephone: 0207 426 2375/ 2400
elt-tr.CAMHSTowerHamletsDuty@nhs.net
Both Services are open 9-5pm Monday to Friday
Out of hours call:
Please contact the Tower Hamlets Mental Health crisis line on 0800 073 0003. The crisis line is open 24 hours a day where mental health professionals are online to give you support and advice.
If the call is more urgent or there is a risk of harm please consider 111 or 999 if medical attention is required.
Referrals
Referrals will be accepted from professionals as well as parents/carers and self-referrals.
Website: https://www.elft.nhs.uk/camhs/referrals
Calm Harm -Self Harm app
Calm Harm is an award-winning app developed for teenage mental health charity stem4 by Dr Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, using the basic principles of evidence-based therapy called Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). Calm Harm provides tasks to help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. You can make it private by setting a password, and personalise the app (if you wish). You will be able to track your progress and notice change.
Kooth
Kooth is an online counselling service for young people aged 11-26. This service is completely free for Bexley based students. Young people are able to access fully-trained counsellors in a confidential instant-messaging environment.
Mind
This service provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
nhs go app
This app allows young people under the age of 24 access to free, confidential health information and advice 24/7 to help them take control of their health.
young minds
Leading the fight for a future where all young minds are supported and empowered, whatever the challenges. They provide support for both parents and students on dealing with mental health problems.
step forward
Step Out is a friendly and safe space for LGBTQ young people to explore, learn, discuss and socialise. You will be able to access both 1-2-1 support with one of our team and get the opportunity to meet other young people at our regular social and support groups.
The service provides advice on:
- Coming out, relationships, cultural and religious issues, sexual health and staying safe
020 7739 3082
samaritans
You talk, we listen - we listen to you and help you talk through your concerns, worries and troubles. Callers who are deaf or who have hearing or speech impairments can contact us for support by email: jo@samaritans.org.uk or by using the Next Generation Text (NGT) service.
Key Documents:
Anxiety Support booklet
bereavement support
We provide grief support to children and young people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Helpline: 0808 8081677
Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. We support children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live, and parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.
We offer free, confidential bereavement support for individuals, couples, children, young people, and families, by telephone, video or instant messenger, wherever you live in the UK. We also offer face-to-face support from a number of locations.
Helpline: 0800 02 888 40
