Sunny s winter b

Have you noticed how much more optimistic you feel when the days are longer and the sun is shining? You might feel more motivated to get up and go outside for a walk, to tackle the DIY you’ve been putting off, or start a healthy eating plan.

There is a reason for this seasonal optimism – the more sunlight there is, the more your brain produces serotonin, the hormone that helps you feel more balanced and in control.

We tend to be calmer and more balanced now than in the darker, more miserable winter months, making it the perfect time to plan and prepare so you have coping mechanisms for times your mood takes a dip.

Here, Katie Colombus, Samaritans assistant director of communications, shows you how.

Do your research

A lot of people will say they wished someone had sat them down and said: “Just in case it ever happens to you, this is what depression, stress and anxiety feels like.”

I have heard someone say they didn’t realise they were depressed because they didn’t feel sad – they felt numb.

Someone else described it as seeing that the sun was shining but they couldn’t feel the heat. I’ve heard a lot of people say the first time they experienced a panic attack, they felt as if they were having a heart attack.

It’s never going to be the same for everybody – there is no “one size fits all” in emotional wellbeing. Mental health looks different to different people – it’s a totally unique experience based on factors all related specifically to you.

But if you feel comfortable doing so, it is worth talking to someone you trust, or using the internet or books to read up a little more on topics such as stress, depression, anxiety or mental ill health.

Learn to listen

Mental health is just as important as physical health.

We need to give ourselves permission to take the time to ask: what’s going on for me at the moment? What are the different things I’m having to deal with? Can I cope with these things alone, or do I need to ask for support?

It’s important to recognise when we’re off kilter because when negative feelings go unchecked, things can start to feel worse and sometimes even escalate into distress.

Starting to use these techniques now means they will have become a skill you can tap into if you become unwell in the future.

At Samaritans, we help people open up about how they might be feeling by questioning, summarising, clarifying and encouraging.

Using the Samaritans “SHUSH” tips can work just as well for self-exploration as it can to help us access and process our emotions: S – Show you care: Make time for yourself, in which you can focus your full, undivided attention on you and only you. H – Have patience: It may take time and several attempts before you get anywhere. Try to find new ways of exploring your thoughts in a way that is comfortable for you.

U – Use open questions: Develop a good practice each day of asking yourself “How am I feeling?” and “What am I thinking?” You might not realise something is affecting you as much as it is.

S – Say it back:

If you’re unsure about talking to someone else about your feelings, write them down. Get your thoughts out of your head by putting them down on paper.

H – Have courage: Selfexploration might feel a little daunting. But rather than repressing an issue, have the confidence to open up.

How do y really fee

Think about how you experience example, stress, make your stom breathing or you

The emotion which in turn af example, sadne in withdrawing might end up co

Remember th reaction, not a c acknowledge an moment becaus often prolong th more you work you’re reacting t more you can le thoughts and be

Rather than repressing an issue, have the confidence to open up

Take tim

Self-care will als