If I need help for myself

By clicking through to this part of the site, you are already taking one of the biggest steps you can towards helping yourself.

In this section you’ll find some basic practical advice, and most importantly, ideas about who you can speak to and information you can get that can help you make sense of how you are feeling .

• Realise that you are not alone. There are many people out there who have gone through very similar things – and come out the other side.
• Don’t hide away… it is OK to feel terrible. You are not wrong, or bad to want to feel better. Nobody else has the right to say or do things to you that makes you feel worse, no matter what you feel about yourself.
• There are people you can talk to if you are feeling bad, and places where you can find out all sorts of information.
• You can try to tell someone you trust about how you are feeling. Explain as clearly as you can what is going on, and be as honest as you can.
• Try writing down what you are feeling and giving it to them, or speak to a helpline, who can offer you advice or just a listening ear.
• Be persistent. If the first person you speak to can’t, or does not help you, try somebody else.
• Talking to people about things like this is difficult. If it makes it easier, show someone you trust this site and let them visit the areas designed for friends, parents, or for professionals in the field. You could print out the relevant sections or give people factsheets too.
• School staff, youth workers, some parents and a range of other people working with young people have had information from ‘see me’ about the campaign. They will know that people may want to speak with them.
• Reach out to your friends, family, or your boyfriend/girlfriend. They will probably realise something is up, and may not know how to talk to you about it. Print out parts of this site or others, or encourage them to speak with helpline staff too.
• Friends should accept you for who you are. If people are nasty, they may not be the right friends. Some people are just scared or confused by the unknown. Try and explain how you feel, and how they can help.
• Try keeping a journal. You can write about your feelings, and it often helps you remember things that happened or feelings you had, when you want to explain them to somebody else. It is also a good way of practising putting into words things that are difficult to say aloud.