Ask Jigsaw: Should I reach out?

Monday, 23 November 2020

I think I have anxiety, but I am not too sure and too nervous to reach out somewhere for help. I also have very poor self confidence and find that this is affecting my life negatively. Do you think it’s worth to try to reach out to somewhere .

-mm1224

Hi mm1224,

Thank you for your question. Lots of young people wonder about whether or not they should reach out for help, so your question will help others. Reaching out for help is not easy, and it’s natural to be nervous about it.

You mentioned that having low confidence is affecting your life negatively. It makes sense that you might want to make some changes.

Emma

Jigsaw clinician

Getting support when we first notice that how we feel is impacting our lives allows us to make changes before things get more challenging.

When to get help

Knowing when to ask for help can be difficult. Although it’s never too late to reach out, getting support when we first notice that how we feel is impacting our lives allows us to make changes before things get more challenging.

Sometimes help from a supportive friend, family member or trusted adult can be enough for us to start feeling better. Reading our articles on anxiety and self-confidence might help you to come up with strategies to manage how you feel. This useful information about self-esteem could be a good start.

Further support

If these things don’t seem to be working, or you know what you need to do but aren’t sure how to do it, a support service might be able to help. There are lots of options out there for under 18s and over 18s.

A good place to start might be out Live Chat service. Live Chat works on a drop in basis and you can be as anonymous as you choose. Our Live Chat team would listen to how things have been for you, talk through some strategies for managing your thoughts and feelings, and answer any questions you might have about your mental health and accessing support.

Asking for help can be tough, but you’ve taken a great first step by sending in your question. You deserve support with what’s going on for you, but take it at your own pace. The support will be there for you when you’re ready.

Good luck and take care.

Emma

Jigsaw clinician