I am anxious about the leaving I scratched myself what can I do? ( I tried get apt with local jigsaw device there are no apt’s til may)
– Lc220
Hi Lc220,
You are not alone in feeling anxious or worried about exams. The leaving cert year can be a really difficult one for many different reasons. The exams themselves are difficult, along with thoughts about the future. You can find out more about some strategies and ways to cope with Leaving Cert stress here.
Why don’t teachers get my problem I tell them alot they just don’t care they first thought is just send her to class
-Dee
Hi Dee,
Speaking to someone about a problem at school, can take a lot of courage. It can really affect us if we don’t get the response that we expected to.
A close friend of mine is going through a very tough time at the moment and I dont know what to do. Her parents wont help her get support because they dont understand what shes going through. I want to help her but I dont know what to do. She is willing to try a chat anonymously but I dont know where to find any number, can you help?
-Bumblebee
Hello Bumblebee,
It sounds like you and your friend have a very close relationship, and it’s great that she trusts you enough to share her problems with you. As she has not told many others, particularly her parents, it might feel like there is pressure for you to support her on your own. There are lots of things that you can do to support your friend. However, you are right to suggest that your friend gets help from others. Dealing with this on your own could lead you to feel a little stressed yourself, so do make sure you are looking after your own mental health.
Below, Alan talks about positive thinking and how you can practice gratitude.
Exercise is good for our physical and mental health. It has been really important to look after all aspects of our health during the pandemic.
For some of us, the word exercise can be off putting. However, it simply means to be active. It doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or taking part in competitive team sports.
We can view exercise as any activity that gets our body moving, increases our heart rate and breathing. Read more about how exercise can impact mental health.
However we choose to be active, it’s really important we remember to follow the guidelines on social distancing.
Anxiety can occur when we are faced with a threat. In the current climate of threat and uncertainty, anxiety is a completely understandable response.
While we can’t change the situation, there are things that we can do to help manage the feelings of anxiety.
How to cope with health anxiety? I’m always such a hypochondriac, and I regularly experience bad anxiety over symptoms I convince myself I have. With Coronavirus rampant at the moment, I’m feeling worse than ever. I’m not sleeping and my mind is constantly on whether I’m coughing or if I’m feeling a bit warmer than usual. Honestly just feeling so scared and drained, I really don’t know how to cope :/
Hi,
You are not on your own with feeling anxious about Covid-19. It’s hard to switch off from the news and information about escalating rates of infection. It is natural to turn our attention to ourselves and our loved ones. We may worry about getting sick, particularly if we have previously been anxious about our health.
Ricky is 24 and from Sligo.
Following a relationship break up Ricky experienced a dip in his mental health and decided to go to Jigsaw. He still has good days and bad days, but feels he has developed the skills he needs to help him cope. Here Ricky talks about his experience.
I am finding it really difficult to stop scrolling on my phone cos I need information about what’s going on. I want to take a break, but I don’t want to miss out on any updates. Plus I want to stay in touch with my friends, but that can be drama too. Some of them are freaking out and some just think the whole thing is a joke and are going out anyway. I don’t know whether to just turn my phone off altogether or how do I limit it?
-Starfish
Hello Starfish,
A lot of young people joining the Jigsaw online group chat are also noticing a change in what they’re seeing on their phone, and how it’s affecting them. There is a direct link between the time we spend online and our mental health.
Lauren is a 20 year old health and social care student from Clondalkin.
When her anger and anxiety started to impact on her life Lauren decided to go to a Jigsaw service for support. However, she worried what people around her would think. Once she started telling her family and friends about her mental health, Lauren realised ‘it’s not just me’. We all need help and support at different times. Here, Lauren talks about her experience of going to Jigsaw.
