Looking after ourselves…and others Lynn Maher Advocacy and Inclusion Development Coordinator

Committee, committed, commitment… Being a Committee member brings responsibility Your members will often come to you for support Your members may also be your friends Your committee position and role might mean that you have a duty of care or… You might just be a good person and want to help Looking after yourself is important You will be able to look after others better if you look after yourself These are good life skills to develop Don’t get overwhelmed…it’s not good for your mental health

What is mental health? Mental health is not mental illness Emotional ups and downs are normal Being mentally well means being able to cope with life’s ups and downs - have the ability to bounce back Sometimes bouncing back is harder – good mental health helps us recover even after negative life events Good mental health means we have resilience to life’s challenges

Developing resilience on The rollercoaster of life…

Looking after ourselves… Self awareness – get to know the signs when you are stressed, anxious or your mood is getting low Have a ‘toolkit’ of things to manage stress, reduce anxiety and raise your mood – your own Mental Health First Aid kit  Maintain good boundaries and achieve a personal/study/committee/club/social life balance Identify your personal priorities Learn to say ‘no’ Don’t take on more responsibility than you have to…

Drop some ‘CLANGERS’ every day… Connect with people and don’t live in isolation Learn new things and continually challenge yourself Notice the world and savour the moment Give back – do something nice for someone, smile, volunteer… Eat well Relax, take time out to chill Sleep – 6-8 hours good quality sleep is fundamental to good mental and physical health

Looking after others… Recognise that someone might not be in a ‘good place’ – their mood might be low, anxiety high and may not be coping with challenges Low mood, anxiety and diagnosed mental health problems can affect people’s behaviours, perception and how they interact (or withdraw) Don’t feel that you need to ‘rescue’ and solve all their problems Listen non-judgementally. Being judged can make us feel worse – being accepted and listened to can make us feel better If mediating be aware of any conflicts of interest or bias – be as impartial as you can by setting these aside…for now

Knowing when to pass on and where to signpost… Sometimes were are not the best people to support someone. Whether we lack the expertise or don’t have the time or capacity. It’s easier to pass on responsibility if you know where to signpost. GP (for diagnosis, medication and support; University Student Support Services (for counselling, Mental Health support); Students Union for independent support and advocacy; Helplines e.g. Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87, Samaritans 116 123, SANE 0300 304 7000; Self-help websites (reputable and reliable ones) e.g. NUS Think Positive, Moodjuice, SANE, SAMH.

Maintain appropriate boundaries... Your loyalties may be torn – club committee roles and responsibilities might conflict with friendships. Keep them separate. Some examples…from the floor…

Further training… Stress Control SafeTALK Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) …and don’t forget that the staff in the Students Union are here to help. If in doubt, come and ask us.