Covid Wellbeing NI
Home COVID19: Mental health support & advice
COVID19: Mental health support & advice
Covid Wellbeing NI is an online wellbeing space that brings together a wealth of information, resources and self-help guides on a range of wellbeing topics.
The Department for Communities and the Department of Health have partnered with 15 leading mental health and wellbeing charities and the Healthy Living Centre Alliance, which represents 28 local Healthy Living Centres, to create Covid Wellbeing NI. Use this online resource to learn about the positive actions you can take to look after your mental health and emotional wellbeing both during and after the pandemic.
Mental health support services and crisis helplines
The ongoing Covid-19 restrictions are having a detrimental effect on people’s mental health. It’s important to reach out and ask for help if you are struggling with your mental health at this time.
Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
028 3083 5400
Take 5 steps to wellbeing
There are 5 simple steps you can take to help maintain and improve your wellbeing while social distancing at home. Try to build these into your daily life and think of them as your five a day for wellbeing.
Connect – During times of social isolation we may not have face to face contact, but we can still find other ways to connect to avoid loneliness. Use this time as an opportunity to build connections. Call an old friend or family member, send a text, set up a WhatsApp group, Skype or FaceTime. Start an online book club. Let’s be innovative – building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
Be active – Being physically active makes us feel good – we may not be able to do this in the ways we normally do, but exercise can take many forms. Go outside, garden or dance. Do an exercise video at home and remember house work keeps our bodies active. Discover a physical activity that you enjoy, one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
Take notice – Stop, pause and take a moment to look around you. What can you see, feel, smell or taste? Look for the beautiful. Count your blessings. Research shows that being thankful for small things can positively affect our wellbeing. Use this time to slow down and be mindful
Keep learning – Use your extra time to try something new, rediscover an old hobby or sign up for an online course. Learning new things gives us a sense of accomplishment. It helps us feel more confident and can also be fun to do. Remember not all learning takes place in a classroom. Use this as an opportunity to teach your children new skills.
Give – When you’re not isolated give back by doing something nice for a friend or a stranger. Look out for each other, especially the most vulnerable in our society. Check on the elderly, run an errand for your neighbour. Remember small gestures can mean a lot to those who are isolated. Through giving we receive.
Download a copy of the Take 5 steps to wellbeing flyer. click here
Promoting Mental Wellbeing Action Pack
The five Health and Social Care Trusts, Public Health Agency and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service came together and rolled out a regional campaign between World Suicide Prevention Day in September and World Mental Health Day in October 2020 – ‘Working Together to Promote Mental Wellbeing’.
The campaign aimed to promote the positive mental health and wellbeing of everyone living in Northern Ireland and focused on promotion of self-care and looking after each other using the Take 5 Steps to wellbeing approach and the wide range of local support and resources available.
To build further on the campaign, an action pack has been developed which highlights the campaign’s key messages and signposts to services, helplines, training and sources of support for communities, schools, families and workplaces.
Helplines NI
Helplines NI brings together over 30 helplines operating across Northern Ireland, which provide information, advice and counselling on a wide range of health and wellbeing needs. There’s also some helplines providing topic specific information and advice in relation to Covid-19. You can access support from the comfort of your home by phone, email, text and even web chat in some instances. Find the right helpline to suit your needs.