Five steps to improving your mental health

Everybody is faced with mental health challenges at some stage in their life, but there are tools you can use to help improve your wellbeing. Perhaps one of the most obvious starting points is the NHS – and it doesn’t have to be what could be an intimidating trip to your GP – its website offers a range of guides, tools and activities that could prove useful.

At its most basic the NHS suggests that there are five steps to help you build your mental health and wellbeing.

01 Connect with people

Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can:

• help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth
• give you an opportunity to share positive experiences
• provide emotional support and allow you to support others

02 Be physically active

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

• raising your self-esteem
• helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them
• causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood

03 Learn new skills

Learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by:

• boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem
• helping you to build a sense of purpose
• helping you to connect with others

Thankfully the automotive sector offers a range of opportunities here, and the IMI has a huge bank of courses and qualifications to chose from.

04 Give to others

Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by:

• creating positive feelings and a sense of reward
• giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth
• helping you connect with other people

It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.

05 Mindfulness

Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.

Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Of course these are only a starting point to help you improve your mental health and wellbeing. As well as the enormous services and support the NHS offers, there is also help available from automotive charity Ben. So no matter what challenges you face there is help only a click away.