Anything that has an impact on your emotional wellbeing can leave you feeling pretty awful.
Feeling sad, angry, worried or stressed can all have a negative impact on your life, especially if it means you start to enjoy life less. Sometimes you may experience emotional difficulties, feel alone and not sure what might help. It can be very difficult to talk about your feelings and what’s happening in your life. Maybe you feel sad or confused, have experienced a loss, are being bullied or are questioning your sexuality. Whatever the issue, we all need help from other people at times.
It’s important to remember not every period of difficulty which affects your mental health will result in you developing a mental illness. Actually, for most young people times of distress can be supported by those around you, by learning new coping skills or by finding someone you trust to talk to.
Talking to someone who knows you, like your parents, carers or teacher is a good place to start. You can get some additional support from others such as a school nurse, a wellbeing worker or counsellor at school, a GP or perhaps a social worker if you have one.
Any professional can make a referral to CAMHS for you if and when it's needed.
A Mental Health Concern
You have arrived at this page because you are looking for more information relating to a mental health concern.
When to seek support from CAMHS?
A CAMHS service provides specialist support where there are concerns regarding serious Mental Health.
Serious Mental Health is defined as: 'Mental, behavioural or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activity.'
CAMHS offers specialist assessment and interventions for complex mental health difficulties that often overlap, these can include:
•acts of self-harm and/or thoughts of suicide
•eating disorders and disordered eating such as food restriction, self-induced vomiting, purging or significant reduction in body weight
•extreme distress or acute agitation
•increased, persistent anxiety
•persistent mood disturbance
•persistent, obsessive or repetitive behaviours that interfere with daily function
•unusual behaviour or confusion, “voices” or other abnormal experiences/disturbed thinking.
Serious Mental Health is defined as: 'Mental, behavioural or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activity.'
CAMHS offers specialist assessment and interventions for complex mental health difficulties that often overlap, these can include:
•acts of self-harm and/or thoughts of suicide
•eating disorders and disordered eating such as food restriction, self-induced vomiting, purging or significant reduction in body weight
•extreme distress or acute agitation
•increased, persistent anxiety
•persistent mood disturbance
•persistent, obsessive or repetitive behaviours that interfere with daily function
•unusual behaviour or confusion, “voices” or other abnormal experiences/disturbed thinking.
What else can I be doing to look after myself ?
Start by having a look at our Common Concerns and Information pages which cover a range of concerns such as low mood, worry and anxiety. You'll find lots of hints and tips there. Visit our resources pages for websites and support services.