• Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Traffic & Travel
  • Weather
Bath Echo
  • Monday 8th March 2021
  • Subscribe
  • Opinion
  • Reviews
  • Letters
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Editions
Bath Echo

Bath, GB

  • Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Traffic & Travel
  • Weather
Home
Opinion
Karen Bray

Replenish your resources (09/11/20) – Karen Bray

Monday 9th November 2020 Bath Echo | Lifestyle Bath Echo | Lifestyle Karen Bray

Share
Tweet
WhatsApp
Pin
Share

There’s no doubt that this new lockdown will affect mental wellbeing for many of us.

We’ve been drawing on our inner resources for a long time already, and some of us may feel this is the last straw. Organisations that work with people affected by anxiety, depression, self-harm or suicidal thoughts have already seen a rise in enquiries.

I wrote last month about the importance of prioritising wellbeing as we go into a challenging winter, and I suggested a way to pinpoint one or two small positive actions which can improve things, no matter what our circumstances are.

But if you – or someone you know – is in deep distress, you need two things: instant help to manage painful feelings; and then to connect with support that will supplement and help replenish your inner resources for the longer term.

To deal with emotional overwhelm of any kind, use the STOPP exercise at  https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/stopp.htm.

The getselfhelp website has a wealth of resources for managing emotional overload. many useful links are gathered on its pandemic page https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/pandemic.htm. Find the tools that fit best for you, but I suggest you choose no more than two or three to download and focus on.

Self-help ideas can provide instant relief from overwhelming feelings and help us build better-thinking habits, but what makes the biggest difference to our wellbeing is connecting with other people.

That can mean seeking help and support – or reaching out to offer it to others. The Bath Compassionate Community Hub (https://www.compassioncb.org.uk/resources-1) brings together many sources of practical and emotional support for people affected by the lockdown, as well as the opportunity to volunteer to help others.

Or you might just want a break from dwelling on Covid, lockdown and all it entails.  You could call a friend to reminisce about better times; or book yourself on to an online course or club.

Sadly, when we are emotionally drained, reaching out to others can be the last thing we want to do. If we can’t imagine how it will help, that’s actually a sign that we really do need sympathetic human connection.

It is wise to avoid telling our troubles to people who will criticise or push their own solutions on us – if that’s the response we often get from those closest to us, then we need to look elsewhere.

And that’s worth remembering when we are offering support to others – it’s not necessary to have a solution for them, just an understanding and non-judgemental ear.  If we are feeling drained by helping others, it’s often because we believe we have to fix their problem, cheer them up, or get them to follow our advice.

If we can step back from problem-solving and simply connect with them as a fellow human being, we feel less burdened – and they often find the energy to move forward themselves.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or at risk of harming themselves or others, get help immediately from one of the services listed on the B&NES mental health support site at  https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/get-mental-health-advice-and-support or call the samaritans on 116 123.


Karen Bray (MBACP) is a counsellor with a private practice in Bath. Her website is at www.karenbray.co.uk.

Share
Tweet
WhatsApp
Pin
Share
Next article Domestic abuse victims reassured they can leave home to access help
Previous article COVID-19 patrols put in place as second lockdown comes into force

Related Stories

New Year's Evolution (28/12/20) – Karen Bray
Monday 28th December 2020

New Year's Evolution (28/12/20) – Karen Bray

Planning well for winter (13/10/20) – Karen Bray
Tuesday 13th October 2020

Planning well for winter (13/10/20) – Karen Bray

Happiness in three questions (15/09/20) - Karen Bray
Tuesday 15th September 2020

Happiness in three questions (15/09/20) - Karen Bray

...
Followers
Follow
...
Likes
Like
...
Followers
Follow

Top Stories

30-year-old man arrested in connection with fatal Peasedown collision

30-year-old man arrested in connection with fatal Peasedown collision

Friday 5th March 2021
Transport boss addresses concerns over low traffic neighbourhood proposals

Transport boss addresses concerns over low traffic neighbourhood proposals

Friday 5th March 2021
Virtual reality tours offered for Royal United Hospital's youngest patients

Virtual reality tours offered for Royal United Hospital's youngest patients

Friday 5th March 2021
More than 1,700 trees planted as part of ongoing climate commitment

More than 1,700 trees planted as part of ongoing climate commitment

Friday 5th March 2021
Campaign secures almost £60,000 of funding for B&NES communities

Campaign secures almost £60,000 of funding for B&NES communities

Friday 5th March 2021
  • Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Traffic & Travel
  • Weather
  • Back to top
Created by Media Bath - Regulated by IMPRESS

About the Bath Echo | Your City, Your News

We're your local independent newspaper covering news and events across beautiful Bath and the close surrounding villages. We're here to help keep Bathonians in the know about what's going on in their city.

Useful Info

  • House Rules
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Complaints Policy
  • Social Media Policy
© Bath Echo 2021. All rights reserved.
Produced by Media Bath Limited
The Bath Echo website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're okay with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Okay Find Out More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT