Coping with Change

Change can be exciting but also difficult. If you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed by change right now, here are some tips from Shout Clinician, Dr Ariele Noble.

Your support network

It’s important to maintain regular contact with those you trust and feel safe offloading (or venting) to. However, it’s also important to maintain boundaries. While some relationships leave us feeling energised, others can deplete us. Don't be afraid to take the time and give yourself the space you need to feel good about yourself.

Sometimes we all feel like we don't have the support around us that we need. Prioritise your wellbeing by finding a healthy outlet for your feelings. This might mean writing down your thoughts, getting outside for a walk or run or doing something creative. These acts of self-care can be grounding when things around us feel uncertain or overwhelming.

Routine

Texters often tell Shout that they feel uncertain about their present choices and future perspectives. One thing that can help is to try and keep a daily routine.

Keep in time you had blocked out for study to build a new healthy habit. For example, if you used to be in lectures between 10-12 on a Monday, spend this time on a new habit that you enjoy and look forward to. This might mean signing up to an exercise class, taking time to make a healthy lunch or spending a couple of hours getting lost in a book.

Building a routine can also be helpful in limiting the time you spend doing activities that don't make you feel good (cough: doomscrolling!)

Sleep

We can’t emphasise how important rest is! It’s the time when you’re able to process the thoughts and feelings you have when you're awake.

Therefore, getting enough sleep, at the right time, is crucial for regulating your mood.

Our advice is to make late nights the exception, rather than the rule, and if need be make small changes to build a sleep routine that works for you.

Things that can help build your sleep routine include getting outside as much as possible during the daytime, avoiding caffeine later in the day and doing something in the evening that you find restful, rather than energising.

If you're finding things tough, text SHOUT to 85258 or visit giveusashout.org/stress-and-anxiety-support.