World well-being week – how are you feeling?

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year.  Worries about things like money, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. Well-being for many people is at it’s lowest in recorded history.

Mind, the UK mental health charity believes that how people cope with mental health problems is getting worse as the number of people who self-harm or have suicidal thoughts is increasing.

Taking steps to look after your well-being can help you deal with pressure, and reduce the impact that stress has on your life. Resilience keeps us mentally healthy and able to cope with the stresses of life. Because every-day stresses are ongoing, the way you deal with them is crucial for your long-term mental and physical health.

The NHS suggests that there are a few key areas that people can work on to improve their feeling of well-being.

Social support and relationships – the more connected we are to our community, the better our well-being.  Spend time with your friends, family, neighbours and colleagues and you’ll notice your mood improves.  Connecting with your local community through volunteering not only gives you a boost of feeling good about your actions, it’s a great way to meet people with similar interests and values to yourself and forge friendships.

Finding a sense of meaning – Connect to the ‘why’ of your life. Having a sense of purpose has been found to be surprisingly important for countering burnout. When people work on projects both inside and out of work that are meaningful to them their sense of well-being soars.

If you’re struggling to manage your stress levels, feeling isolated and disconnected a few sessions with a hypnotherapist may help you achieve a different perspective.   During sessions with a hypnotherapist you will learn skills that will enable you to problem solve more effectively and think about the events that occur in your life in more productive ways.  You may also learn techniques that help you examine your short and long term goals, cultivate your purpose in life, and understand feedback from key people in your life.

After sessions with a hypnotherapist you may feel more confident; more relaxed in situations that have previously challenged you,” says the NCH. “Hypnotherapy unlocks the potential you have to break free of negative thought patterns, and to react more positively and more confidently to situations in your life that may have previously made you anxious.”

You can find a fully-trained, accredited and insured hypnotherapist near you by using the NCH directory.