Ways to support your Mental Health

Let's discuss some great Mental Health resources in Australia to help when you feel like you need them.

Working out how to de-stress and calm down when you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or down can be godsent. In the life we live, there is so much happening, and our lives over the past two years have definitely thrown some spanners into the works, and no doubt we’ve all needed a bit of support at some point. Whatever you might be feeling, and whatever situation you’re in, we want to provide some information and resources that might be helpful to you in times of uncertainty.

Luckily for us, there are a whole bunch of different resources and services available to help cope with mental health. The resources vary platforms, but they provide all different types of ways to help with all different types of mental health across all ranges.

If you’re a student and you've just moved to a new city, it can be seriously daunting and overwhelming, especially for international students. It’s completely normal to have feelings of homesickness or anxiousness. We want to give you a few options and resources you can turn to when you need some support or want a bit of a distraction.

Online Resources and Portals

There are several credible and varying online platforms that you can access for free. These platforms offer a wide range of services and you can choose what suits you best. Some of the popular Australian ones are BeyondBlue, Headspace, MindSpot, and Mental Health Online.

Other Ways To Support Mental Health

If you feel like you need something to help you get through a rough patch, there are some fantastic things that you can do when you feel you need to take your mind off things. Whether you’re stressed about uni and studying, about finances, working, or just feeling a little lonely or homesick, try doing one of these in your spare time and it might help you feel better.

1. Listen to a Podcast

Podcasts have taken the world by storm and there is now a podcast on almost everything. There are some great podcasts on mental health too which range from mental health awareness to spreading useful information or even just people sharing their own experiences. Some also hold practical tips and understanding of varying mental health issues which works to validate how you might be feeling. Some of the most popular ones in Australia now are; Better Than Yesterday with Osher Gunsberg, All In The Mind, The Wellness Collective. These are just a few, explore and listen and see what suits you best. The best part is you can literally listen to a podcast anytime, anywhere.

2. Meditation

Meditation is a great way to relax and de-stress and can be done at any time during the day! You can start your day on the right foot by meditating, or you can unwind after a long day and use meditation to leave the events of your day behind you. You can even do short 5-10 minute meditations during the day to boost your energy.

There are loads of apps and online websites that offer free meditations. There are also great subscription-based ones depending on your circumstances. Check out some of our favourite meditation platforms; Headspace, Calm and Mindful.

3. Exercise

Exercising is a fantastic way to get your mind off things and brighten your mood. The last two years have completely changed the way we exercise and we’ve learned we can do activities at home! If you start to feel overwhelmed or stressed, maybe go for a walk around the block, do some at-home yoga or even just stretch. It’s great for the body and the soul! Youtube has thousands of free, at-home, equipment-free workouts to choose from.

4. Colouring in

Non-thinking activities have been proven to be a great distraction and a huge stress reliever. The world is your oyster when it comes to themes and things to colour-in. Places like Amazon and Big-W have a great range to choose from.

So while life can be a bit much at times, it’s super important to find things that help to bring you back down to earth. No matter how you’re feeling, there is always support out there and now it comes in many different forms! You’re never alone and someone is always there to listen.

To read more about Mental Health Resources for International students in Australia click here.

Read more about Mental Health apps you should download here.