Preventing suicide
Mental health is similar to physical health. It is impossible to guarantee you will never get a mental health condition, just as you cannot guarantee you will never develop a physical health condition, no matter how healthy you are.
However, you can take steps to improve your mental health and make yourself emotionally stronger and better able to cope with stressful or upsetting incidents. This can reduce your risk of developing a mental health condition, such as depression.
Exercise and diet
Research shows that for some people, exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication in reducing depressive symptoms, particularly in people with mild and moderate depression. Being physically active helps to:
- lift your mood
- reduce stress and anxiety
- encourage the release of "feel-good" chemicals, called endorphins
- improve self-esteem
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that exercise should be used to treat depression in people of all ages.
It is also important to eat a healthy diet. Eating healthily may be as important for maintaining mental health as it is for protecting against physical health problems.
See the Live Well sections about Exercise for depression and Eating to improve mood for more information and advice.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can be tempting as a way of trying to cope with problems or unpleasant emotions. However, persistent alcohol misuse can make a person s problems and emotions worse. It can also cause a new set of problems for them to cope with.
Alcohol is a depressant. This means that it can make unpleasant emotions worse, such as sadness and hopelessness.
To avoid common mental health problems associated with alcohol misuse, do not drink more than the recommended daily limits of alcohol. These are:
- three to four units a day for men
- two to three units a day for women
A unit of alcohol is approximately half a pint of normal-strength lager, a small glass of wine or a single measure (25ml) of spirits.
See your GP if you have difficulty moderating your alcohol consumption.
See the Health A-Z topic on Alcohol misuse - treatment and the Live Well section about Alcohol for more information and advice.
Drugs
People with problems or unpleasant emotions also commonly use drugs to cope. However, as with alcohol, persistent drug misuse causes more problems and increases your risk of developing a serious mental health condition, such as depression.
Even drugs that many people consider less harmful, such as cannabis, have been shown to increase the risk of developing conditions such as depression or schizophrenia in some people.
If you find it difficult to stop taking drugs, you may require counselling or medication. See the Health A-Z topics on Drug misuse - getting help and Drug misuse - recovery for more information and advice.
Avoid isolation
Becoming socially isolated is a significant risk factor for suicide. Try to remain engaged as much as possible with the world around you. Talk to someone you trust about how you feel and maintain your friendships and interests, even if you do not feel like it at times.
If you find it difficult to make friends, you may benefit from joining a local activity group, such as a book group or walking group. Your local library, community centre or local council should be able to provide you with details of the various groups and clubs in your community.
Many larger mental health charities run a network of local support groups throughout the country, including:
Research has also shown that people who regularly spend time helping others through charitable activities or other voluntary work are typically more mentally healthy than the general population. You may benefit from volunteering with a local charity or voluntary organisation.
All charities and most voluntary organisations are grateful for any help. Simply choose an issue that you feel strongly about and contact a relevant organisation. The most effective way of finding and contacting an organisation is on the internet.
Staying positive
Staying positive may sound like a meaningless phrase, particularly to someone with severe depression, but it is important to try and remain as positive as possible.
Persistent negative thinking can mean you risk withdrawing from the world around you and becoming more isolated.
Breaking this pattern usually requires a conscious effort, such as "stepping back" when an event upsets you and considering how you can respond in a more positive way.
If you cannot change negative patterns of thinking, you may benefit from a type of talking treatment called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT can help you manage your problems by changing how you think and act.
See the Health A-Z topic about Cognitive behavioural therapy for more information.
