Well-being and support

It is normal to feel anxious or stressed in times of difficulty. Learn how to stay mentally healthy and where to get help if you are not coping or have concerns for others.

Staying mentally healthy

Everyone's emotional and mental wellbeing is important. It is normal to feel anxious or stressed in times of difficulty. However, there are lots of things you can do to feel better.

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Staying mentally healthy
Where to find help

Do not be afraid to seek support. There are helpline services available right now that offer support, information and help for you, your family, whānau and friends.

For support with anxiety, distress or mental wellbeing, you can call or text 1737 to talk with a trained counsellor for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Mental Health Foundation has a full list of services available.

Where to find help
Te Whare Tapa Whā

Developed by Dr Mason Durie, Te Whare Tapa Whā speaks to the 4 cornerstones of Māori health and wellbeing. When there is an imbalance or 1 of the cornerstones is missing, we may feel unwell or out of sorts. We can use this model to help look after ourselves and those in our whānau.

This model reminds us to take care of all aspects of our lives to support our wellbeing.

The 4 cornerstones are:

  • taha tinana | physical wellbeing
  • taha hinengaro | mental wellbeing
  • taha wairua | spiritual wellbeing
  • taha whānau | family wellbeing.
Te Whare Tapa Whā
Top ways to look after your mental wellbeing

There are a number of things we can all do to boost our mental wellbeing and that of our loved ones.

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Stay connected
  • This is important for our wellbeing and helps to make us feel safer, less stressed and less anxious. We can support each other through the recovery, by keeping the connections and close ties to others that we forged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acknowledge your feelings
  • It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, worried or scared. 

Allow yourself time to notice and express what you are feeling. This could be by writing thoughts and feelings down in a journal, talking to others, doing something creative or practising meditation. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Reach out to others.

Stick to routines where possible
  • Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time, eat at regular times, shower, change your clothes, see others regularly, either virtually or in person, and do your chores. 

Meditating and exercising can help you to relax and have a positive impact on your thoughts. Try not to increase unhealthy habits like comfort eating, drinking, smoking or vaping.

Check in on other people who might need help
  • Reaching out to those who may be feeling stressed or concerned can benefit both you and the person receiving support.
Limit your time online
  • You may find it useful to limit your time online. Check media and social media at specific times once or twice a day.
Top ways to look after your mental wellbeing