Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

The recent UK riots targeting communities based on race, religion, immigration and people seeking safety within the UK, have been frightening for young people around the UK and across the world. It's natural for this to have a big impact on your mental health and sense of feeling safe.

Racism and Islamophobia is never ok. Everyone has a right to feel safe and respected in the country they're in and it's natural to feel different emotions such as fear, disbelief, anxiety, anger or upset when trying to process and deal with worrying events like this.

When awful acts like this happen, it can be shocking and unsettling, even more so when it is close to where you live or in places you know. It’s important to remember there are many more people who do not agree or support these riots and who want to support those affected.

Social media and news outlets can provide a lot of information and keep you informed and connected but it can also add to feeling overwhelmed and scared. It’s good to be mindful that not all social media outlets provide factually correct news. This is known as fake news where information can be uninformed and misleading, adding to your anxious feelings. When people say, take a break, they can sometimes just mean, unplugging for a short time and although this isn’t always easy when you are feeling scared, it can be soothing to rest and give focus to something else, like doing something nice for yourself.

Having conversations and sharing your worries and concerns with people you feel comfortable and safe talking to can help you offload, feel connected and gain more understanding of the impact on you, your families, friends and your wider communities.

Try to be gentle with yourself too, the Childline Calmzone is a place to help you feel a little calmer and offers lots of different activities to calm you down when you're feeling anxious.

If you feel unsafe travelling or being out and about, speak to a trusted adult to make sure you feel safe and protected. If you have heard or watched something you are concerned about, you can talk about it, report it online or call 999 for urgent help.

Remember you never have to deal with this alone, you can always talk about how this is impacting you and how you're feeling with a Childline counsellor. You can speak to them on our 1-2-1 chat, by sending an email or by calling 0800 1111 for free.

You can also try speaking to other young people on our Childline message boards. Talking about how the riots have felt and sharing your experiences as well as hearing how it’s been for others and how they have coped could help you feel better. You can also express your thoughts and feelings in your Childline online mood journal.

Remember Childline is always here to support you.

Take care

Sam