Hi there.
Ever since I was little Ive always hid the way Ive felt. However, I really want to open up to my Head of Year. I just don’t want to seem attention seeking, how shall I seek help?
Hi there,
Talking about feelings can be hard and you might not know who to ask for help. But deciding to tell someone what’s happening can be a relief, even if it feels scary at the same time. They might be able to help you see things differently, or support you in finding ways to cope.
You might keep your feelings to yourself when you don’t want people to worry. You might also be unsure whether you can trust someone to be kind to you, or to keep what you tell them between you. Hiding how you feel is something everyone does at some point, but it’s important to remember that it’s always okay to express your emotions. You don’t need to bottle things up.
Starting a conversation about something that worries you can be scary, and you might not know where to start.
The first thing to do is to think about who you feel safe talking to. It might be an adult you trust or someone who’s been kind to you in the past. Childline has some advice about picking someone you trust to ask for help and support.
Once you’ve chosen who to talk to, there are different ways to start a conversation. You might be more comfortable talking face-to-face, writing things down or sending an email or a message. It’s all about finding the best way for you. If it’s difficult to think of what to say first, you could try some of these conversations starters. Or you can put what you’re feeling in a letter with Childline’s conversation starter tool.
If it’s important to you that the person keeps what you talk about private, remember to ask them about this first. Sometimes the might need to tell someone else – and it’s helpful to understand when and why they might need to. You can ask them to let you know if they can’t keep things between the two of you, and to support you with what happens next.
Speaking to an adult you trust about something that’s bothering you isn’t attention-seeking. It takes courage to ask for help. And no matter what you’re facing, our Childline counsellors are always here to listen. Or you can try posting on the message boards for advice and support from other young people
I’m glad you wrote this letter to me, I hope my reply has helped.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
