Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

There are many different types of mental health issues and which one you have can only be diagnosed by a doctor or mental health professional. It’s possible to find information about the different types of mental health issues, and this might help you figure out which one you have. But sometimes seeing the symptoms for the different types can be confusing and might not be helpful.

There’s a section on mental health issues on the Childline website. In these pages you can find descriptions of different mental health issues, videos and information about how to get help and some tips on things you can do to help yourself. There are other websites that you could use to find out more about mental health issues. If you check them out it’s important to look on reliable and approved sites like Young Minds.

Trying to work out what’s going on with mental health can be difficult and complicated. The way forward might be for you to write down all the things you’re experiencing and the way you’re feeling - including any triggers that you’ve noticed and also the ways you’ve been coping. You could then use this to help you speak to your parents about what’s going on for you and explain to them that you'd like to find out what's causing this situation by visiting your doctor.

There are a few things you can do to look after your mental health without a doctor. Taking time each day for yourself to think and reflect on your feelings is good for anyone to do. Writing down your thoughts and feelings helps a lot too. These alone won’t help with a complex mental health problem but often lots of small things are the solution to better mental health.

Talking to an adult about getting help can sometimes be scary and I want you to know that if you would like to talk things through with a counsellor at Childline, they are always there to support you.

Take care,

Sam