Third Level Foundation Ltd

07/01/2022

New services coming soon to provide support for those with Mental ill health and their loved ones...

20/12/2021

20/12/2021

Tips on celebrating special occasions during covid-19 restrictions.

20/12/2021

Good mental health for all. Dedicated to finding and addressing the sources of mental health problems.

20/12/2021

TAG a friend in the comments below to check on them! ❤️ I don’t know if it's the cold weather or the dark nights, but I find December a really difficult time. I also have a sense of guilt towards the end of the year that I haven’t achieved everythinggg I wanted to and I’ve wasted the year. It's ridiculous I know, but it’s just how I think. One thing I do know is that I’m not the only person who feels like this. The end of the year is difficult for everyone, so let's check-in on mates, cause we’d want them to check on us! Tag them in the comments below, give them a call, send them a text, or a meme or just a pic of your gorgeous face. 😜 Just so they know you are there! I love you all my beautiful Mental family. Stay sane 😘

~ The Mental Movement ~ is here to help you take care of the most important part of you: Your Mind. 😇 That’s why we’ve partnered with some amazing organisations and therapists to help you show your true colours. Tap the link in our bio to learn more and find the perfect fit for you! Follow Now and Join The Family! ✨
📸:

10/12/2021

10/12/2021

Has anyone ever explained to you how to overcome depression? If not, then visit https://thedepressionproject.info/overcomedepressionbook to learn more about our book which will do just that!

10/12/2021

10/12/2021

It’s the HeadStrong Advent calendar day 4, and we’re following up that brilliant video from Brian yesterday with a quote!

It’s easy to focus on the negatives, feeling like we’re lacking in so much or comparing ourselves to others but how often do we take a moment to realise how much we already have?

Make some time this weekend to notice how much goodness is around you. It doesn’t haven’t to be huge! It could be a blue sky or a nice view or a real good cup of tea. It could be something about yourself that you really like. Maybe you’re great at Monopoly, or your curry recipe is the best you’ve ever know. It could also be a really good mate who’s always up for a call when you need them. If it’s a person, maybe send them this as a thank you, for all they’ve done and as a reminder they’re better than anything Santa could bring you.

See you all back here tomorrow for some more HeadStrong goodness, and as always if you ever need us, you can always reach out for a chat.

10/12/2021

GLADVENT: your daily Christmas toolkit

Day 7: name, don’t shame, your emotions

I’ve just been listening to Christmas radio which is perpetually filling my ears with how much joy I should feel about Christmas. Social media and advertising feeds us the same message... Christmas is a time for joy, merriment and mirth.

But the reality is much more complex. There’s so much happening, or not happening, at Christmas that we can have complex emotional responses in response to the complexity of this season. And covid is making it ever more complex than normal this year.

These are the emotions that you told me Christmas triggered in you, and actually there were more than 12 because emotions can be subtle, complicated and individual. It’s clear that Christmas emotions are far more complex that just joy, mirth and merriment. Overwhelm was by far the top answer.

How we respond to our emotions is important. All too often we shame or suppress our emotions, and that tends to make us feel worse. The science suggests that Naming, allowing, normalising and validating your emotions are responses to help us respond to and get through difficult emotions.

So however you feel at Christmas, this is how you feel. Don’t beat yourself up because you think how you are feeling is wrong, and you think you should be feeling different because of the general message that’s perpetuated. This is a complex time of year which results in complex emotions for many people, including feeling a range of emotions and sometimes even feeling apparently opposite emotions all at the same time.

Your emotions are individual to you, and there is no wrong emotions to feel at any time of year, particularly at this complex time of year.

If you start noticing these emotions are becoming overwhelming or your responses unhelpful, then it’s worth using this as an indication that you need to stop and think about what you can do to help. Of course your emotions are valid but sometimes we just need a bit of extra help with them. As always , if your emotions are having a significant impact on your functioning or you are concerned about your mental health speak to your GP (uk) about options available to you.

10/12/2021

Gladvent: your daily Christmas toolkit

Day 7: catch that catastrophising!

Christmas… cosy jumpers, candlelight, Christmassy tunes, classic films and catastrophising.

Catastrophising is when your brain picks up on something and runs off with itself to predict the worse case scenario. Forgot something in shops? Running late? Never got through your to do list? Grumped at the kids? It’s not just everyday life… it’s a catastrophe!

Spotting when your thoughts run off to catastrophe land can help you bring them back to solid ground and remind your brain that it’s totally overpredicting the worse case scenario, or magnifying and mini bump in the road into a disaster mountain!

Here’s some idea to help calm that runaway brain down.

😺Do a brain dump-Write down everything that’s taking up brain space so you can step back and look at it objectively.

😼what are you telling yourself is going to happen?

😸Ask yourself what the chance of this really happening is?

😺what’s most likely to happen? What had past experience told you? How would you speak this through rationally with someone else?

😼In the middle of catastrophising we overpredict the likelihood of the worst case- often the chances of this are actually very small.

😼The space before sleep is a breeding ground for catastrophising. If you are having difficulty switching off, you could try distraction by breathing or relaxation apps, or relaxing audio books.

😸Speak through how your are feeling with people who help contain anxiety and keep catastrophising in check.

😼if you find yourself ruminating, do something that uses up your cognitive resources or makes you feel good to shift your thoughts and mood.

😸 are you predicting you will not manage or cope? Remind yourself that most people cope with difficult situations far better than they think they will.

😸Don’t forget to breathe..... this can engage our parasympathetic nervous system and slow down racing thoughts a wee bit so you can catch up with them.

😸Don’t beat yourself up for how you feel....this just makes things worse. It’s okay to be anxious, but also remember there are lots of things you can do to help.