Child and Adolescence Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a service which support young people with their mental health.

Their role is to promote good emotional wellbeing. They also provide children and young people with assessments and treatment for mental health problems. The team offers these to young people who present with disorders which have a significant impact on their daily life.

CAMHS is not an emergency service. If your child or young person needs urgent care, you can contact your GP or go to the A&E Department at St Helier Hospital.

For more information about CAMHS and how to access their service, visit the Sutton CAMHS service directory page

Mental Health Advice

Below is some advice adapted from CAHMS that can support you with your mental health.

Sleep

It is important to try and get a good nights sleep every night. Here are some tips to try and help you to do this:

• Get into a routine and try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. This helps to get your body into a rhythm.

• Try not to spend too much time awake in bed. Your bed is for sleeping so only get into it when you're ready to try and sleep.

• If you are struggling to get to sleep, get up again and do something else for a while. Then when you feel ready, try again.

• Try not to nap during the day.

• Create your own sleep routine. Think about what you can do to help you relax before bed.

• Try having a hot bath a couple of hours before you go to bed.

• Try not to watch the clock if you're struggling to sleep.

• Make sure you exercise regularly in the daytime.

• Think about the space you are sleeping in. The best environment to sleep in is one that is quiet, cool and dark. If this is difficult, an eye mask or earplugs may help.

• Avoid caffeine for four to six hours before you go to bed.

• Avoid any screen time for an hour before you go to bed.

For more information on how to sleep better, visit the NHS Sleep and Tiredness pages [External Link].

Food

• Try and eat regular meals. You should be eating three meals a day. You can also aim to have three snacks.

• Try and eat a balanced diet.

• Try not to skip breakfast, even if you are busy. Think of a variety of things you can have for this.

• Make sure you stay hydrated. You should aim to drink 1.5 litres of water every day.

• Avoid extreme dieting. These aren't healthy and can impact your wellbeing.

For more information about eating a balanced diet, visit the NHS Eatwell Guide page [External Link].

Exercise

• Regularly exercising is important for your mental health and wellbeing.

• Think about some of the things you enjoy doing. It can be as simple as taking the dog for a walk every day.

• It can help to exercise with friends. You can keep each other motivated and it's a good chance to see each other!

• Try and spend some time outdoors and in nature.

Social Media

• There are a lot of benefits to social media, but if you spend too much time on it, it can have a negative effect on your mental health.

• Think about setting yourself a daily use limit. It is recommended you don't spend more than three hours on social media a day. Once you have your limit, stick to it.

Depression

It is normal to feel upset and sad sometimes. However, if you feel this way often and it is starting to impact your daily life you may be experiencing depression.

It is important to try not to let it control your life. It can be hard to find the motivation to do things, but here are some things that may help reduce your symptoms in addition to what is said above:

• Spend time with friends if you can. 

• Go out with your family.

• Visit someone that makes you smile.

• Watch your favourite series.

• Read a book.

• Take care of your appearance and hygiene.

• Treat yourself in some way everyday.

• Think about one thing you're grateful for and write it down in a journal.

• Make a list of your strengths - all the things you're good at and what others like about you.

• Start a diary of your thoughts and feelings.   

• Ask for help, you can talk to your friends, family, trusted adults at school or your GP. It's important to know you are not alone!

For more information, visit the Mind Depression page [External Link].

The Mix

The Mix is a charity that provides support for young people under 25. They have information and advice on a wide range of topics and issues that young people face. This includes a variety of mental health and wellbeing topics. They also have a 1-2-1 chat feature and a crisis messenger you can contact if you need support. To find out more, visit the Mix website [External Link].