Emotional well-being

What is emotional well-being?

Emotional well-being is a term that has been used increasingly in recent decades. The profile of a young person with poor emotional well-being is usually someone with low self-esteem, pessimistic, very self-critical or people who need to constantly assert themselves through their behavior. They also tend to be afraid, overly worried about the future, and focused on the past.

What are the barriers to healthy well-being?

Stress
Stress can lead to chronic long-term health complications and illness. We all experience a variety of different stressors every day, but it is how aware of them we are and how we cope with them that determines how much they impact our life and our health.

Low self esteem
When our self-esteem is low, we tend to see ourselves and our life in a more negative and critical light. We also feel less able to take on the challenges life throws at us.

Mental health
Acute or long-term mental health problems can be a barrier to maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Periods of mental health issues lead to periods of poor health management and worsening health outcomes.

Case study

"I had recently split up from my long-term partner and felt unsupported by my family and friends mainly because they never liked my ex anyway. I initially felt rejected and my self-esteem had hit rock bottom. I went through a period where I did not eat properly and struggled to sleep and this in turn started to affect my mood and relationships in college. One day I was sat on my own feeling sorry for myself when my support coach passed by; they asked me if everything was all right.

"Well I couldn’t lie, “not really” I said. My support coach then sat down with me and convinced me to book in some one-to-one sessions to talk about things in private. I wasn’t sure at first but it really did help me through a difficult period of my life. The fact I was able to talk to someone who did not judge me or my ex and gave me impartial advice meant I was able to start making sense of the situation.

"After a while I started to look after myself again and get back to the person I was before the split. I would recommend accessing the support offered as it really helped me refocus, and helped me to stop blaming myself for everything that went wrong."

Top five tips to positive well-being

1Connect
Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
2Be active
You don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
3Keep learning
Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?
4Give to others
Even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
5Be mindful
Be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness ‘mindfulness’. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.