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Emotional Wellbeing (SEMH)
Mental wellbeing: understanding our social, emotional and mental heath (SEMH)
What is SEMH?
SEMH stands for social, emotional and mental health.
It’s all about how we think, feel and behave and how we handle life’s ups and downs.
Everyone has SEMH needs, just like everyone has physical health needs.
Sometimes our mental and emotional health can be strong and other times we might struggle — and that’s completely normal.
Having special educational needs can sometimes make it harder to recognise, understand and manage emotions.
What is emotional wellbeing?
Emotional wellbeing means feeling balanced, positive and able to cope with stress or challenges in a healthy way. It doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time — no one is! It’s more about being able to recognise your feelings, manage them and get support when things get tough.
Why is it Important?
Your emotional wellbeing can affect everything — your relationships, confidence, school /college or work performance and even your physical health. When you look after your emotional wellbeing you’re giving yourself the best chance to:
- Build strong friendships and connections
- Cope with stress and setbacks without feeling overwhelmed
- Stay motivated and focused on your goals
- Understand and express emotions in healthy ways
- Feel more confident about who you are
How can I take care of my social, emotional and mental health (SEMH)?
Taking care of your SEMH can be as simple as talking to someone you trust, getting enough rest, doing things you enjoy, or practicing mindfulness, relaxation techniques or exercise. And just like asking for help with a physical injury, it’s totally okay to ask for support when you are finding it hard to manage your emotions or maintain good mental health.
The NHS recommends the following 5 steps to promote your wellbeing:
- connect with other people
- be physically active
- learn new skills
- give to others
- pay attention to the present monemt (mindfulness)
For more information on these steps and to access mental wellbeing guides, tools and activities please click on this link :
NHS: 5 steps to mental wellbeing
There is information on how to get both urgent and longer-term support mental health support in the pink drop-down boxes further down this page.
What are some of the conditions that can affect our mental health?
You can find information on the following conditions in the drop-down boxes further down this page:
- anxiety & panic attacks
- depression
- post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
The conditions included above have been selected due to being the most common. If you require any Information on another SEMH need / condition please visit the NHS Website.
Urgent and emergency help in a mental health crisis
Emergency Services: If there is an immediate risk to life, or a concern about harm to yourself or others, call 999 or go to the nearest Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.
NHS 111: Do you need urgent mental health support?
Call 111 and press 2 for the mental health option to reach the local NHS crisis line 24/7 for immediate support.
This line is free, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for adults, children, and young people and is staffed by trained mental health professionals who can provide advice or arrange an assessment.
or
Text 'Help' to 07860 009642.
People across north east London can now access mental health crisis support via text.
This text service is available 24 hours a day.
A member of the NHS 111 (Option 2) team will respond as soon as possible to:
- Provide psychological support
- Offer guidance and reassurance
- Signpost to appropriate services
This service is particularly helpful for individuals who:
- Find it difficult to speak on the phone
- Prefer to communicate via text
- Need discreet support without being overheard
or
Access NHS 111 online via this link: Get help for your symptoms - NHS 111
The Samaritans: This charity provides emotional support to people struggling to cope or in distress. It offers a free, 24/7 listening service via phone, email, and face-to-face at local branches for anyone who needs to talk to someone who won't judge or give advice.
Telephone : 116 123
Email: [email protected]
Link: The Samaritans : how to contact us
Papyrus: This charity is dedicated to the prevention of suicide and promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people under the age of 35. They have a confidential helpline called HOPELINE staffed by trained advisors, available 24/7 for young people and those worried about them.
HOPELINE : 0800 068 4141
Website link: Papyrus UK
Mental health services for young people up to the age of 18
Youngminds have a useful guide to CAMHS, who's who in mental health services and who’s on call if you need someone to talk to.
The guide can be accessed via this link:
Youngminds: YP guide to mental health services
Mental health services include:
Your GP:
Your GP can be the first point of contact and may refer you to specialist services if needed.
Havering CAMHS:
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, which is the name for the NHS services that assess and treat mental health difficulties in children and young people up to age 18.
It's a free service that can provide support for a range of issues like anxiety, depression, and eating disorders through various professionals and therapies, including talking therapies and medication.
You can self-refer to Havering CAMHS, either directly through the service or by asking a professional like a GP or teacher to make a referral. For some services such as for Autism and ADHD assessments, self-referrals are not accepted and referrals must come from a GP, school or other professional.
Website: https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/camhs
Contacting Havering CAMHS:
Telephone: 0300 300 1888 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm)
Email: [email protected]
Address: Havering CAMHS, The Acorn Centre, 306 London Rd, Romford, RM7 9NH
Contact:
This charity has a section on CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services), which provides a general overview of the kind of issues CAMHS can help with and the referral process.
Weblink: CONTACT: General information on CAMHS
Mental health services for young people 18 years and older
Youngminds have a useful guide to CAMHS, who's who in mental health services and who’s on call if you need someone to talk to.
The guide can be accessed via this link:
Youngminds: YP guide to mental health services
Mental health services include:
Your GP: Your GP can be the first point of contact and may refer you to specialist services if needed.
Havering Talking Therapies: A free NHS service for people registered with a Havering GP. They offer support for conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress through various methods including online, telephone, and face-to-face appointments.
You can self-refer via their website at https://www.talkingtherapies.nelft.nhs.uk/havering/ or call 0300 300 1554 (option 2).
Havering Psychological Services (HPS): This service provides psychological assessment and therapy for severe and enduring mental health issues. Referrals must come from Talking Therapies professionals or other secondary mental health services.
Weblink: https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/services-havering-psychological/
Havering Adult Social Care:
Adult social services may provide support for individuals with mental health issues by assessing their needs for care and support in daily life, which could include help with finances, housing and social inclusion, under the Care Act 2014.
To access these services, you can contact Havering Adult Social Services department directly, or ask for a referral from your doctor or a mental health team.
Telephone: 01708 432000 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
If it’s an emergency and outside office hours you can call 01708 433999.
For more information including requesting a social care assessment please click on this link: Havering adult social care : help and contact
Havering MIND Ready for Adulthood Programme
Havering MIND offer a 6-week in-person programme supporting young people aged 17-25 in Havering, who are struggling with their mental health, but who are not in crisis.
The sessions are engaging and interactive, providing tips and techniques to help manage common challenges.
It is a safe and non-judgemental space for you as a young people to connect and have your voices heard.
Once they receive a referral they will reach out to you to arrange an in-person meet or a virtual chat to introduce themselves and the programme. They will make sure that they are the right support for you and see if any other support or signposting can be provided- then you are all set to join.
You can self-refer or a professional can refer you.
The programme runs throughout the year with different start dates.
Web link: Havering Mind: Ready for adulthood programme
Telephone (general enquiries) : 01708 457040
Please scan the QR code below to make a referral or visit the website:
Emotional wellbeing online support and apps
Every Mind Matters: simple and practical ways to ease anxiety, manage stress, lift mood, and sleep better.
Link: www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/
NHS: Read about self-help guides, tools and activities that can improve your mental health.
Link: NHS: mental heath : guides tools and activities
Young Minds: information and support for children and young people who are struggling with their mental health.
Link: Young Minds
Clear Fear app: information and support to reduce the physical responses to threat as well as changing thoughts and behaviours, and releasing emotions.
Link: Clear fear
Calm Harm app: information and support to help manage the urge to self-harm, based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
Link: Calm Harm
Anxiety
Anxiety is when you feel really nervous, tense, or worried — like your body’s on edge even when nothing bad is actually happening. It can make you feel tired, shaky, dizzy, upset, or like your heart’s racing. Everyone feels anxious sometimes — like before a test, a big game, or trying something new. That’s totally normal.
But if you feel anxious a lot of the time, and it’s stopping you from enjoying things or living your life, it’s a good idea to talk to someone about it — like a parent, a teacher or your doctor.
Sometimes anxiety can lead to panic attacks. That’s when you suddenly feel a wave of fear, your heart beats really fast, you might struggle to breathe, or feel dizzy. It can be really scary, but it’s important to know that a panic attack won’t physically harm you — it just feels really intense in the moment.
Some people also feel anxious about school/ college. If that’s happening, it helps to talk about what exactly feels hard or stressful. Working out what’s causing the anxiety can help you and the people supporting you find ways to make things easier.
Information & Support
Here are some useful links to help you understand more about anxiety and panic attacks:
YoungMinds:
Link: Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders | Signs and symptoms | YoungMinds
Link: Youngminds : Managing panic attacks
The Charlie Waller Trust:
Link: Charlie Waller Trust : managing stress and anxiety
Rethink Mental Illness:
Link: Rethink: managing panic attacks
Depression
Everyone feels low or unmotivated sometimes — that’s part of being human. But if those feelings stick around for a long time or feel really intense it could be a sign of depression.
Depression is a common mental health condition that makes you feel down most of the time. It can be triggered by lots of different things — stressful life events, trauma, bullying, relationship problems, family issues or sometimes there's no clear reason at all.
Even though it can feel impossible to stay positive when you’re depressed, you’re not alone — and there’s plenty of help and support out there to get you through it.
Depression can show up in different ways, such as:
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
- Avoiding friends, family, or social events
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Eating more or less than usual
- Feeling irritated, sad, or lonely
- Being hard on yourself
- Feeling hopeless or empty
- Thinking about self-harm
- Having no energy or motivation
Having some of these symptoms doesn’t automatically mean you have depression, but it’s worth talking to your GP or a mental health professional if these feelings continue or if they affect your daily life. Getting support early can really make a difference.
Information & Support
MIND- Information on Depression
Link: MIND : depression - information and support
Link: Self-care for depression | Mind
NHS - Depression
Link: NHS : depression in adults aged 18+
YoungMinds- Depression
Link: youngminds.org.uk/find-help/conditions/depression
Papyrus UK - Suicide Prevention Charity with HOPELINE247
Link: Papyrus : help & advice
HOPELINE247 is a confidential support and advice service for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide. Contact HOPELINE247 for confidential support and practical advice 24 Hours, 7 days a week (Weekends and Bank Holidays included)
Call: 0800 068 4141
Text: 88247
Email: [email protected]
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can happen after you experience or witness something extremely frightening such as violence, abuse, rape or a life-threatening situation.
The main symptoms of PTSD are:
- Flashbacks or nightmares about what happened
- Avoidance and numbing, where you try to keep busy and avoid thinking about it or doing things that might trigger memories of the traumatic event
- Being tense and on guard all the time in case it happens again
You may also experience symptoms such as:
- Anxiety
- Anger or irritability
- Problems sleeping or eating
- Survivor's guilt, where you feel bad because others suffered more than you
- Depression
- Problems with alcohol or drug abuse
- Diarrhoea
- Muscle aches
- Difficulty remembering all of the traumatic event
Most people take time to get over a traumatic event, but in PTSD you can't move past the event. People who have PTSD have dreams, flashbacks or upsetting thoughts about what they experienced or witnessed.
Symptoms can appear straight after a traumatic experience or later on. They're usually noticed within 6 months of the experience.
Just because you may be experiencing one or more of the above symptoms, it doesn’t mean you’re definitely affected by PTSD. It’s important to talk to your GP to get a full diagnosis.
Information & Support
For more information you can view the National Health Service’s (NHS) webpage on PTSD via the following link:
Link: NHS: PTSD symptoms
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Although many people experience minor obsessions (such as worrying about leaving the gas on or whether the door is locked) and compulsions (such as avoiding the cracks in the pavement), these don’t significantly interfere with daily life or are short-lived.
If you experience OCD it's likely that your obsessions and compulsions will have a big impact on how you live your life. This could include....
- Disruption to your day-to-day life. Repeating compulsions can take up a lot of time, and you might avoid certain situations that trigger your OCD. This can mean that you're not able to go to work, see family and friends, eat out or even go outside. Obsessive thoughts can make it hard to concentrate and can leave you feeling exhausted.
- A negative effect on your relationships. You may feel that you have to hide your OCD from people close to you or your doubts and anxieties about the relationship may make it too difficult to continue it.
- Feeling ashamed or lonely. You may feel ashamed of your obsessive thoughts or feel as if they are a permanent part of you and can't be treated. You might feel that you can't talk about this part of yourself with others and this can make you feel very isolated. If you find it hard to be around people or go outside then you may feel lonely.
- A negative effect on your physical health. Anxiety caused by obsessions can affect your physical health. You can read more about physical symptoms on our pages about anxiety.
Information & Support
Information taken from MIND (Mental Health Charity). For more information and support services available you can visit their website via the following link: MIND : OCD