Going on day trips or holiday
Getting out and about and creating new experiences can be a really fun way to look after yourself. Whether you are travelling abroad or just visiting a town a few bus stops away from you it can help to give your mind a break from your usual surroundings and what they may remind you of.
Sometimes I get on a bus and see where it takes me and then get off to explore when I see a place that looks interesting. If I’ve got nothing to do it can really help me get out of my head and feel like I’m doing something with my life. I don’t have to go far either- I find out about places super local to me I never knew about before. I also take a book or sometimes just sit at a café on my phone, but it still feels good to be out.
Visit Britain & Tripsavvy have a list of the best free attractions for young people across the UK as do websites such as Visit England, Discover Northern Ireland and Visit Scotland.
What young people have told us:
'Having a change of scenery is good for the mind. It helps to give your mind another focus and relax soemwhere new.'
'I enjoy day trips to a different city where I can do sightseeing or shopping. Weekend breaks away to the south coast have helped me to relax and unwind. I feel so refreshed and new again.'
'Going on a day trip or on holiday is so fun to do because it gets you doing different things. It also helps with switching up your routine and not doing the same old.'
'Didn't help sadly, made me more anxious being away from safety and home.'
'Travelling and going on trips definitely helps my mental wellbeing because it gives me a mental re set, it helps my create a new positive mindset. And most importantly brings me joy.'
What young people have told us:
There isn’t much academic research in the area of self-care for young people who are living with mental health issues. We are trying to find out more about what works for different people so we can better advise other young people what to try.
If you’ve tried this activity when you were struggling in relation to your mental health, please let us know if it helped you and how by clicking on the ‘Did this activity help you’ button.
