The Spark Blog
Tag: anxiety
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From Home to Halls: A Mentally Healthy Approach to Starting Uni
Many university freshers are eager to move from home to halls and embrace ‘student life’ to the full. Moving out is part of growing up. It plays a crucial role in personal development and allows you to have a lot more freedom. However, moving to a new area, starting a new course, finding new social…
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Anxiety: 6 Self-care Tips From a Psychotherapist
Anxiety can be described as “distress or uneasiness of the mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.” In some situations, it can be very helpful and even life-saving. As John-Roger and Peter McWilliams explained in their seminal book ‘You Can’t Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought’, an element of anxiety was essential to…
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How to make a comfort box for an anxious child
Anxiety is a very unpleasant experience for your child and for you as their parent. Finding tools and techniques to help them combat anxiety is something every parent seeks to do. In this short article Children and Young People counsellor, Linda Smith looks at an effective method known as a comfort box. Helping an anxious…
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Tips for first years transitioning to university
In February, UCAS reported that a record-breaking number of young people started university last September and this year is likely to be no different. Scotland is home to a total of 19 universities, welcoming students from around the world. Every university offers its students the chance to meet new friends, grow as a person, learn…
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The world’s most dangerous words
Believe it or not, there are two words in every language that should be considered the most dangerous in the world. With just over 700,000 words in the English dictionary, there are plenty of potential suspects. In the era of Trump and global warming you would be forgiven for thinking they might be ‘launch missiles’…
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Stop Worrying and Start Living
The focus of this year’s Mental Health Awareness week has been ‘stress: are we coping?’ This got us thinking about books that have helped us cope with the stresses of life. One, in particular, is a recommended read for us. And it just happens to be the birthplace of many of the idioms that pop…
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Bad News, Anxiety and the Media
Escaping bad news and tragedy feels like an impossible task. For years war, terrorism, racism, persecution and fear have dominated the news. Thanks to digital technology we are stuck on a 24-hour a day loop of breaking news and broadcasts from the scene of the latest tragedy. Which for almost all of us, now feels…
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Anxiety: 5 Ways to Cope Better
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues in the UK. Research in 2013 indicated there were 8.2m diagnosed cases nationally. Anxiety can be debilitating but it can be managed, allowing sufferers to get back to enjoying life. Here are 5 practical ways to cope with anxiety1. 1. Get the jumble of thoughts…
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5 Ways to Good Mental Health
According to figures from the Office for National Statistics in 2015, nearly 10 million adults in the UK are diagnosed with a mental illness each year. That equates to nearly 1 in 4 people, with anxiety and depression making up the majority of cases. The impact of poor mental health Mental illness can be debilitating…
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