While providing professional support, I often also encourage my clients and patients to find different other ways to support themselves - known as Self-Help Strategies. In this article, I share about the different kinds of Self-help Strategies you can gain and benefit from to enhance your own mental health support.

Positivity Route 1: Develop Your Own Self-Help Mental Health Strategies and Self Support
Self-help is a very powerful journey. We know ourselves the most. The ultimate route to self-recovery and betterment always starts from the change within us. Self-Help Practice can yield long-term benefits and enhance personal growth.
Self-help includes different ways. This includes developing a consistent life routine, exploring the own personal traits and personalities, building interpersonal skills, developing new habits and interests, etc.
Develop Sustainable Habits: Establishing consistent routines can improve overall well-being.
Explore Personal Strengths: Understand your unique traits and skills to build resilience.
Cultivate Interpersonal Skills: Strengthen relationships and develop communication strategies.
Pursue New Interests: Engaging in hobbies can foster creativity and reduce stress.
Identify which area of life or a particular issue you want to work on. This will help you know which self-help tool works the best for you.
Positivity Route 2: Find Your Own Strengths and Resources (Support mechanism)
There are abundant resources (even the free ones) easily accessible to us. The main point is how we can identify and choose the right one for us.
Reflect on how you can leverage your strengths and available resources. For instance, some may find support in connecting with others, while others may benefit from slowing down and focusing on self-reflection. Timing is also critical: doing the right thing at the right time can make all the difference.
Here are some examples:
Social connections/support: Having a supportive family and peer circle is like having vitamin C for our health. Many times people come forward for professional mental health support, not only as they lack the relevant coping strategies to overcome the challenges, but also they have no one to rely on when stuck with the own problems. It is important that we have people whom we could turn to for practical support, or those who could emotionally embrace you.
Education/self-development training: ‘We are too used to doing the doing; but we often don’t think of our doing.’ Most of the people chase after endless tasks, and have little time to ask themselves what they work so hard for in the first place. Self-development training or courses are opportunities for us to gain a different perspective or get equipped with skills, knowledge and competence to deal with challenges and setbacks.
Immediate support: Being on a mental health crisis is not a rare issue. At those points often we require external support rather than just dealing the problem ourselves. Identify who/which personal or professional communication point you could consistently rely on. It can be a close family member/peer, or an external professional service support, such as a telephone number of a hotline.
Positivity Route 3: Consider Culturally Appropriate Support
Culture has an important part on influencing our preferences of what support or therapy helps us. No support can fit everyone. It is important we choose therapy or support systems which best fit with who we are.
Positivity Route 4: Stay Open to Other Mental Health Professional Support

Many professional resources for mental health support are grounded in community-based services, including therapy. Take time to compile a list of potential support networks, such as community centers, helplines, and online support groups.
For instance, in Manchester, the hotline resource list can be found here.
I welcome you to write down what helps/does not help you – sharing is caring!
(Chinese Translation completed by Louis Leung.)
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