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What is CAMHS?

 

Lichfield CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) is for young people under the age of 18 in the Lichfield and Burntwood area. We help young people who are having problems with their mental health such as with emotional, social or behavioural problems which are having a significant impact on their daily life. We support young people who may be feeling sad, very worried, be affected by unpleasant past experiences or struggling with their relationships at home or at school. We look to work with young people to understand their problems and try and find a way to help. Its important to us that young people feel happy and safe when they come to see us, that we are compassionate and understanding of your needs and do what we can to make things better for you.

What is Mental Health?

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"Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community." (World Health Organization)

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Mental health is about how we think, feel and act. It affects how we cope with stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of your life, from childhood and adolescence through to adulthood. If you experience problems with your mental health it may affect your thinking, mood and behaviour. It can be normal to feel down at times or to worry but sometimes these become more significant and have a big impact on a young persons life. Mental health problems are common and can happen to anyone but help is available such as through CAMHS as well as other services locally. People with mental health problems often get better and many make a full recovery. 

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There can still be a lot of misunderstanding of mental health problems but fortunately this stigma is being addressed by campaigns such as Time to Change and a number of celebrities have spoken about their own difficulties with their mental health such as Demi Lovato,  Johnny Wilkinson, Stephen Fry, Lady Gaga, Tom from McFly, Johnny Depp, David Beckham and JK Rowling.

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Taking Care of Yourself

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It is important that we look after ourselves and there are things that you can do to help feel better. We have put together a group of resources here that you can access. It is vital that we take care of our health and we can do this by ensuring that we keep a healthy, balanced diet and by taking part in exercise which has been proven to help both our physical and mental health. It is important that we keep positive self-esteem as this helps us to cope with the challenges we face in life. Young Minds have advice about boosting self-esteem which can be found here. Take time to relax and unwind from the stresses you experience in life. Further information about relaxation and mindfulness can be found in our resources section. It's also important that you talk with someone you trust about what is bothering you, this may be a parent, a friend, a teacher or you may prefer to speak with a professional such as with ChildLine or the Samaritans.

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