Useful resources for self-recovery and mental wellbeing
South Tyneside Adult Recovery Service have had to temporarily suspend all group work, mutual aid sessions and face-to-face appointments.
It is also possible that you may have to exercise social distancing measures or even isolate yourselves.
We understand that such circumstances may bring about varying levels of psychological distress, so we’ve compiled some handouts and links to videos to give you some ideas of how to look after yourselves, manage your wellbeing and hopefully make the experience more tolerable.
The following is a list of downloadable PDFs. Click the title to download the handout.
Anger Management Toolbox
Guidance on how to effectively deal with anger issues
Changing your Internal Dialogue or “self-talk”
How to learn to be kinder in the way that we talk to ourselves in our own heads
Cravings Survival Guide
Tactics for coping effectively with cravings
Dealing with Cravings
Guidance on understanding and breaking the cycle of addiction
Improving Sleep
A set of guidelines on how to improve your ability to sleep
Instincts, thinking and coping
Gain a clearer picture of the biology and psychology of cravings and stress
Living a Balanced Lifestyle (Three p’s)
A worksheet to help you address three vital areas of your life to achieve a more balanced lifestyle and improve wellbeing
Mini-meditations
Exercises to help you step out of “automatic pilot”, becoming less reactive, and more aware and mindful in your responses
Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief
Learn to effectively combat stress by activating the body’s natural relaxation response
SOBER breathing technique
A mindfulness intervention to help manage panic attacks, reduce anxiety and stress, break addictive processes and behaviours, and manage pain
The ABC technique
This technique can be used to help you cope with almost any upsetting situation
Urge Surfing
A mindfulness technique that can be used to help with any addictive behaviour
External Guides
Insight Healthcare is a not-for-profit organisation providing free NHS talking therapy services across the UK. They have put together a booklet Managing Stress and Worry during the COVID19 Outbreak.
Useful Videos
Below are links to several videos with advice for dealing with mental health and wellbeing etc. but also other learning topics that you may wish to pursue.
School of life
The School of Life is dedicated to exploring the great questions of emotional and psychological life. We believe in developing emotional well-being through ideas and discussion.
School of life how to be confident
School of life overcoming bad inner voices
School of life self-compassion
School of life How to Soothe Ourselves and Others
School of life How to be a Friend to Yourself
School of life Taking It One Day at a Time
TED TALKS. Ideas Worth Sharing
3300+ talks to stir your curiosity
This could be why you’re depressed or anxious | Johann Hari
Depression, the secret we share | Andrew Solomon
Don’t suffer from your depression in silence | Nikki Webber Allen
What’s so funny about mental illness? | Ruby Wax
Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong | Johann Hari
Why thinking you’re ugly is bad for you | Meaghan Ramsey
Listening to shame | Brené Brown
There’s no shame in taking care of your mental health | Sangu Delle
Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model. | Cameron Russell
The power of vulnerability | Brené Brown
A simple way to break a bad habit | Judson Brewer
