#TuesdayThinks: It’s time to practice emotional first aid.

Every Tuesday we think some thinks and round-up some top tips.

Every kid reaches for a plaster when they get even the slightest graze (these Paw Patrol beauties stop tears like magic!). Kids know that if they get hurt, they need to clean and protect the wound to stop it getting worse.

So why don’t we teach emotional first aid too? Why don’t we spend time helping people understand how they feel and what action they need to take to practice self-care?

Psychologist Guy Winch explores this very question in a short Ted Talk, pointing out how much time we spend on our physical health while neglecting to recognise how emotional traumas are affecting us.

Did you know that social isolation, living alone and loneliness are linked with about a 30% higher risk of early death? That’s more than heavy smoking. Shocking really.

And as we hunker down for a long, socially-distanced winter we thought we’d share some tips to keep your mental health front of mind and take action to look after it every day.

Three tips for practicing emotional first aid:

1. Recognise emotional pain: acknowledge how you’re feeling and take action. Look for resources to make sense of it all, or talk things through with a trusted friend. Look for signs in others too and offer a friendly ear.
2. Protect your self-esteem: if you start putting yourself down, challenge those thoughts. Think about how you’d speak to a friend and write yourself some kind words to redirect your focus.
3. Build good habits: just like you brush your teeth twice a day, make time in your routine for emotional self-care. This could be journaling, practicing meditation or taking time to savour a cup of tea. Find what works for you and build a moment of inner peace into each and every day.

Got any tips you’d like to share? Topics you’d like us to cover? Let us know, and we’ll see you next week!