We all have days when we feel stressed, anxious or down, especially during times like exams or a relationship break-up. Usually, we begin to feel better after a few days. But if you have strong feelings that last for weeks it can really affect your life and you might need help.

Some of the problems you may experience include:

• severe panic or fear
• not wanting to be with your family and friends
• taking drugs and drinking too much
• hearing voices or seeing things
• wanting to harm yourself
• difficulty going to sleep or getting up in the morning
• loss of appetite or change in your eating patterns.

When you're feeling really bad you can be desperate to reach out and tell someone. But it's not always easy. You might be afraid of being judged, being laughed at or made to feel weird. Help is out there, in lots of different forms.

Talk to someone

It can really help to talk about it. Confide in someone you trust. Try to explain clearly what you’re feeling and be as honest as you can.

If there is no one you feel you can trust you can contact:

• Childline – 0800 1111
• Samaritans – 0845 790 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org
• A Connexions personal adviser

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

If you are 17 or under, and have complex mental health problems you can get help from CAMHS. You may have had a visit from us in a PSHE lesson at school. We can help work out what your problems are and how best to treat them. We can help:

• the whole family (family therapy)
• just you on your own
• your parents or carers on their own.

We can also offer different kinds of therapy like art or play, or help you get support for problems with drink or drugs.

Everything you say to us is confidential. This means we won’t share it with anyone else - even your parents - without your permission, unless we are very concerned for your safety.

If you need some extra support we can also arrange for you to have support whilst in hospital.

If you have had help from CAMHS and would like to get involved in improving the service for other young people, we want to hear from you!

Visit the Sussex Partnership NHS Trust website for contact details for CAMHS.