• Know Your Needs: What helps you feel calm, focused, and content? This could involve quiet time, physical activity, creative expression, or engaging in your special interests. Equally important is identifying what overwhelms you (e.g., loud noises, busy environments, social pressure).
• Identify Your Strengths: Everyone has unique strengths. What are you good at? What do you genuinely enjoy? Recognising your talents, whether it’s creativity, problem-solving, attention to detail, or empathy, builds confidence and self-worth.
• Understand Your Triggers: What situations, demands, or environments consistently lead to stress, anxiety, or overwhelm for you? Keeping a simple diary can help you spot patterns. Knowing your triggers allows you to plan and advocate for your needs.
• Embrace Your Interests: Hobbies and passions are incredibly important for mental wellbeing. They offer a sense of purpose, enjoyment, and a healthy outlet for stress. For neurodivergent young people, special interests are often deeply regulating and comforting; allow yourself to fully engage with them.

• Movement and Physical Activity: Find physical activities that feel good to you, whether it’s walking, dancing, cycling, playing sports, or simply stretching. Movement can release tension and improve your mood. Even short bursts of activity can make a difference.
• Breathing Exercises: Simple deep breathing can quickly calm your nervous system. Try different techniques to find what works best for you:
• 4-7-8 Breathing: Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7, then exhale slowly through your mouth for 8.
• Box Breathing: Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, and repeat.
• Mindfulness and Grounding: These techniques help you focus on the present moment, reducing overwhelming thoughts.
• 5-4-3-2-1 Technique: Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This helps bring your focus back to the present.
• Body Scan: Gently focus your attention on different parts of your body, noticing any sensations without judgment.
• Sensory Focus: If you’re neurodivergent, try focusing on specific sensory input that is calming for you (e.g., the texture of a favourite blanket, the warmth of a mug, a calming sound).
• Creative Expression: Drawing, writing, playing music, or engaging in digital art can be powerful ways to process emotions and reduce stress. Explore different mediums to find what resonates with you.
• Stimming (for Neurodivergent Young People): Self-stimulatory behaviours (stimming) like rocking, fidgeting, or humming are natural ways many neurodivergent people regulate their emotions and sensory input. Embrace safe stims that help you.
• Routine and Predictability: Consistent routines can reduce anxiety by making daily life more predictable. Visual schedules or checklists can be especially helpful. Plan your day, even if it’s just a rough outline.
• Connecting with Nature: Spending time outdoors can be incredibly calming and restorative. Even a short walk in a park can make a difference.
• Talking to Someone You Trust: Share your feelings with a friend, family member, counsellor, or teacher. Talking can help you feel less alone and gain different perspectives.
• Challenging Negative Thoughts: When you notice negative thoughts, try to question them. Are they realistic? Is there another way to look at the situation?
• Setting Realistic Goals: Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small.
• Practising Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Everyone makes mistakes and has challenging days. Treat yourself with the same understanding and compassion you’d offer a friend.
• Managing Overwhelm (Meltdowns/Shutdowns):
• Prevention: Learn to recognise early warning signs of overwhelm (e.g., increased irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating) and try to remove yourself from the overwhelming situation if possible.
• During: Seek a safe, quiet space. Use your sensory tools. If you can, communicate your needs (e.g., “Need space,” “Too loud”). Allow yourself time to process without judgment.

After: Practice self-compassion. Rest, recharge, and avoid self-blame

• What’s On YoungMinds?: A podcast by and for young people about mental health, featuring honest conversations about challenges and triumphs.

• Moodspace: Mood tracking and journaling app to help you understand your emotional patterns.
• Calm Harm: Helps young people manage urges to self-harm by providing tasks to distract and comfort.
• Wysa: An AI chatbot that provides mental health support and exercises based on CBT and DBT.