Healthy Heads and Hearts
Healthy Heads and Hearts – Difference is Normal
The LGBT young people of Allsorts have created a mental health support and resource booklet for their peers.
This is a resource booklet written by and for young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or unsure. It is about thier experiences and how their inner resources and resilience has got them through difficult times in their lives. Below are some extracts from Healthy Heads and Hearts.
Many of our peers at Allsorts think that deep down they are unacceptable. Because of this, they may face problems with their mental health and resort to self-harming behaviour. Reflecting on our own experiences, we believe that when LGBT young people understand that the problem is not rooted in them, but in society’s discrimination, they may begin to find new possibilities for acceptance.
Here are some of the personal things that have helped us to overcome some of the barriers we face;
Get help and support
Find a way to express yourself
Respect yourself as an individual
Just say it as it is! Be proud of who you are! Friends can support you!
Campaigne against and challenge homophobia, transphobia and biphobia
Peer support – being around people like you. Join and LGBT club or youth group
Everyone is different. We all have different ways of coping. We all have resources inside of us even when we’re not aware that we have them. What is it that helps us get through the hard times in our lives? Where does our strength and courage come from? The young people of Allsorts have some suggestions.
Don’t give myself a hard time about feeling bad
Treat myself
Have a nice meal
Go to movies with friends
Post on NHSN (National Self- Harm network)
Go somewhere new
Watch Will and Grace box set (light hearted comedy)
Go second hand clothes shopping
Hang out with my cats
Paint
Young people from Allsorts describe how spending time in our favourite spaces and places where we feel comfortable and safe can help us reconnect with our inner resources.
Nature
The woods in Spring or Autumn. Where I love is a place that you can see all the greenery. You sit there and look around and think ‘this is a really nice place’. You do a lot of thinking. I feel safe and emotional, because I couldn’t share that feeling.’
Underwater when I’m diving. It’s the best feeling ever for me. It really is like escaping the world and entering something completely different, like you’re flying. It’s really silent, apart from your breathing.
In the countryside. You’re there with your thoughts and the wildlife. It’s calming. I feel at one when I’m somewhere isolated.
Being creative
When I’m singing I relieve lots of the emotions that I feel it’s easier to write that express in sp0ken words.
Painting – everything becomes colour and liquid and fluid, taking me somewhere magical.
Acting – the feeling after I’ve opened out and let all that out. I don’t want it to end. I feel so full and intense and empty all at the same time.
In the bath – Away from eveyone. I can think and I can deal with my feelings. When the air hits you, you feel fresh and clean. It feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Escapism and getting away.
Allsorts – I feel really comfortable. There’s a couple of people in my class at college – I always have to be careful what I say. here I can make jokes and talk about it if I fancy women. All my friends are here.
