Dealing with change: Five top tips for coping with uncertain times

Finding things tricky at the moment? When times are uncertain, it can feel very unsettling.

Check out the advice below from Becky Wilkinson-Quinn, Clinical Lead (Scotland & Wales) at children’s mental health charity Place2Be who gives some tips on how to deal with change and uncertainty. But first, some thoughts on how to deal with change from Dr Radha.

How to deal with change

Dr Radha says, "One thing you can be certain of in life is that nothing ever stays the same – everything is always constantly changing. The date changes, seasons come and go and no one moment in time is the ever the same again. That sounds slightly mind-bending but it’s also incredible. As human beings we tend to judge change as either ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ depending on how much we are trying to control what happens to us or what we want. Because of this, we can either feel pleased and happy with change, or, conversely, we can feel sad and anxious with change."

"A little bit of change is healthy for us and we can manage it because we have the time and space to deal with it. If we have a lot of change all at once, or in lots of different areas of our lives one after the other, we can feel unsettled and worried. Whatever you are facing at the moment, and however things are changing in your life, remember everything passes and settles in the end. Until that happens, here are some top tips that I hope will support you."

Five top tips for dealing with change

1. Normalise don't minimise

"Acknowledge that things are changing. Even positive change can cause feelings of anger, loss or sadness, before we are able to look forward with hope and purpose. These are normal feelings to have in a very abnormal situation."

2. Express yourself

"Find ways to express your feelings in a way that feels good for you. This may be through talking, art and making, music, movement or something else. Share this with people you trust."

3. Consider both sides

"List the things that are different, but also the things that are the same. There will be lots of these. Think of the positives that have come from the change – they might surprise you."

4. Look after yourself and move

"Eating healthily and doing small things to be kind to yourself with help. Most importantly, move! The human body doesn't cope well to with stress over time. Get rid of those stress hormones by moving, dancing, exercising."

5. Take back control

"Stress and worry often come from not feeling in control. Take back your control by thinking of one or two small things that will help you feel better in that moment and act on them."

Tips from Becky Wilkinson-Quinn, Clinical Lead (Scotland & Wales) at children’s mental health charity Place2Be.

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.