Calmer mind, safer choices

Understanding our emotions

We all have different ways of coping with difficult situations or difficult times in our life. Some people use healthy ways of coping, like exercise or talking to someone they trust. Others may have strategies to help feel calmer in the moment.

However, for may of us, the strategies we use can leave us feeling worse. We may stop doing things we enjoy, turn to alcohol or other drugs, disconnect from family and friends or find ourselves using violence.

At times, we all feel emotions like anger, frustration, or shame. What is important is how we respond to these emotions. This is because feeling a strong emotion, and how we respond to it, are different things.

To help learn more about our emotions, and how we can better manage them in times of stress, the video below that covers:

• why we feel strong emotions
• strategies to help manage our emotions
• where we can gain further support.

Further support

Learning to manage our emotions in healthier ways can be difficult to do on our own. However, finding support from the right people can make a big difference.

If you feel you would like further support, the services listed below may be able to help. You can access these services by contacting them directly (no referral is needed).

Looking to support a friend or family member? Many of the services listed on this page can help family and friends find ways to support someone close to them.