We all have ‘emotional emergencies’ sometimes. Times when our minds need looking after. Here are some ways you can build your emotional first aid kit.
Life can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for young people. At Kooth, we often hear from those experiencing anxiety, low mood or friendship worries.
Our mission is to make it easy to access help in the moment, whether through our resources (stories, goal tracking, journalling) or one-to-one chats with our professional team.
A big part of what we do is helping young people learn skills they can carry with them throughout life. This preventative, person-centred approach can be a powerful way to build resilience and protect long-term wellbeing.
This World Mental Health Day, we’re focusing on a simple but effective idea: creating your own ‘emotional first aid kit.’ Just like a physical first aid kit helps with cuts and scrapes, an emotional one can give you tools to calm your mind and manage stress when things get tough.
Take, for example, a 12-year-old girl we supported recently as she started secondary school. She was struggling with sadness, low self-worth and anxiety. Through regular chats with a Kooth practitioner, she learned to express her feelings and develop her own coping strategies.
Over time, she built confidence, resilience and her own version of an emotional first aid kit. Skills like these can stop challenges from escalating and help young people feel more in control.
Here are some evidence-based strategies to get started:
1. Stay in the present
When you feel overwhelmed, bring yourself back to the here and now:
This simple exercise can calm your mind and body.
2. Carry something comforting
Keep a small item nearby that soothes you, such as:
These little anchors can make stressful moments easier.
3. Create coping cards
Write down a few short reminders to read when things feel tough:
Store them in your notebook, wallet or notes app for easy access.
4. List your emergency contacts
Don’t wait until a crisis to find support. Keep a list of:
Knowing where to turn can make all the difference.
5. Use prompts to process feelings
Writing can help you untangle emotions and reduce stress. Try prompts like:
Why it matters
An emotional first aid kit doesn’t need to be complicated, it just needs to be yours. Having a few strategies ready can help you steady yourself when life feels unsteady.
This World Mental Health Day, let’s focus on greater access:
Remember that you deserve the right support, exactly when you need it.
If you are in need of further support, head to The Diana Award resources page to find guides and activities to support your mental wellbeing.
For mental wellbeing support, including free one-to-one text-based chat, sign up to Kooth.
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