Lots of us have felt worried about the coronavirus pandemic, and everyone will feel differently about the changes to lockdown restrictions.

If someone’s feeling anxious or worried, you don’t need to be an expert on mental health to support them. Think about using our three top tips:

1) Check in

If someone doesn’t feel ready to meet face-to-face, picking up the phone, having a video call, starting a group chat or messaging someone on social media lets them know you are there to talk and ready to listen.

2) Listen and reflect

Whether you have a mental health problem or not, this will be a challenging time for our mental health and wellbeing. If someone opens up to you, remember that you don't need to fix things or offer advice. Often just listening, and showing you take them seriously, can help someone to manage.

3) Ask questions  

Ask how people are managing, and ask again if you're worried they aren't sharing the full picture. Asking again, with interest, can help someone to open up and explore what they're feeling.

If you are in need of mental health advice and information in relation to Covid-19, our partners Mind and Rethink Mental Illness have a number of resources at the bottom of this page.