Mental health and wellbeing resources

A while ago, TransActual UK asked our followers on social media what they do for self-care. Here’s what they told us:

“Make a note of something positive that you did today. If you’re finding life hard, it can be something as simple as leaving the house.”

“I play a game on the console to vent frustrations of the day, I then relax in bed by reading and discovering new music. It’s nice to have other worlds and emotions to explore.”

“Reading a book in bed – it doesn’t take a lot of effort, I get out of my own head into another world, it feels more productive than watching TV, and nobody is judging me for having dirty hair! It’s me time.”

“Writing music helps me to relax. It’s taken a long time for me to feel comfortable doing it again because of the amount of self-criticism I used to deal to myself. But when writing/recording music I get completely focused on what I’m doing and the goal at hand. It’s very satisfying being able to write and listen back to my own music, and I genuinely feel more invigorated from doing it.”

“Going for a walk gives me a chance to reflect upon the events of the day.”

“Gardening is great self care: nurturing, planting, growing. Being able to get my hands in the soil grounds me. It feels calming, like nature rewards me in return.”

“I like to have a warm drink. It always helps ground me and gives me a set time to just breathe and pay attention to myself.”

“I love spending time by the water. It doesn’t matter if it’s the sea, a lake or a river. Water calms me.”

“15 mins with the eyes closed and absolutely no noise. It really helps.”

“I take naps, read, write, listen to music, and I eat snacks. Showers are also very soothing. I like the sound of rain, so sometimes I just turn on rain sounds. I also clean and organize stuff.”

“I remind myself about the people around me who do support me and I sort of meditate on my identity. I remember that although I still have a long way to go and I don’t have much support or resources, I’ll get through this. Someday I’ll be there.”

“I draw how I wish I looked, take pictures, get haircuts, wear clothes that make me feel good, bind safely.”

“I talk to accepting friends, not so much about dysphoria, but to see their reactions around me. Being in an accepting environment can be so helpful. We all have our own destinations, and even if you feel like you are getting nowhere fast, each day you get a day closer.”

“I make sure I take time to do something I like. For me at the moment it’s either crochet, colouring or gaming.”

“I moderate my Twitter usage, only look at news sites twice a day, try to make connections with people who will be supportive, and indulge in cute things as I find them.”

“I took up kickboxing in October 2019 and it really helped to have a group of people who accepted me, that I could have a fun couple of hours with each week. It helped to give me something to focus on that wasn’t related to my transition and earning a belt was a real achievement for me.”

“I love knitting and listening to podcasts. At the start of my transition I felt ashamed for liking knitting and not more masculine activities, but now I’ve realised that it’s fine to like whatever you like and that knitting doesn’t make me less of a man or less trans.”

“I like to paint, make things, cook anything creative really. Doing these things really grounds me and stops the background noise that my dysphoria can cause. Most importantly it shows me that something good can be created with patience and commitment. Two things us trans folk need in abundance on our individual journeys.”

“To help myself cope with my dysphoria I removed all negative self talk and decided once a month to write down things that I like about myself rather than focusing on the things that I don’t. This helped me maintain self confidence and the strength to continue my journey.”