Saturday 10th October 2020 marks World Mental Health Day. I thought I’d do something a little different and make it a Frugal Friday post to share a few mental health-related finds.
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Balance Meditation App – 1 Year FREE Subscription
Balance is an app for improving “stress, sleep, mood and more” with meditations and other tools. They’re currently offering one year’s membership of the app for free in honour of World Mental Health Day. A Balance Yearly 1 year trial is usually £67.99!
You can download the Balance app on the Apple App Store here.
Free Calming Music Downloads
Music can have a profound effect on our mood. The Salt Of The Sound website is currently hosting a range of soothing, calming tracks to download for free to help during these stressful times.
Take a listen & download the calming music here.
Free Living With Uncertainty Guide
The Psychology Tools websites has a few resources available for free download. For example, ‘Living With Worry And Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty’ was produced in March 2020 to provide support during the Coronavirus pandemic. Check out the free PDF download for the global uncertainty guide here.
Future Learn Mental Health Day Courses
Future Learn, from the Open University, offer a range of fab free online courses. I’ve done a few with them myself. For World Mental Health Day, they’ve put together a catalogue of free courses around mental health, such as:
- Understanding Anxiety, Depression & CBT
- Nutrition & Wellbeing
- Understanding Depression & Low Mood In Young People
- Professional Resilience : Building Skills To Thrive At Work
- Social Wellbeing
- Digital Wellbeing
- Sleep Deprivation : Habits, Solutions & Strategies
Browse the selected Future Learn mental health courses here.
Free NHS Mental Health Apps
Did you know the NHS website offer their own apps. There are free and paid apps on lots of topics within physical and mental health. In terms of mental health, there are the likes of distrACT for information & advice on suicidal feelings & self harm, eQuoo emotional fitness game, and Chill Panda for breathing exercises, plus lots more.
*NHS Apps library has closed*
Colouring Books
Arts, crafts & adult colouring are all beneficial for a lot of people in encouraging us to slow down, calm our frazzled nerves and become more mindful. It’s also a way to express ourselves and find a small slice of joy in the day.
You can find a list of recommended adult colouring books here.
There are also plenty of free templates you can download and print if you have a printer at home. For example:
Free Mindfulness MP3 Downloads
Soothe your soul with some mindfulness practice. As part of the Free Mindfulness Project, this site is making a range of meditations available for free download.
Click the ‘Download’ button in the right hand column, or right click the file and select ‘Save as…’ to download it to your computer so you can listen to it anywhere, any time.
Take a browse of the free downloads here.
CBD For Wellbeing
The world of CBD is continually growing, as is the list of happy customers who’ve found it to be of benefit in some way. Always speak to your doctor before starting a new supplement, especially if you’re taking other medications. CBD, like all treatments, works differently for everyone but some people find it can be helpful for pain management, helping to keep low-level anxiety level, and helping with sleep.
If you’re interested in trying it but don’t know where to start, you can learn more about navigating the world of CBD here.
I’ve previously collaborated with CBDiablo and would recommend them as a company that’s put their heart and soul into their top-quality products. You can check out CBDiablo here.
I’d also recommend Reakiro, another UK & Europe company, for their varied range of CBD goodies. Take a look at my Reakiro review or visit the Reakiro website to browse here.
List Of Mental Health Crisis Helpline Numbers
A general Google search should bring up charities and resources in your home country. For convenience, I’ve listed a few here you might want to check out.
UK
At Mind, you can find a list of mostly freephone numbers for mental health crisis helplines to call if you’re struggling. If you need a non-judgemental person to listen, they’re there for you. The Mind website has lots of other advice and support, too.
US
Mental Health America lists various contacts and resources for mental health support.
Australia
HealthDirect provides information on who to call if you need support in Australia.
F*ck It – Refreshing Self-Help
I’ve posted before about my love and recommendation for books that take the f*ck it approach. As someone with high anxiety that stresses too much about anything and everything, learning to care a little less can be helpful. The books here are like a breath of fresh air to read. They may or may not be life-changing, but they might just help to spark some changes in your perspective.
- The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson – Subtle Art @ Amazon UK / Subtle Art @ Amazon US / The Book Depository (free worldwide delivery)
- F**k It : The Ultimate Spiritual Way by John C. Parkin – F**ck It @ Amazon UK / F**k It @ Amazon US / The Book Depository
- You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero – Badass @ Amazon UK / Badass @ Amazon US / The Book Depository
- The Art Of Happiness : A Handbook For Living by The Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler – Happiness Handbook @ Amazon UK / Happiness Handbook @ Amazon US / The Book Depository
- You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay – Heal @ Amazon UK / Health @ Amazon US / Book Depository (free worldwide delivery)
Check out the full list of life-changing reads & self-help books here.
Other Frugal Finds
Money Off Medichecks Blood Tests
Medichecks offer UK home blood fingerprick tests, but you can also choose a clinic test or nurse home visit if you prefer. You can learn more in my Medichecks review here. There’s currently money off the Thyroid Check UltraVit Blood Test, Lyme disease Home Blood Test, Nutrition Home Blood Test, PCOS Home Blood Tests, and Diabetes Tests.
You can also get 10% off Medichecks tests using this link and the discount code INVISME10.
Amazon Prime Day
Love it or hate it, Prime Day is around the corner and Black Friday will approach soon after. Some deals are starting early, like 20% off Home & Electronics, up to 50% off Prime entertainment and 20% off Amazon brand essentials.
It’s always worth checking if you’re eligible for a free trial as a new or returning Prime customer, too! Here’s all the info for Prime Day US and Prime Day UK.
Are there any apps, self-help books or other tools you’d recommend when it comes to mental health?
Caz ♥
The deals here are for general mental health support. If you are struggling, please speak to your doctor and get professional support.
Further Reading :
23 comments
Terrific list, filled with useful ways to handle illness of any kind in your life!
Thanks, John – I was really pleased to be able to find all of these so I hope someone can find something they’d like to try. Have a great weekend!
When my son doesn’t want to color, I do it instead. I find it incredibly calming.
I’m sure you’re not alone there, B. Adult colouring seems to be incredibly popular lately, but I think I’d be furiously colouring & shredding the paper. Have a relaxing weekend lovely xx
I love your Frugal Fridays. I can always find something useful. I like the calming music. Amazon provides this using the Alexa app I have, but on days when that’s not available, I can benefit from the free frugal download of the same type of music. Much thanks Caz. Have A Happy Weekend.
I’m really glad you like the Frugal Fridays posts! It’s always awesome when I can find some freebies or discounts to share, and I do hope someone can find something here they’d like to try out. Get Alexa to play you some soothing tunes & rest up this weekend, Darnell ????
Fabulous post Caz
Thanks muchly, Jo, glad you liked it! Hope you’re keeping as well as possible ???? x
You rock at these. There are so many wonderful things out there if you take the time to find them.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. Caz. ♥
There really are lots of awesome resources, discounts, tools and freebies out there, and I love being able to hunt for them and share them here. Hopefully there’s something that could be useful for someone. Thanks, Sandee – Hope you & hubby are enjoying your cruise if you’re not back home already! xx
What a great list, I especially like the free calming music, and the balance app, going to check them out. Some nights I just can’t sleep and I haven’t found any good music sound. I love the Amazon prime day, thanks for the reminder. As always this is such great info, thank you xo
I’m glad you could find something of interest. Calming music at night is a great idea, so I really hope it helps when you’re struggling to nod off, Masha. Here’s to lots of good sleep this weekend! ♥ xx
Thank you dear Caz xoxo
Great list Caz!
Thanks, Mel, glad you liked it! Hope you have a relaxing weekend ???? xx
I have saved a couple of those colouring websites after taking a look. Although I do have plenty to colour still in books.
You can never have too many though.
I have read the Art of Mindfulness. It was a frw years ago now. I enjoyed the read and enlightening
I have downloaded the ‘Living With Worry And Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty’ onto my phone. As its not too many pages, I will print it off to read.
There is a good selection of things here that you have shared.
You’re right, you can never have too many with things like colouring pages. It’s always better when it’s free, too. I’m glad you enjoyed the Art of Mindfulness. These sorts of books can be very refreshing to read and helpful in giving us a different perspective when we need it the most. Enjoy Living With Worry & Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty – I might join you with that one.
I’m really glad you liked the Frugal picks, Liz. I love finding them so it’s great if someone can spot something they might want to make use of. I hope it’s a relaxing weekend for you lovely.xx
Luu: “Our Dada says we could all use a ‘Living with Uncertainty’ guide this year!”
Hi Caz, Great list. Thanks for the ideas. Glad to see Future Learn there. I’m starting a course next Monday (YAY to get back to study) on ‘Embedding MH in the Curriculum. Written by the OU and endorsed my the MH Foundation it is being offered at a reduced price.
Agree with choice of books. We have two of Mark Manson books. Really good reads and certainly put life into a healthier perspective.
Hope you’re enjoying sun today! ☀????
Take care, Maz XX
Wow, you really have done your homework here Kally. You found some amazing freebies and I particularly love the free music apps – I currently use some music/waves free on Youtube but I’ll be checking out your ideas now.
This is fantastic! I’m forwarding it to my son, who started a mental health club at his school. He can bring this up at the next meeting:)
I had read through this and it wasn’t after having a conversation with a friend that I realized how dope it was. Great stuff????????????
Awesome list, Caz! I especially love that you combined Frugal Friday with World Mental Health Day. Brilliant plan! You succeeded because I had no idea any of these specials were going on!
Like you, I’m fascinated by the Open University, “Future Learn,” programs. Wow, those are amazing. I’ll be going and taking a look at those now. 😉 It’s surprising sometimes where we might find a nugget of truth that really can transform our entire lives. We could find it anywhere. Even just a random sentence on a sign somewhere can spark something in us. Learning more about our whole selves can only do us good. Like onions, we have many layers. Peeling those back and understanding why we are who we are and do what we do is a pretty amazing thing! Psychology is fascinating.
I love the adult coloring idea as well. One of my dear friends was obsessed with anything and everything adult coloring related. She would come up with the most amazing designs. It was her saving grace for her mental health. We often underestimate the powerful effect of simple pleasures in life, don’t we?
Thanks for sharing these resources, Caz. I love that you included some mental health help phone numbers too. Everyone should have the resources they need in their time of need. It’s scary to think of how many people feel alone!