Introduction
Welcome to this Self Help section of the website. This section contains modules on practical life skills such as problem solving, assertiveness and anxiety control. The reason we have added this section is that life skills are essential in our day to day life. Of course we will all have some level of knowledge about the topics covered but these skills are essential to us; they can help us get more out of life and reach the goals we have set ourselves. These skills are also particularly useful as there are times when we feel we could do with a little extra help in order to achieve what we want and help us get through tougher times.

Likewise if we look at ourselves we've all got various strengths, things we're good at, things that we're happy other people knowing about. There are also relative areas of our lives that we're not so strong at, areas we'd like to change given the chance. This life skills course is very much here not to radically change us completely, just to help us stop and think and reflect on how we are, why we feel as we feel, why we react as we do. The course tries to help us to take a realistic approach to making some specific step-by-step changes that can make a difference.

Course background
The course has been developed by Dr Chris Williams who is a Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at the University of Glasgow with a special interest in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Dr Williams has spent many years developing this course and recent evaluations indicate a high level of efficacy compared with other self help materials. CBT is one of the most effective forms of psychotherapy. It is particularly effective for helping people learn new life skills, particularly ones addressing distress, worry and anxiety. To find out more about CBT, please access the following leaflet. (Link to CBT leaflet)

Format of the section
This Self Help section provides you with 11 different modules covering the following topics:

• Starting out
• Anxiety control training 1
• Anxiety control training 2
• Helpful and unhelpful behaviours
• Noticing unhelpful thinking
• Changing unhelpful thinking
• Assertiveness
• Practical problem solving
• Sleeping better
• Healthy living
• Staying well

In order to use these modules you need to register. You will be asked to log in at the start of every module. The materials for each module include an audio file and a corresponding handout.

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• USEFUL LINKS:
• WHAT IS CBT?
• URGENT HELP

Who should use this course?
Anyone! The course can be beneficial to all of us. The course is designed for anyone who wants to learn new life skills. All of us at times feel fed up or low or tense or anxious. The course may also well be relevant if you're experiencing lower mood than just being fed up or low, where you are actually feeling depressed or very anxious or panicky about things. If you are just dissatisfied with how things are at the moment and you want to live your life differently, improve your quality of life, this course could be for you.

However the course should not be seen as a replacement or alternative in any way for expert assessment or intervention, It is advisable to discuss your use of this course with your healthcare practitioner or doctor. The other thing to raise is that if you're feeling very low, depressed or down, your motivation's low, your concentration might be affected and your general get up and go might be reduced, it's likely that you may struggle to have the motivation to do the course or do all of the course. You may well need additional help if you are going to take steps forward so please do discuss your needs with your healthcare practitioner and your general practitioner. If you ever find yourself feeling actively suicidal where you are having thoughts that you wish you were dead or not around, beginning to make plans to harm yourself in any way, then this course isn't for you at this moment. We would strongly advise you to go and see your doctor or go to Accident and Emergency as a priority. At the end of this screen we've summarised an additional resource under the urgent help links so that you can obtain more advice on where to get help.