Self-care for people who never do it.

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The self-care series

Written in order but readable on their own — from where to start when you're not okay, through daily basics, bad days, work burnout and drinking to numb out, to getting real professional help in the UK.

1. Part 2

   Self-care series 1: where to start when you're not okay

   Part one of the HHSS self-care series. What to do first when things feel heavy, why 'self-care' isn't bubble baths, and where to get real support in the UK.

2. Part 3

   Self-care series 2: the daily basics that actually hold you up

   Sleep, food, movement, daylight and screens. Part two of the HHSS self-care series covers the unglamorous daily habits that do most of the heavy lifting.

3. Part 4

   Self-care series 3: how to talk to your mates about mental health

   Part three of the HHSS self-care series. What to say when you're struggling, what to say when a mate is, and how to ask the awkward question properly.

4. Part 5

   Self-care series 4: a plan for the worst days

   The final part of the HHSS self-care series: how to build a simple bad-day plan before you need it, and the UK numbers to keep in your phone.

5. Part 6

   Self-care series 5: work stress, burnout and knowing when to stop

   Part five of the HHSS self-care series. How burnout actually shows up, the warning signs men tend to ignore, and what you can ask for at work in the UK.

6. Part 7

   Self-care series 6: building a support network before you need one

   Part six of the HHSS self-care series. How to build the handful of people and services you'll lean on later, while things are still fine.

7. Part 8

   Self-care series 7: sleep, the 3am spiral and getting your nights back

   Part seven of the HHSS self-care series. Why your worst thoughts arrive at 3am, what actually helps, and when broken sleep is worth seeing a GP about.

8. Part 9

   Self-care series 8: drinking, numbing out and the Sunday dread

   Part eight of the HHSS self-care series. An honest look at using drink, weed or endless scrolling to take the edge off — and what to do instead.

9. Part 10

   Self-care series 9: how to actually get professional help in the UK

   The final part of the HHSS self-care series. What to say to your GP, how NHS talking therapies self-referral works, and what happens next.

When it's more than self-care

Self-care helps, but some things need more than a routine. These guides cover getting help in the UK, saying it out loud, anxiety, depression and holding it together at work.

• Mental health basics

  Mental health in the UK: where to start when you're struggling

  A plain-English guide to getting help in the UK — who to call today, how NHS talking therapies work, what a GP appointment is actually like, and what to do while you wait.

• Mental health basics

  How to talk about your mental health without making it weird

  Scripts for telling a mate, a partner or a manager that you're struggling — including what to do when it lands badly and how to ask someone else the question.

• Mental health basics

  Anxiety in plain English: what it is and what actually helps

  Why your body reacts before your brain catches up, the difference between everyday nerves and an anxiety disorder, and the handful of things that genuinely reduce it.

• Mental health basics

  Depression isn't sadness: what it actually feels like

  Flatness, irritability, exhaustion and the days you function perfectly and still feel nothing — what depression looks like from the inside, and what shifts it.

• Mental health basics

  Mental health at work: your rights and the conversation

  Fit notes, reasonable adjustments, the Equality Act, phased returns and what you actually have to tell your employer — plus how to open the conversation.

Self-care questions, answered honestly

What is self-care, actually?

Real self-care is mostly boring maintenance: sleeping, eating, moving, daylight and telling one person the truth about how you are. It is refusing to treat yourself worse than you would treat a mate — not bubble baths and wellness products.

What are some easy self-care ideas for bad days?

Start with two-minute wins: drink a glass of water, open a window, text one person something true, step outside for five minutes. Our guide to 25 easy self-care ideas for bad days lists them in order, from two minutes to a full afternoon, with nothing that costs money.

How do I improve my mental health day to day?

Bit by bit, not all at once. The daily basics — sleep, food, movement, daylight, less doom-scrolling — do most of the heavy lifting, and talking to someone you trust does the rest. If things stay heavy for more than a couple of weeks, see your GP; self-care supports professional help, it does not replace it.

Is self-care enough on its own?

Sometimes, and sometimes it is not. If you are struggling to get through the day, self-care tips will not be enough — call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time, or text SHOUT to 85258. In an emergency, call 999. Free UK support is listed at the end of every HHSS guide.

Free UK support, any time

• Samaritans — call 116 123, free, 24/7, from any phone
• SHOUT — text SHOUT to 85258, 24/7
• CALM — call 0800 58 58 58, 5pm to midnight every day
• In an emergency — call 999 or go to A&E

More helplines and services are on the mental health support page. Every HHSS order carries a fixed donation to Man Down UK — see the collection.

UK delivery

HHSS is online only — no shops, no stockists. Orders for every HHSS hoodie, cap and sticker are sent tracked to every UK address across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Car window stickers ship free and are dispatched in 1–2 working days. Drop 01 clothing is live — early-access members are shopping first; sign up for early access.

See UK delivery and returns, the hoodie size guide, contact us or shop the collection. Wherever you order from, support is national: Samaritans on 116 123 is free from any UK phone, 24 hours a day.