Mental Health | Take Care of Your Mental Health

 

Mental Health problems are the most overlooked health problems in the world because people neglect it. They hesitate when sharing these feelings with others due to the fear of society classifying them as insane or crazy. Some common mental health disorders include depression, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 1 in 5 adults are impacted by mental conditions at least once in their lives.

Mental Health – What exactly is a mental illness?

A physical illness in the brain is called a mental illness. It causes disturbances in the way you act, think, behave and feel, making it a challenge to cope with your day to day stresses. Causes of a mental illness can be genetic (inherited from your parents), your personal experiences, or a combination of both. Moreover, here is an article that explains the impact of genes and personal experiences on one’s mental wellbeing: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/nature-versus-nurture

Mental Health is important to look after:

Looking after your mental health is very important because it impacts your behaviour, thoughts and your emotions. Being healthy mentally plays a big part in being healthy physically. Being aware of one’s mental health can play a huge part in ensuring proper treatment and medication is being provided to the affected. In addition to this, performance at workplaces and risks of suicide can be controlled if you are aware of your and your loved one’s mental wellbeing.

There are many ways you can look after your mental health:

Here is a brief run-down of things you can do to care for your mental health.
1. Talk to someone – Verbalising your feelings makes them a lot easier to deal with. Further, just being heard can lift the weight off your shoulders.

2. Do more of the things you are good at – Enjoying yourself beats stress! Doing something you are good at can help you feel like you achieved something. Also, this wins over the negative emotions in your brain.

3. Accept yourself the way you are – Everyone is different. Everyone is unique in their own way. Never wish that you were more like someone else. Feeling good about the way you are can boost your confidence. Be proud of the person that you have become!

4. Mellow out – Slow down and let your thoughts flow. Try not to stop yourself from feeling the way you feel. Take a deep breath and try meditating to really relax.

5. Eat healthy – Ever heard of the phrase “You are what you eat”? Well, what you eat can have a lasting impact on your brain. Drink plenty of water, avoid sugar and caffeine in high amounts and limit the consumption of alcohol.

When to reach out for help:

When you start experiencing extreme changes in your mood, personality, eating and sleeping pattern, it is necessary that you reach out for help from a professional.

It is normal to feel minor changes in your mood, personality, eating or sleeping. But when you notice these symptoms lasting for a long time that make you incapable of dealing with your day to day anxiety or stress, talk to someone or see a doctor.

Get the help you need as soon as possible. Obviously, it is best to seek out a professional, but talking to someone you trust can be very helpful too.

To conclude:

It is imperative that people raise awareness of these problems and encourage individuals opening up about their mental health. We need to let people know that it is okay to reach out for help without feeling hesitated or neglected by society.

Awareness about topics like this are very valuable in educating people about issues that are taboo and somewhat unspeakable. Do not hesitate to reach for help when you need it. Also, if you know someone struggling mentally and emotionally, please reach out to them.

Sometimes, just a few words of support can go hundreds of miles. A few words of encouragement can make someone’s day a lot better. Eat healthy, think healthy and stay healthy.