The last few years have been tough for all of us, challenging both our physical and our mental health. Since March 2020 we have all had to struggle with isolation, high inflation and increased anxiety about the Covid virus and war in Ukraine. You may have found your own ways of coping, but it is natural to sometimes feel overwhelmed. Feeling worried low or anxious for long periods of time are not just part and parcel of getting older they are important signs that you are not feeling as well as you should be.
Often when we think about new year’s resolutions, we think about addressing how much we eat and how little we exercise. This year we may need to focus on our mental health. It only takes a few minutes to check your mental health. Do you enjoy socialising, going to work, being with family and friends? How about getting out of bed? High levels of stress, anger and frustration can also indicate poor mental health.
Mental health awareness
There are many forms of wholeness and health – physical health, spiritual health, and mental health. Our mental health is a combination of the physiology of our brains and the functions of our emotions working hand-in-hand for an even mood, clear mindedness, and filtering life’s realities.
Mental health awareness is the realisation that in the same way we need well-functioning systems like the respiratory, circulatory, and other systems, we need well-functioning mental health as well. We are generally clear on the factors that can affect our physical health. Factors like:
- Diet
- Exercise
- Genetics
- Exposure to dangerous substances chemicals
- Disease
- And more
In the same way, our mental health can be affected by similar factors. Factors like:
- Genetics
- Exposure to dangerous substances and chemicals
- Trauma
- Abuse
- Disease
- And more
The term mental health generally refers to the way people feel. Disruptions in how people feel fall into the mood category of mental health. Additionally, there can be disruptions in how people think due to mental illness. An example could be schizophrenia, where delusions of the senses can impact how someone thinks as they respond to the delusion.
Did you know? Schizophrenia can affect any of the five senses. Delusions can be seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled. Not all schizophrenics see things that aren’t there. There is a myriad of ways someone can experience this mental illness.
Proper mental health awareness includes the positive and negative elements of the mental health system in the body. Striving for mental health well-being is just as much a part of mental health awareness as understanding the stigmas and complexities of mental health diseases. Mental health awareness should be considered two sides of one coin.
Managing a mental illness
There are many reasons why more people may experience poor mental health this year. From increased financial pressure to relationship breakdown after the pandemic.
In January I will be publishing a short series of posts to help you know how to recognise if you or someone you care about has a mental health problem. I am going to talk about how to ask for help and how to support someone who is suffering from a mental illness. I hope my posts will help someone.
- Accessing Services for Mental Health Doesn’t Have to Be Scary
- Supporting Someone with a Mental Illness
- What to Do When Your Mental Illness Feels Like Too Much
Where to find out more.
