How is your mental health?
WORLD Mental Health Week is being celebrated this week from October 7th to October 13th with World Mental Health day on October 10th. The Theme this year is: ‘Young People and Mental Health In a Changing World’.
As per the World Health Organisation ( WHO), ‘Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community’.
This is a big statement. To realise your potential is no small feat and what so many of us are seeking. It requires hard work, daily effort and focus. It requires looking after yourself in every way and doing what brings out the best in you – thinking resourcefully, making positive choices and taking positive actions. Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, there is no health without it. It is much more than the absence of mental disorders.
Poor mental health is shown to be associated with many factors including, unhealthy lifestyle choices, poor physical health, dramatic and rapid change, stressful work, discrimination, exclusion, all types of violence and human rights violations. Genetic, psychological and personality factors make some of us more vulnerable to mental health problems.
Mental illness affects many people in Ireland – directly and indirectly. Currently, one in four of us can expect to experience a mental health problem in our lives. Depression affects around one in 12 of us. Globally, 450 million people have a defined mental health problem. Most people who experience mental health problems make full and complete recoveries or are able to manage them, especially if they get help early on.
Mental health relates to all of us. We all have ‘mental health’. We all move up and down a spectrum of feeling good to not so good, well or happy day to day. If we go back to the definition, how many of us are reaching our ‘potential’ and if you are not, what is holding you back?
This is a week for each of us to look at and address mental health, limits, and solve the stresses that can be minimised and addressed.
To boost your mental health, here are great ways to do so:
1. Get Moving – When we feel physically alive it is much easier to feel good. A range of feel good chemicals get released in our brain when you exercise.
2. Eat Well – Eating good food and drinking enough water has a hugely positive impact on your mental wellbeing.
3. Do things you love every day. There has to be some excitement in your life – something to look forward to and a reason to get out of bed. When we do things we love, we feel more energized and happy to be alive.
4. Connect with Others – There is always strength in numbers. Connect with people that make you feel good about yourself and encourage you to be and do better.
5. Practice Meditation or Mindfulness. They help you be present, focused and connected – all very positive for your mental wellbeing.
6. Help others – Helping others is a great way to feel positive. It puts your own life in context and helps you see a bigger picture. If feels good to do good for others.
7. Ask for help when you need. Problems do not generally go away and need to be addressed. If you are feeling unduly stressed and cannot solve or cannot face your problems by yourself, speak to people that can help you.