Mental Health: You must prioritise this!

The importance of self-care cannot be overemphasized therefore, we must care for not just our bodies but thoughts and emotions as well.

Experts define mental illness as brain-based conditions that affect thinking, emotions, and behaviours. They include emotional, psychological, and social well-being of people which affect the way such individuals think, feel and behave.

A psychologist, Fred Rogers once said, “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be manageable. When we talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary”.

Medical experts have also said there are numerous mental health disorders, but most common ones are anxiety, psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia including stress and trauma-related illness.

Mental health issues among youths should be taken seriously as they usually face discrimination which makes it quite difficult to maintain a healthy and long-term relationship together with keeping a socially active circle.

These issues can be caused by childhood abuse, social isolation, severe or long-term stress, bereavement, domestic abuse, neurological condition, or even drug and alcohol abuse.

They can have a long-term effect on the mental well-being of individuals which may lead to suicide at some point in extreme cases.

Improving and maintaining your mental wellbeing helps prevent some mental health problems, and as a youth, self-awareness and self-care will keep you in check leading to a healthy lifestyle.

A healthy mental state can be achieved by building your self-esteem; frequently talking about your feelings; connecting with friends and family; avoiding drugs, alcohol, eating healthy and getting enough sleep; peer support; making time for therapeutic activities and getting professional help.

We advise that authorities should ensure that mental health education should greatly be encouraged even in schools and awareness should be significantly increased.

Miss Obasi can be reached at susanobasi24@gmail. com