Mental health is a challenge that affects everyone, no matter who we are. Given that every year, one in four persons would suffer a mental health problem, you might think that such prevalence would increase awareness and reduce stigma. Yet, it is still very difficult to talk about mental health problems against physical health challenges.
It’s important to remember not just to talk about mental health, but to change our behavior as well. Recognizing the signs in others can be learned with the right training and experience.
So what can we do to help ourselves and others who possibly are going through the same challenges?
Relationships
Three simple words we should all consider saying – “Are you OK?”
Healthy and supportive relationships reduce the risk of mental ill-health and promote positive well-being. We all have relationships that span all aspects of life, through family, friends, and work.
Reach out to the people around you: family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors at home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these relationships as the cornerstones of your life and spend time developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
The stigma of mental health won’t go away unless we talk about it and support each other.
Physical activity
Higher levels of physical activity, compared to low levels of physical activity, are consistently associated with a reduced risk of developing depression in the future. 50 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week, results in about a 30 per cent reduced risk of developing depression in the future.
Go for a walk or run, cycle, play a game, garden or dance. Most importantly, discover a physical activity that you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Exercising makes you feel good.
Gratitude
Stop, pause, or take a moment to look around you. What can you see, feel, smell or even taste? Look for beautiful, new, unusual or extraordinary things in your everyday life and think about how that makes you feel. Find solace in the simple and beautiful things of life and nature.
Keep learning
Don’t be afraid to try something new, rediscover an old hobby or sign up for a course. Take on a different responsibility, fix a bike, learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favorite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy. Learning new things that you find fun to do, will make you more confident.
Give
Do something nice for a friend or stranger, thank someone, smile, volunteer your time or consider joining a community group. Lookout as well as in. Seeing yourself and your happiness linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and will create connections with the people around you.
We can’t prevent all mental ill-health. There are no cures for all conditions. But we can help change the culture. We can ensure that everyone counts, that everyone matters and that no one dealing with any form of illness should ever feel alone or ashamed to speak up and get help.
