“What does mental health or well-being mean to us? Is it the same as our happiness? Or Is it simply the absence of mental illness? And How does it affect us?” These are the questions that we often encounter when we hear this word. What is mental health and How does it affect us?

Our mental well-being not only affects our physical and emotional well-being, but also affects our interpersonal relationships, professional life, and our overall health. If we take care of mental health properly, then it allows people to use their abilities to be productive in decision-making and live their lives to the fullest.

What is Mental Health?

Mental Health is one of the important parts of our lives.  We struggle with the choice of Responding and Reacting to certain situations. We often end up reacting impulsively in some situations rather than responding. Sometimes we don’t understand how we feel or what kind of emotions we are experiencing now or we don’t understand what we are going through. We feel overwhelmed by emotions. It’s ok to behave differently but what’s most important is to recognise those thoughts and “Name That Feeling’’. It’s very natural to get overwhelmed by all those factors and feel depressed and anxious. But the biggest question which arises is: Are we accepting it completely?

If we look up the internet for the solution we end up reading about what is mental health and what is the definition of it has. The process of a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being is called mental health. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO), mentions that: “mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

Factors Affecting Mental Health

In our day-to-day life, various factors play a direct role. There are various biological, social, personal, and financial factors that affect our mental health. 

Personal And Family Well-being

Personal and family well-being plays a crucial role in affecting our mental health. It is common to experience physical illness in our day-to-day life, but if the situation is prolonged then it starts affecting our minds. We start feeling stressed out, and frustrated or sometimes we might even experience feelings of helplessness.

Isolation And Loneliness

The feeling of isolation or loneliness is experienced by people at some time in their lives. But if this feeling stays for a longer time then it can lead to our mental health deterioration. Prolonged feelings of isolation and loneliness could also take the form of social isolation, depression, or feeling of inferiority. 

Past Experiences

Every individual goes through various experiences throughout their life. Some experiences are pleasant whereas some are not that pleasant to recall. Bad experiences or past traumatic events (bullying, death of loved ones, accidents, etc.) also affect our health mentally. They often come back to us in the form of flashbacks or nightmares.  

Professional And Personal Life

There are instances in everyone’s life when we face a conflict between our professional and personal life. We are not able to focus on any one of them which eventually leads to a state of being stressed and exhausted. Not having good interpersonal relationships, work pressure, irregular sleep, or overworking ourselves without having sufficient rest is also responsible for the decline of our mental health.

Common Mental Health Problems/Challenges

1. Anxiety

Poor emotional response to the outside world. For Example: Feeling anxious before an examination, or going for a job interview.

2. Low Self-esteem

Feeling of comparison. For Example: Thinking others are performing better than you.

3. Poor Access To Health

Habits of undereating or overeating. 

4. Feeling Of Loneliness

Feeling unwanted, lack social connection, having Suicidal thoughts, and loss of pleasure in activities.

5. Poor Performance At The Workplace

Lack of consistency, setting unrealistic goals, and not being able to concentrate. 

6. Addiction And Substance Abuse

Having too much alcohol or smoking. 

7. Disturbed Sleeping Pattern

You can’t sleep even when you are tired.

8. Lack Of Energy And Fatigue

You don’t feel energetic enough to do any work.

9. Feeling Of Guilt Or Worthlessness

Apologising unnecessarily to others even if you are not at fault or overthinking about something unnecessarily.

What Can You Do To Maintain Mental Health – Awareness

• In addition to being conscious of our physical health, it’s critical to also be mindful of our mental health and coping mechanisms for the stresses of daily life.
• It has become crucial to educate people about the distinctions between mental illness and mental health because it can be challenging to tell what someone is going through or feeling.
• Mental health refers to your overall psychological and emotional well-being and the absence of illness or disorder, whereas mental illness is a specific sort of diagnosable mental health issue.

Numerous worldwide organisations and national governments have been actively promoting mental health awareness. World Mental Health Day is observed as a result. The 10th of October and the entire month of October are dedicated to commemorating World Mental Health Day. The primary objectives of this are to coordinate mental health support and raise awareness of international issues. Because of stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health illnesses, people typically suffer in silence and reject treatment. Mental health awareness is a crucial initiative to better comprehend mental health illnesses and give those who require access to healthcare.

How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health?

Taking care of mental health is a must and even the utmost priority. But even after trying hard, still not finding yourself in the position you want to be in? Have you ever looked at the little things in life, or you are just focusing on the major issues? Did you ever think that food you are eating can also trigger anxiety, or that what you are watching on television can affect your mental health? So, here we have enlisted the 10 quick tips, that can help you take care of that.

1. Limit The Amount Of News Consumption

The first stage in mental health treatment is awareness, however, information should be kept to a minimum to prevent negativity on social media. Simply preserving the necessary information is sufficient rather than fully engaging in denial.

2. Speak Confidently

Developing the abilities or behaviours that enable us to be assertive and clear about our thoughts, feelings, and other desires. Create a journal, express all of your emotions in it, and voice an opinion without feeling embarrassed.

3. Take Up An Activity

Engage in something enjoyable or energising to make yourself feel better. For instance, painting, dancing, and gardening.

4. Improve Your Weak Areas

Investing yourself in improving yourself in your weak areas. One can use more of their time in improving oneself such as being more confident about their strength and working on their weaknesses.

5. Healthy Diet

It’s very important to pay close attention to the food portions and keep our energy balanced to meet our needs. Consuming foods that are a high source of Vitamin C. Keep yourself hydrated and refreshed with a good choice of hydration. 

6. Be In Present

Enjoy and appreciate the little things in the moments. Accept the facts, stay safe with your loved ones, and be grateful for the moment you have with your family. The power of gratitude is much more powerful than ever we can imagine. I am going to make the most out of the situation.

7. Talk To Someone

Don’t accuse, blame or threaten or light up the feelings that the other person is sharing. Talking, Listening and Understanding can make a lot of differences in one’s mental and emotional pain more bearable. Spend some quality time, Listen to what other people are saying, and accept other people’s opinions and feelings even if they are different from yours.

8. Self Care

Keep yourself healthy and relaxed and prepare yourself to tackle the physical and emotional stress of everyday life.

9. Don’t Be Ignorant

Rather than being your own doctor- visit a qualified one and get yourself proper medical treatment. 

10. Talk To A Professional

If you still find it hard to manage the stress you should definitely talk to a professional. Acknowledging how hard depression and its symptoms can be – can help a person to a great extent. So, consulting a mind coach can be a good decision.

How Can Family, Friends, And School Help You Maintain Mental Health?

Obviously family, friends and school plays a major role in maintaining overall health.

• School –  Social connection is important for mental health. It encourages a sense of security, safety, and belonging and enables mutual trust between you and others.
• Family – Spending time with family especially when communication is faced to face rather than digital, greatly lowers the risk of anxiety and other mental illness.
• Friends – Being physically present with loved ones generates powerful emotional support to carry you through life’s hardships. 

Read More

• Depression Diet Plan: Best Diet Plan For Depression [2022]
• Transformation: Kulwinder Dropped Extra Kgs With Stress Issues.
• Vitamin C Rich Foods: Fruits And Vegetables With More Vitamin C Than Orange

Bottom Line

The quality of a person’s mental health is often measured by how adaptively they can cope with everyday stressors. Problems related to this are difficult experiences that make it harder for us to get on with our lives but getting it diagnosed rightly can help to get the right treatment. It can come as a relief and help them understand and accept themselves – and also help others to do so.

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Your search to find the right guidance ends here. Our weight loss experts, mental coaches, and yoga experts have helped thousands of clients globally to attain a healthy lifestyle and stress-free life. So, contact us today and start your healthy journey with us.

Disclaimer

This blog is for information purposes only. If you find any of the above symptoms, please contact mental health professionals, or even you can book a consultation with us.