What is mental health?
Mental health is the mental well-being, so our emotions, thoughts and feelings, ability to solve problems and overcome difficulties, social connections and out understanding of the world around us. The world health organisation (WHO) describes mental health as;
“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”
Bad mental health can affect:
- Work, school, or home life
- relationships with people
- sleep
- appetite
- energy levels
- ability to think clearly
- physical health
- life satisfaction and more
However, having good mental health means that you can:
- Make the most of your potential
- Cope with life
- Play a full part in your family, workplace, community and among friends
What is mental illness?
Mental illness however is an illness that affects the way individuals think, feel, behave or interact with others. There are a number of different mental illnesses, such as depression, and they all have different symptoms and effect a persons life in different ways.
An important factor to note about mental health and mental illness is that they are not the opposite of each other. A person may have good mental health but still have a mental illness, or someone could have no mental illness and still have bad mental health. Good mental health isn’t about feeling happy all the time and ignoring any problems, its about living and coping well despite the problems. Everyones mental health is in a state of flux, with days of bad mental health and days of good mental health, the important thing is to make sure that you find a balance.
How to look after your mental health?
Talk about your feelings
Talking can be a good way to cope with problems you are carrying around in your head. By talking to someone it may lift some of the burden you may feel and make you feel better afterwords. It may also encourage others to do the same and open up about their problems too. Although it may not be easy to open up about how you are feeling straight away and may feel a little uncomfortable, try and give it some time. Opening up is one of the best ways to sort through feelings and may really help in improving your mental health.
Keep active
Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and can help you concentrate, sleep and feel better. Exercise is a great way to keep both the body and mind active, and helps in creating good mental health. While experts recommend around 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, this doesn’t have to be too strenuous. Just going on a walk and getting some fresh air should help in improving your mental health.
Eat well
What we eat can have an effect of how we feel. Eating lots of sugary foods and just junk food in general can make people feel very lafargic and just not great in general. The brain needs lots of nutrients in order to stay healthy, which is why its so important to have a good healthy and balanced diet, for both your physical and mental health. A healthy diet should include:
- A variety of fruit and vegetables
- Wholegrain cereals or bread
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy products
- Oily fish
- Plenty of water
It is good to try and limit the amount of high caffeine, sugary drinks and alcohol you consume as these in large quantities are not great for you physical or mental health.
Drink sensibly
People often tend to drink alcohol to change their mood, such as to deal with loneliness or fear. This is not a good coping mechanism due to the effects being temporary and the individual often feeling worse once the drink has worn off. If excessive drinking is used as a coping mechanism then the person will start to build up a tolerance and have to consume more alcohol each time. A light drink occasionally is perfectly health for most people as long as they stay within the recommended limits (three to four units a day for men and two to three units a day for women)
Keep in touch
Strong ties with family and friends can really help in dealing with the normal stresses of life. They can help keep you active, keep you grounded and can help you solve practical problems. It’s worth working at relationships that make you feel loved or valued. But, if you think being around someone is damaging your mental health, it may be best to take a break from them or call it a day completely. It’s possible to end a relationship in a way that feels okay for both of you.
Ask for help
If things are getting too much for you and you feel you can’t cope, ask for help. Your family or friends may be able to offer practical help or a listening ear. Local services are there to help you. Examples of support support include
- Joining a support group
- Find a counsellor
- Talk to your GP
Take a break
It is important to take time out of your day to just take a break. This is where for a few minuets, hours or maybe a whole day, you take a break to look after yourself and your mental health. Taking a break may mean being very active. It may mean not doing very much at all. Activities such as yoga or meditation, maybe helpful in finding peace. Listen to your body. If you’re really tired, give yourself time to sleep. Without good sleep, our mental health suffers and our concentration goes downhill.
Do something you’re good at
Enjoying yourself can help beat stress. Doing an activity you enjoy probably means you’re good at it, and achieving something boosts your self-esteem. Concentrating on a hobby, like gardening or doing crosswords, can help you forget your worries for a while and can change your mood.
Accept who you are
It’s much healthier to accept that you’re unique than to wish you were more like someone else. Feeling good about yourself boosts your confidence to learn new skills, visit new places and make new friends. Good self-esteem helps you cope when life takes a difficult turn.
Care for others
Caring for others is often an important part of keeping up relationships with people close to you. It can even bring you closer together. Helping out can make us feel needed and valued, and that boosts our self-esteem. It also helps us to see the world from another angle. This can help to put our own problems in perspective. Caring for a pet can improve your wellbeing too. The bond between you and your pet can be as strong as between people.Looking after a pet can bring structure to your day and can act as a link to other people.
Bibliography
Mental Health Foundation (2021) How to look after your metal health. Available from: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/How%20to…mental%20health.pdf [Accessed 12 March]