What is mental health to you? Is it not having any mental health conditions or psychiatric conditions? Is it the way how you feel in your mind and body? Would you declare yourself as mentally fit and healthy if you do good enough within the social settings?
Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders says WHO. It includes the wellbeing of our emotional, psychological and social states. We are both lucky and unlucky to take life in this era. Unlucky because we are under too much stress, creating unnecessary problems and worry about them endlessly like that of the body image, insecurities.
We just compare our lives to others and cry over what they have and we don’t. Just think will life be this complicated if we can appreciate what we got. This is where i say that we are lucky to be in this epoch. There were times when you say that you are not feeling well mentally not a single person will mind you but now it is getting acknowledged.
UNDERSTANDING IT BETTER
Understand that being well appeared in the out doesn’t mean that they are doing good. Sometimes the people we see as happy and complete outside are having the deepest sorrows.
- Being able to handle stress and knowing when to stop or to take a break is mental health.
- Holding in every emotions that you feel and sharing it with somebody that you trust doesn’t make you weak.
- Being able to cry is also a sign of good mental health. There is nothing embarrassing in crying and letting out what you have held in. Kills you to cry in front of someone? Do it alone. That is mental health.
- Physical inactivity can be a contributing factor. We spent lot of our time in our minds and not in body.
WAYS TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH
- Good quality sleep: Many researches have been proved that a good sleep can improve a person mood, way of thinking and their daily performance. Go to sleep and wake up at scheduled time. If you may find difficulty in sleeping try avoiding all screens 1 hr before bedtime.
- Move your body: Get physically active. Introduce this into your routine and do it consistently and feel the magic that happens within your mind and body. You don’t need to do a 1 hr exercise. Start with just 15-30 min and if you don’t find time then replace the car with your legs for short distances.
- Eat healthy: Replace junk with balanced meals. Eat regularly, 3 meals per day and drink water to stay hydrated rather than the sugary products.
- Practice gratitude: Whatever you achieve there will be someone that have things what you don’t. But always remember that you are also that someone to someone. Don’t look up always learn to look down too and be grateful for what you have and what you are.
- Meditation: Practice meditation for at least 10 min a day. It will help you stay positive and connect with yourself and identify or bring clarity to your problems and needs. In Fact you can try any activity that is relaxing to you.
- Go for mental awareness classes, positive social interactions, do not shy away from seeking help when needed. Don’t hesitate to see a therapist if you feel the need.
- Find that somebody to whom you can open up freely. I know not everybody find such presence in their lives, go talk to yourself in the mirror be your best friend and most importantly don’t lie to yourself. Be truthful to you.
Written by Gayathri Gopinadh