Sunday, October 10th 2021 is World Mental Health Day. World Mental Health Day is a chance for people around the world to make a difference in their communities by raising awareness of mental health.
Take time to focus on your mental health this World Mental Health Day. For many of us, our mental wellbeing is not something that we think about on a daily basis. Yet it’s important to make time for this kind of self-care and to get the support we need.
I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.
Amy March, from Little Women
What is Mental Health?
By definition, mental health is the emotional, physical, and psychological well-being of an individual. It’s not just about being happy or positive all the time, but also about being at ease with your life circumstances. Using more technical jargon, mental health can be defined as the absence of a mental disorder.
Mental health problems can affect people of any age, from children to older people. Mental health includes our emotional wellbeing, as well as our ability to cope with life’s daily challenges.
Good mental health includes having a positive and active approach to life, enjoying a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and healthy activities, being able to cope with challenges which come with life, having the energy to deal with everyday demands and getting help when needed.
However, sometimes people may feel they are not able to cope with life or that they are experiencing more negative emotions most of the time. This can be a sign that you may be struggling with your mental health. For some, their mental health has been affected by experiences like abuse, family problems, grief and illness.
Dealing with Depression
The World Health Organizations website has downloadable information with tips on how to handle depression in yourself, children, teens and others. You can go to there website to view their recommendations.
If you feel like you need help, please don’t ignore your feelings. A good first step is to contact someone you trust, someone you feel comfortable talking with, and sharing your thoughts. This can be a counselor, family doctor, religious advisor, loved one or friend. It’s important to not feel ashamed of sharing your inner struggles with others.
If you or someone else is experiencing an immediate concern, please contact a licensed mental health provider immediately.
What Are Some of the Common Ways to Handle Mental Health?
There are many things you can do to improve your mental wellbeing. The good news is that many don’t require a lot of money or time. Simple acts like going for a walk, exercising and eating healthful meals, and just being around people who make you feel good about yourself can go a long ways in improving your mental well-being.
Activities for Improving and Monitoring Mental Health:
This list is in no way exhaustive, but each of these activities is a good way to start managing and improving your mental well-being.
Mental Health and Children
If you’re a parent, please be aware that mental health isn’t just an issue that affects adults. Children and young people are also at risk. With all the demands placed on children today and the ever-increasing changes because of world events, children and young people may need help to deal with the issues they face.
It’s important to teach children and young people early on how to cope with stressors in their lives, both at home and at school. Learning practical coping skills will help them develop the tools they need to manage daily stressors, thus reducing their risk of developing mental illness.
Here are some ideas to help you and your children take care of your mental health:
- Plan a day with your children to set personal goals and create a vision board as a family event.
- Take time to do something your entire family enjoys. Play a game or just spend time together.
- Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, going for a walk, listening to music, or watching a funny video.
Raising awareness about mental health issues is the first step in helping to promote good mental health practices and public understanding its importance. So join your friends and family in making a difference on World Mental Health Day and every day. Help set the stage for a better tomorrow by talking about mental health today.
If you can measure it, you can change it.
Free PDF Mood Tracker
Mood trackers are an easy way to track your emotions and visually see how certain activities or events make you feel. Here is a free PDF of a dated 2022 Mood Tracker you can download and use in your daily life to monitor your moods.
Use this mood tracker to monitor and measure your feelings. It takes only a few minutes to do this every day. Simply fill in the emotions you wish to observe and assign a specific color to each mood. Then, each day, color the day according to your mood.
Over time you may notice patterns in your mood and behavior. This means you’ll be able to understand the relationship between events that happen to you and your moods. This may help you in identifying possible triggers of negative emotions. You can use this information to help you make better decisions and to improve your life.
Don’t forget, this is also a good way to keep track of your positive moods, which can encourage you to keep doing those things. You’ll also be able to understand what activities you can put in your toolbox for when you need to take a mental health daily.
Notice the improvement. As you monitor your moods, you’ll be able to see if you are making progress over time. That’s a good thing. When you know what works for you, you can adapt it to get more out of life.
More Information About Mental Health
Raising awareness about mental health issues is the first step in helping them to develop good mental health that will last for a lifetime. So join your friends and family in making a difference on World Mental Health Day and every day. Help set the stage for a better tomorrow by talking about mental health today.
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day/2021/campaign-materials
#WorldMentalHealthDay #Wemho
