Is awareness enough?
It’s true to say that we all have mental health, it’s simply our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing, whether good, not so good or somewhere in the middle.
Talking about mental health is an incredibly powerful thing because it not only encourages us to take notice of where our mental health is, but it frees us of what can feel like hidden shackles that we’re dragging around and encourages others to do the same but just being aware of something isn’t necessarily enough to start improving it.
Awareness is half the battle, but the other half is action. We need to know what to do about mental health and start doing it as part of our daily lives if we’re going to have a positive impact. We all take steps to look after our physical health, like drink so much water, get some kind of exercise and eat nutrient-rich food but what about our mental health?
What can we do about it?
• Start teaching ourselves about self-care and wellbeing.
• Learn how to have difficult conversations and what ‘active listening’ is.
• Find out about the resources available for support in regards to mental, physical, financial and spiritual health.
• Make time for you, even 10 minutes a day focused on our wellbeing makes a huge difference.
Doing your part for awareness
1. CHECK IN WITH PEOPLE
We all have friends and family who we don’t speak to that often. But life has carried on for them the same as it has for us, not all of it good. So now is a great time to check in with them and ask how they’re doing.
2. SPEAK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE
You may feel nervous about this which is totally fine but if you happy to, speak openly about your experiences with mental health, good and bad. It’s surprising how much it encourages others to do the same.
3. STAMP OUT STIGMA
If you hear someone spreading myths or unkind words about mental health, gently remind them of the impact their words can have. Stigma is as serious as any mental health condition, often makes existing conditions worse and costs lives. Often people don’t realise that they’re doing it.
4. LEARN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
5. PHYSICAL HEALTH = MENTAL HEALTH
Try to think about mental health with as much importance as physical health. Also consider how closely linked the two are. Mental health has a direct impact on physical health and vice versa.
6. LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media has the benefit of having a wide-reach, much wider than just how many comments and likes you see. Talking about your experiences or sharing useful resources and suggestions to improve mental health can have a big impact. Just ensure that what you’re sharing is factually and clinically accurate, use resources like Mind and the NHS and avoid tabloids, opinion and gossip presented as fact.
Weekly Wellbeing Tip
Create a written action plan for those really hard times in life such as a bereavement. Write what would need to be done, ideas for self care and a manageable daily routine. This can be really helpful in the brain fog of grief or extreme stress.
