“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” ― Leonard Cohen
You must have noticed that we as in ourselves or any family member, friend or acquaintances immediately report or visit the doctor when we fall ill or develop some ailment or meet an accident.
But do we care if a person is showing feeling low, getting angry or reacting to the smallest of things? Probably, no. We take this condition for granted and term him as irritating or short-tempered. We do not realise that he needs medical or psychological and this condition can be addressed. This pertains to the physical health of the person, though he may be physically fit.
What is mental health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. For example, depression increases the risk of many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Similarly, the presence of chronic conditions can increase the risk of mental illness.
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.” — Dan Millman
Firstly, we need to understand that our physical health depends on how we treat our bodies. What do we eat? Is it healthy? Does it work well for your metabolic system? Is it fresh? Do we exercise regularly? Do we undertake morning or evening walks? Do we get up and sleep in time? Do we get a good night’s sleep? If take care of all this and more, you are physically fit and lead a healthy and happy life.
The same applies to mental health. The things we imbibe into our minds can be likened to mental food. The information we extract and absorb and emulate from books, magazines, television shows, videos, the internet, and song lyrics can affect our thinking and personality just as literal food affects the body. One slowly turns into whatever images one carries in one’s mind. Some may carefully monitor their physical diet, but indiscriminately, gobble up whatever mental food is served through the media and the environment is at risk of developing mental illness. Are we enjoying good mental health? If so, one has reasons to be thankful. Yet, there are some basic factors that could cause one to lose this prized possession. Mental illness can be triggered by a sudden tragedy, severe sickness, loss of job and similar other things.
“Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”
Specific mental disorders are grouped together due to the features they have in common. Some types of mental illness are as follows:
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders
- Schizophrenia disorders
Medically, conventionally there are no physical tests or scans which can reliably indicate whether a person has developed a mental illness. However, you can spot people with mental disorders with the following symptoms or possible signs of a mental health disorder:
- Withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues
- Avoiding activities, they would normally enjoy
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Eating too much or too little
- Feeling hopeless
- Having consistently low energy
- Using mood-altering substances, including alcohol and nicotine, more frequently
- Displaying negative emotions
- Being confused
- Being unable to complete daily tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal
- Having persistent thoughts or memories that reappear regularly
- Thinking of causing physical harm to themselves or others
- Hearing voices
- Experiencing delusions
These symptoms will make it easier for any family member or friend to spot mental illness.
Times are tough, there is turmoil all over, people are suffering, the environment is under threat, the climate is changing…
…environment is playing a major role in putting us at risk of mental imbalance. Life today is full of stress and strains of living. There is a work-life imbalance. People do not know how to go about it. What to do with life – family, work, friends?
This leads to hostility and conflict with others, the feeling of being forgotten, isolation from others, and the lack of meaningful activity. What if there is a fall in income? Feeling desperate, many feel that they should run away from the environment and shift to a desert island or to a hill station, but these escapes are hard to find, generally, everyone.
In such a scenario, if you are mentally weak, you are more inclined toward mental illness. In such a case, you need to take care of your diet as a first measure which keeps your metabolism lubricated. Otherwise, a faulty diet can affect one’s metabolism. Large doses of caffeine in tea, coffee, cola drinks and headache tablets taken frequently, can cause mental instability. Stress that seems injurious may be such because of personality flaws. Keeping high expectations from others can be a frequent cause of mental disturbances.
Often, it is perceived that mental illness is not curable. Nothing much can be done about it, which is not true. There are experts who can cure you from such mental illness and you will be fully cured.
So, go ahead and make such friends/family happyHo!
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