How are you?

Naturally, you'd just respond with 'I'm well'. But what you may really want to say has often been a subject of taboo and stigma. This isn't just through society but also culture and the idea that people who struggle mentally are to blame for their own issues, are somewhat on the edge, or outsiders to the wider community. The alternative is to deny or have shame that there is something 'wrong' with you as you think it will expose a vulnerability or display a weakness.

This ends now.

For mental health awareness month, it's a subject I'd like to shine a light on and call upon my network to do more. I want to talk about the impact on mental health, how it affects people (including my own experiences) and what we must do - not only through mental health awareness but changing mental health perception, learning how to support and foster more action. I hope this post touches anyone affected and guides them to a brighter side from what I can only describe as a dark place you'd not even wish upon an enemy.

"One day you will tell your story of how you've overcome what you're going through now, and it will become part of someone else's survival guide." - Brene Brown

We live in a world that's been literally ripped apart, through wars, political gains, racial hatred and more recently, a pandemic. The impact of many other issues including bereavement, trauma or even lifestyle (work, diet, drugs and sleep) affect our mental well-being. The truth is everybody will experience some form of mental health issues in their lifetime. How we deal with this depends on our own acknowledgment for help, the support network around us and realisation it can be treated (whether through medication, psychotherapy, or support groups).

What defines your mental health?

It's a state that includes your emotional, psychological, and social well-being which reflects in your mood, feeling, thinking and behaviour. Common conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety can all affect mental health. Some of the early signs of mental illness include:

• withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues
• avoiding activities normally enjoyed
• sleeping too much or too little
• eating too much or too little
• feeling hopeless
• having consistently low energy
• using mood-altering substances
• showing negative emotions
• thinking of causing physical harm

My own challenges with dealing with mental health isn't something I feel comfortable sharing. I never fully understood what a mental illness was until experiencing many of the early signs first-hand. I've shared some of my thoughts in my post 9 months that changed my life. Since I became a mother, my mental health has been impacted, as many other parents would sympathise. It's a rollercoaster literally the highest highs to the lowest lows. Feelings of being unworthy to guilt and everything in between.

In addition, a year with the absence of normality has probably affected many others. The term lockdown feels depressing and being confined with very few places to go, takes its toll. In fact, one in five adults is likely to be experiencing some form of depression during the pandemic in Britain - (The Office for National Statistics). Working from home has its benefits but that interaction with colleagues, office banter and sense of belonging is deeply missed. Will we need to re-learn skills for socialising in-person? Have we forgotten how to interact 'normally' with friends and family? It's possible we may have traces of quarantine-induced social anxiety.

Source: Office for National Statistics (UK data); Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US data).

What can we do to attain wellness?

• Don't pretend to be okay, speak to someone you consider close.
• Check-in on other people as the chances are someone you know needs help.
• Share your own mental challenges which may even help someone else open up.
• Take a walk or exercise daily (although I totally don't practice what I am preaching) - endorphins work wonders.
• Meditate - a practice that involves training your attention to stay in the present moment.
• Read or listen to audiobooks or podcasts.
• Recoup, rest and recharge by practicing self-care.
• Coffee or lunch dates either virtual or in-person as the world opens again.
• Change to healthier eating habits since there is a link between food and mood!

We all have felt mental challenges on different ends of the spectrum, so let's normalise talking about it, think about how we can help others, and not forget how we can help ourselves.

What are your recommendations for attaining mental wellness?

Sources:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/coronavirusanddepressioninadultsgreatbritain/januarytomarch2021 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/smarter-living/covid-social-anxiety.html https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/mental-health-problems-introduction/causes https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154543#early-signs

Useful links:

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/

https://www.mind.org.uk/ 

https://www.betterhelp.com/

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/