Like physical health, we all have mental health issues too. Mental health is related to emotions, mood, thinking and feelings. Sometimes we all feel bad and that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all have bad days and phases. We must get out of it.
A mental illness may not always be visible from the outside, but that doesn’t mean someone isn’t hurting from the inside. It is time for all of us to think and talk about mental health. Yes, it’s hard to talk about mental illness. Mental illness comes in many forms.
It is hard to tell how someone is feeling just by looking at their physical appearance. Our life seems perfect from the outside but the reality is something else. We all experience mental illness at some point in our lives. Mental illness is one of the causes of disability worldwide.
With more access to more people all the time, it can seem like the world is telling us it’s not okay to be anything but perfect.
Also, read- Peer Pressure- the slowest suicide
Definition of mental health
According to the Cambridge Dictionary
Mental health is defined as a condition of someone’s mind and whether or not they are suffering from any mental illness.
According to the Merriam- Webster Dictionary
Mental illness is any of a broad range of medical conditions (such as major depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or panic disorder) that are marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, or emotions to impair normal psychological functioning and cause marked distress or disability and that are typically associated with a disruption in normal thinking, feeling, mood, behaviour, interpersonal interactions, or daily functioning.
World Health Organization
A mental disorder is characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour. It is usually associated with distress or impairment in important areas of functioning. There are many different types of mental disorders. Mental disorders may also be referred to as mental health conditions.
Symptoms of mental illness
Most of us share our good side. We don’t like to share how we feel. Negative thoughts stop us from doing what we love in life.
The thoughts swarm around the brain of a person. Sometimes thoughts make a person lost in space. It kind of grows and grows and then before you know it you end up living in a shame forest. You end up crying. You live in a group of friends and family but still, feel lonely. You feel disconnected from everything.
The person shows abnormal behaviour accompanied by fear, illogical thinking, nervousness, lack of sleep, mood swings, decreased desire to participate in any work, concentration problems, change in appetite, suicidal thoughts, the addition of alcohol or drugs etc.
Prevention and Treatment
Just take a break from the stress exercise and participate in something you enjoy doing like reading, writing, dancing, listening to music, art, playing with your pet etc. If we are physically ill we ask people for help. It should not be different with mental health.
Taking care of our mental health cannot be more difficult than our physical health and some people think that you can never feel better if you have a mental health problem. But this is not true. If you have a physical health problem like an injury or illness then it is possible to get better and feel good again and the same is the case with mental health, you just need to talk to the right person and ask for help.
If you don’t feel like talking, you could try writing. You should never worry about what people think if you share your thoughts with them. Not sharing with others only makes your thoughts and feelings worse.
Scientists have found that exercise can help when you are feeling low. One should never hesitate to visit a therapist or psychologist. Look at the things you can be grateful for and don’t focus on the bad.
How you can help a person suffering from mental illness?
If someone is struggling you should listen without pressure or judgment. A very strong support system is essential for the family to cope with mental illness.
To include mental health as part of our overall health profile, we need to work together. Everyone should learn how to help people become better. Don’t make people suffer silently.
Conclusion
Remember that family, friends, teachers and mental health professionals are always there to help you. The people around you understand so much that you shouldn’t hesitate to share your mental health.
You can talk to a trusted adult if you feel unsure. It’s not hard to talk about mental health, after all, we all have it.
It’s time for all of us to get involved in the conversation about mental health because mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a medical issue just like heart disease, diabetes or any other disease.
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References
Warning Signs of Mental Illness
