Just as Charity begins at home, so does mental health awareness. Many people aren't even aware what they are feeling, why they are feeling the way they are feeling. Mental health is a new issue in India and are still treated like some taboo. But the first and foremost important thing is bringing awareness about mental health not only to adults, but to kids, old ones and every single individual.
Awareness helps people to seek help if needed. It's high time people should start talking about mental health which will help people maintaining balance between their positive and negative emotions. Instead of being sad, depressed and confused they can go out without thinking how people will judge them and can ask help.
Let's be realistic!
We have adopted many western things which we thought it's cool and has made our life miserable. The most used sentence by all is "I need my space", we chose to being alone rather than being with our family, friends and loved ones which has made us alone, helpless and having no social and economic support in tough times.
I truly believe the fancy line " I need my space" has made many people feel miserable and alone. The effect of this is that people no longer like to connect physically ans spend quality with their loved ones. But love getting connected through Facebook, Instagram and many other social networking sites.
Now let's see some facts
In one recent report of world health organisation (WHO) revealed that 7.5 per cent people suffer from mental illness and we have less than 40,000 mental health professionals.
Isn't it shocking
So let's talk and understand about mental health and why it is so important not only in India but all over the world.
What is mental health:-
It's a disorder like other disease in which you feel sad, depressed, lonely and get suicidal thoughts. It also includes how we feel emotionally, physiologically, mentally and socially. It makes people feel worthless, hopeless and being less. Just like physical health, mental health is also important. People spend a whole lot of time in gym for workouts, Zumba exercise, eating nutrient-rich food to maintain their fitness and look healthy and attractive. But very rare people take out time for their mental fitness. So take care your mental health and makes it a priority.
Common symptoms :-
- Feeling sad and depress
- Lost purpose in life
- Negative emotions
- Sleep too much or too little
- Difficulty in getting up from bed
- Feeling helpless and hopeless
- Suicidal thoughts and self harming
- Low self-esteem and confidence
- Low energy
- Eating too much or too little
- Distancing from friends and family
- Smoking, drinking and taking drugs
- Irritation and high temper
- lacking focus on work
- Sudden and severe mood swings
- Unable to control mind
- Overthinking
Creating awareness for mental health is so important, as it help removing the stigma attached with mental health problems and help people coming out and seek help without thinking about how they will be labelled. Instead of being feared from stigmatized and denial people will talk openly about their problems and then can be cured.
However, it's not an easy task especially in India where people consider mental health disorder as taboo subject.
How we can create awareness about mental health:-
- Talking about mental health
- Creating awareness among kids in school.
- Programs and workshop in colleges and workplace
- Breaking mental illness stigma.
- Experience sharing by people coming out of mental illness successful
- Awareness by experts
- Debate and TV shows on mental health
- Awareness in social media
- Speaking publicly about mental health
There are many reasons people are suffering from mental illness like work pressure, economic issues, relationship issues, biological factors, less social involvement, spending more time on social media and with technology, adapting western culture and also sometimes upbringing in wrong environment.
Mental illness is taking a big toll on people lifestyle, relationship and their career. Therefore it's high time when everyone should come together and talk about in various platforms available. Start breaking taboo and give a helping hand to your friends, family, neighbors, your loved one or anyone for that matter who is suffering from mental illness.
How to prevent mental illness:-
Well-being consists of both physical and mental health. We spend time for being fit and healthy physically, now its time to spend few minutes on becoming mentally fit. There are many ways in which people can be mentally fit like.....
- Having goal and purpose in life
- Balance between work and family
- Reading books
- Meditation and yoga
- Increase resilience
- Seek help
- Spend quality time with nature
- Spend quality time family, friends and loved ones.
- Practice gratitude
- Take care of your thoughts
- Avoid social media if you have low self-esteem
- Value yourself
- Have good and positive environment
- Avoid drugs
- Self care and me-time.
Also take care of your physical health as it can affect your mental health adversely. Many people believes that our mental fitness drives us physically but the fact is our physiology drives how we feel mentally. Study shows that we can change our mood my changing our physical activity. It all depends on the choice we make.
So make your mental health priority, do whatever it takes to be happy, joyful and remember mental illness is not a failure. It is also a disease like other disease and it doesn't change who you are.
MAKE TIME DAILY TO NURTURE YOUR PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH.
LIVE LOVE LAUGH
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