Mental health is defined as the psychological, emotional as well as the social well-being of a person. The above-mentioned state of mind is very imperative as it can influence the way we think, feel, and act. However, many a times, it is observed that due to various circumstances that occurs in one’s life, for instance- stress, work pressure, loneliness, competition etc, we tend to loose the our peace of mind and ultimately affects our mental health. A person’s mental health may shift over time, based on external factors. As their mental health could be influenced when the demands placed on a person exceed their resources and managing limits. Both, mental and physical health are equally important constituents of a good overall health of a person, for example, depression rises the chances for many types of physical health problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke etc.
Mental health is more important now than ever before as it clearly impacts every phase of our lives and will have a direct impact in the way we behave, think, or say. Having a positive mental health is crucial to stabilizing constructive behaviours, emotions, and thoughts. Investing on mental health care will in turn increase productivity, enhance self-confidence, and improve relationships. It is very important to note that just by managing a mental health, we not only improve the quality of our living style, but it also tends to contribute in the controlling or at least combating of some of the physical health problems which are directly interlinked to mental health conditions. For instance, heart disease and stress are related, so managing stress might have a positive outcome on heart disease.
"You don’t have to be positive all the time. It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared and anxious. Having feelings doesn’t make you a negative person. It makes you human." — Lori Deschene
Now, the question is why we need to spread awareness and educate people about mental health??
It is because by making everyone informed, de-stigmatize the way people perceive about mental health and stand up together for addressing mental health issues as a community. Talking about our problems, and accepting there’s some problem, is the most courageous thing to do as if not you, who then? Just realise the fact that every problem has a solution. Doing so, we can start removing the shame and fear associated with topics surrounding mental health.
How can you improve your mental health?
Some simple steps that help in improving the mental health include:
Exercising
Eating a balanced diet
Taking breaks and time for yourself
A good night’s sleep
Opening up to others
"Mental health…is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going." — Noam Shpancer