Over the last few years, mental health issues have emerged from the shadows of stigmatization and shame to become recognised as an epidemic of global importance. Mental health is so important especially during the COVID pandemic which is causing unprecedented loss and grief as well as social financial and educational disruptions.
These times of upheaval and uncertainty are having an effect on everybody’s mental well being. It’s causing more anxiety and depression for both young and older generations over the age of 18, who report symptoms of anxiety and depression during this time. So we can ultimately say that no one is immune to mental health problems.
Mental health illness may not always be visible on the outside, it doesn’t mean someone isn’t hurting on the inside. It’s time for all of us to change how we think and speak about mental health illness. Mental health illness comes in many forms. No wonder this is a topic many of us will find hard to talk about.
According to one of the American psychiatric associations, Mental health illness is a health condition involving changes in thinking, emotions or behaviour, which can affect someone’s ability to think, react and relate to others.
We all have mental health and it is just as important as physical health, it is not only talking about mental illness or mental disorders this is just one part of a bigger picture. It’s best to think about mental health as being on a continuum rather than people being either mentally ill or mentally well. We are all on the continuum and we move up and down according to factors such as genetic makeup and upbringing, our life circumstances and the stress we are under. But at one end of the continuum we have mental disorders like depression, anxiety and at the other end we have states of positive mental health when we’re thriving, contempt and fulfilled. The aim of the mental health intervention is to move people up the continuum so that they are able to reach their full potential and live a satisfying life.
There are many reasons which affect one’s mental health: the economic hardship of job or income loss, the threat of illness or death puts you under a lot of stress and puts stress on relationships and friends. It’s been particularly difficult for those who are on front lines, essential workers who work with those who are ill or who are unable to work from home but I don’t think anyone right now is being untouched by the mental health effects during this pandemic but even before the pandemic mental health is something that’s really important to our overall well being and just like it’s important to do things to keep our body physically healthy is important.
Millions of people in the world are affected by mental health issues every year, so now it’s high time to address this issue and talk about it’s causes and impact. By talking about mental health issues on a regular basis, we all as a society can hopefully remove the false notions about this topic. Many of the myths have to be erased in order to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.
Today mental health issues are increasing in every field of life whether it is at the workplace or at home. In the workplace mental illness majorly affects our work. It leads to decrease in productivity, mood irritability which give rise to interpersonal conflict and many more short and long term disabilities. Thus, creating a healthy environment at every workplace is very important.
To do things to promote our mental well being as well as some of those things happen really difficult to maintain during this pandemic like exercise, getting enough sleep and getting regular exercise and just like we should go to the doctor for regular physical check ups or go if something is wrong with us such as shoulder pain or chest pain,it is also important to reach out to mental health professionals to do a check-in for our mental well being as well.full And it’s really important to address anxiety, worry, problems in sleeping, substance overuse,feeling of isolation or grief that you may be experiencing right now. We have to encourage everyone who’s having difficulties right now that’s expected.
Mental health issues are rising very fast from the few decades. As large number of people is affected by this issue, it just proves that no one is no longer alone in their struggle and talking about mental health has to be more acceptable. Mental health is considered as a taboo, just because of this thinking many people do not getting proper treatment they need. In return of that their poor mental health can lead them to suicidal thought.
Opening about mental health could help everyone to heal from this, as talking up about one’s mental health is very important. As a part of society, we must do more to help our loved ones by supporting and handling them through their dark days and start talking about their mental health which would spark their initial action. With the increasing mental health issues, we must have to come together and find the different positive ways to involve ourselves in the conversation of our loved ones and help them to make them out of this situation before it’s too late to handle the situation.
