“A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding and Supporting Mental Well-Being.” In this article, we will learn about the often misunderstood domain of mental health. The article attempts to give you the knowledge to better embrace and assist mental well-being. Besides, we will also suggest complementary tools for the same.
With passing days, mental health issues have become more popular and crucial. It’s important to be aware of ourselves and the information required to make a positive impact on our surroundings. Whether you’re playing the role of a concerned friend or family member, this article acts as a guide for you. Also, if you are interested in just understanding your own mental health, this article might be the one for you.
In this article, we’ll explore common mental health disorders, their symptoms, and the various treatment options available today. We’ll touch upon the importance of self-care and provide applicable tips for building an encouraging environment for those struggling with mental wellbeing issues.
At EmotionSupport, we firmly believe that learning is the key to nurturing mental well-being. By growing our understanding and erasing the stigma surrounding mental health, we can promote a more humane and inclusive society. So, let’s get down on this journey together and count on ourselves to make a difference in the lives of ourselves and those around us.
What does mental health mean?
Mental health covers our social wellness. It impacts our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, influencing how we function in life. Like health, mental health is valuable. It’s not merely the absence of illness; it’s about nurturing a sense of wellbeing.
There are several factors influencing mental health, like genetics, environment, and past experiences. Mental health is a scale that includes different levels of mental well-being at different times in an individual’s life. Its not only the mental state at present. To achieve a meaningful life, it is essential to take care of our mental health.
Understanding mental health involves recognizing the importance of emotional flexibility and self-awareness and pursuing support when needed. It also involves recognizing the influence of mental health on our daily lives and those around us. By getting a wider insight into mental health, we can definitely help establish a compassionate society to live in.
Common mental health disorders
Mental health disorders are common worldwide. People are knowingly and unknowingly the victims of mental health disorders. This is affecting people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. These disorders can be revealed in various ways, for instance, by impacting individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Understanding common mental health disorders can help us identify their signs and symptoms. As a result, we can take the right action at the right time as a measure of prevention.
One of the most common mental health disorders is anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is also commonly known as panic disorder. Some of the characteristics of this include worrying too much and fear, and sometimes, in extreme cases, it can also impair the daily functioning of the body.
Depressive disorders, including major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, are also widespread. These disorders involve constant feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. Depression can substantially impact a person’s capability to conduct daily duties and activities and maintain relationships.
Some of the other mental health disorders are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), eating disorder, and bipolar disorder. One should identify the correct disorder before going for treatment. For this purpose, it is essential to know the symptoms and signs reflecting each disorder.
Why is it important to check mental well-being ?
Mental well-being is very important in our daily lives. We humans are supposed to live a quality life, but it seems impossible if we are not internally happy and mentally healthy. Conquering our inner and mental states is the first and foremost way to enhance our lives and make them more qualitative.
Similarly, mental well-being is also important for our personal growth. In order to improve our productivity and creativity, we must improve our mental well-being.
Having good mental health helps us be content. At the same time, keeping our mental health in check aids in various ways to excel in our daily lives, work, and most importantly, relationships. These are the treasures of our life that could be achieved through a healthy mental state.
Despite all the above-mentioned, we are human beings and we cannot be in the same state every day. There are different factors that influence us and our behavior. However, one thing that can always help us protect our mental health from such ups and downs is discipline and healthy habits.
What are the early signs and symptoms of mental health-related issues?
Some of the common signs and symptoms of mental health-related issues we can identify in the early stages are:
1. Mood Swings
Changes in the mood for no reason are one sign the person might be going through health-related issues. Feeling sad persistently, getting easily irritated, and feeling useless, etc. are a few symptoms showing that a person might have a depressive disorder.
2. Overthinking
Some people have the habit of overthinking. Time and again, take it lightly and let it go. However, an individual who is overthinking, getting worried about small things a lot, and easily getting distracted may be signs telling that person might have an anxiety disorder.
2. Physical symptoms
Do you feel pain in your body that you find difficult to explain? The answer to this question is your mental health issue. Suddenly, changes in our sleeping routine, being unable to sleep properly, changes in our appetite, etc. are signs you need to check on your mental health.
In addition to all the above signs and symptoms, other notable symptoms include,
1. Excluding oneself from social activities or any kind of get-together.
2. Always feeling low
3. Feeling distracted and getting sad for no reason
4. Changes in weight out of nowhere
5. Feeling Guilty every time
What are the misconceptions prevailing among people about mental health? And what are its impacts?
Stigma about mental health is prevailing in our society for a very long time. Those misconceptions are very hard to fight and eradicate. People hate changes, and the way people hold perceptions about mental health is very conservative. In such a scenario, an individual will seek help and support. It’s very challenging.
The societal attitude towards mental health has a huge impact on individuals. We live in a society that is surrounded by misunderstandings. Those stereotypes regarding mental health influence the way we feel and think. As a result, people keep their mental health condition to themselves and live in shame and isolation, which is indeed very worrisome.
It is very necessary to break down such misconceptions and stubborn stigmas. We need more people to talk about mental well-being, like we talk about physical health. We need to support and promote establishing an environment where an individual feels safe sharing his/her feelings and experiences. The basic thing that is needed to achieve this is more awareness among people.
How to improve mental well-being?
Improving mental well-being constantly is what we seek. Almost all people go through a dilemma where they question their way of thinking. They check for their mental health, knowingly or unknowingly. The reason might fall into a variety of categories, like work, relationships, and home.
Each of us wants the best for us. So, for our mental well-being, we look for ways to improve and support our good mental health. Here is a list of some strategies that might be useful.
1. Creating a safe space for communication
We need to create an environment where people will talk about their inner thoughts and feelings without being judged. When people have no restrictions on sharing their experiences, they feel validated and supported. This is a huge thing for improving mental health and developing a positive attitude.
2. Self awareness:
Most of the time, people are not aware of their mental conditions. They think everything is going great, but on a core level, they are struggling to maintain their mental health. This is where education, awareness, and empathy are crucial. Having good knowledge and understanding about mental well-being aids in keeping mental health in check.
3. Me time
Me time is the quality time we spend caring for ourselves. People should invest more time in self caring more time to improve and feel good about themselves. When an individual is happy inside, he/she is more likely to live happily and content. So, we must promote things that can help us attain happiness. For instance, practicing mindfulness, exercising, and doing things we love, whether it be listening to music, sketching, writing, painting, etc.
4. Active listening without judging:
Today, people rarely listen to others. Whenever they listen, they listen intending to reply, not to understand and respond. It’s an ironic thing that we practice today. We need to engage more in active listening and listening with the intention of no judgement.
5. Seek Professional help when needed
We should seek professional health in extreme condition. Sometimes we are clueless and have no idea how to deal with our situation. In such case, seeking professional guide is very important. Getting professional help is the courageous step rather than a sign of weakness. So we need to normalize this for our inner healing.
Conclusion
The entire journey of understanding mental health is never ending. Walking through this journey is very overwhelming. We get lost sometimes, and finding our way through it is like achieving a milestone. Now, just imagine the beauty of this journey when we know about the challenges and ways to overcome it.
Being aware of our mental well-being, its underlying challenges, and ways to overcome these challenges gives us immense happiness. Normalizing mental health is another step towards being an inclusive society.
The importance of mental health is at the same scale as that of physical health. We should give both equal priorities for healthy living. If needed, we need to stand up for ourselves.
