We're committed to increasing positive mental health
Everyone has mental health
Not everyone will experience a mental illness, but everyone will struggle or have a challenge with their mental well-being at some stage in their life, this could be from feeling a bit low after loosing a job, having difficulty adjusting to becoming a parent, to having your children fly the nest or after retiring and no longer having the same routines and sense of belonging, that you had at work. There are lots of lifestyle changes that require adjustment and may leave us feeling unsettled and a bit low. Just like we have physical health, our mental health is there and can go from high to low and vice versa.
Just like looking after our physical health by working out, eating healthy we should do the same to look after our mental health from ensuring we get enough sleep to feeding our souls with things we like, spending time with friends and family, going to the theatre, listening to music and relaxing (i.e., their mental health).
It is important to recognise just like we all have challenges with our physical well-being from time to time, we may also have challenges with our mental well-being from time to time.
When we talk about mental health, we’re talking about our mental well-being: our emotions, our thoughts and feelings, our ability to solve problems and overcome difficulties, our social connections, and our understanding of the world around us.
A mental illness is an illness the affects that way people think, feel, behave, or interact with others. There are many different mental illnesses, and they have different symptoms that impact peoples’ lives in different ways.
There are different degrees of health. People move on a continuum ranging from great or good health to so-so health to poor health to illness or disability. For example, some people have good health and have no problems going about their lives. Some people experience serious health problems, and their poor health has a very negative impact on their life. Some people have serious health problems that last for a long time, and others have serious health problems that resolve very quickly. Many people fall somewhere in the middle—they’re generally in good health, though the occasional problem may come up. Mental health is the same and we need to nurture our mental as well as our physical well-being. You can have a mental health illness and have good mental health, if you are looking after your well-being and are in a good place, equally you may have no mental health illnesses but may still experience poor mental health from time to time. Especially following a life style change or difficult period in your life. It is important to recognise this and take steps to look after your mental health as much as your physical health. The more you nurture your well-being and the more resilient you are, the less likely you are to come into difficulties that you can't overcome.
Are your needs being met?
In order to feel happy and fulfilled we have certain needs that must be met, starting with the basics....
According to Maslow's Hierarchy of needs in order to feel truly happy and fulfilled (which is the key to great well-being) we need to have self fulfilment, we need to have achieved something and have a sense of purpose. But before we can get to that stage we need to meet our basic needs first.
Unless our basic physiological needs are being met we won't reach self fulfilment and be truly happy.
We need a safe place to live, food, water and need so we need to eat well, have enough money coming into feel secure, then we need a sense of belonging, be it through work, or being part of a club or group, having strong friendships or being around family.
Then we need to work on ourselves, achieving our goals and dreams.
It is therefore important for our well-being to make sure all of these needs are being met.
Work through each of these needs and see where you are on the ladder and what you can do to improve your situation and ultimately your happiness.
First of all are your basic needs being met? Are you eating and drinking the right amount? Do you have a healthy diet? Do you have access to enough food? If you are facing issues you can speak to your GP who can refer you to a food bank.
Are getting enough sleep, having a healthy diet?
Do you have a home where you feel happy and secure? Do you have a job where you feel settled and know you can pay your bills?
Do you have close friendships or family around you? If not can you join a club. If you have recently left your job you may feel isolated. Perhaps try taking up a new hobby and join some groups, even if it is virtually or take up volunteering. This will get you meeting new people, learning new skills and will give you a sense of purpose.
Finally what can you accomplish for yourself learning a new skill, completing a course or ticking something off your bucket list will help you to get a sense of accomplishment.
Making the effort to achieve small goals each day towards your dreams will make all the difference. You may need to step back and take time out to decide what you want out of life and where you are heading. Remember its not just about the destination, but the journey that takes you there.
Finally why not keep a gratitude journal, where you log what you have achieved and the things you are grateful for. Focusing on the positive aspects of your life will make you feel more positive and this will improve your physical as well as your mental well-being. Positivity also attracts positivity and once you start thinking in a positive way, you will find good things happen, which then lead onto other good things. The more effort you put in, the more you will get out of life.
You may find small adjustments each day will help you to get where you want to in time.
