What is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected.
A Serious Mental Illness (SMI) is a mental illness that interferes with a person’s life and ability to function. Despite common misperceptions, having an SMI is not a choice, a weakness, or a character flaw. It is not something that just “passes” or can be “snapped out of” with willpower.
As someone who suffers from a mental illness, I know first-hand that it isn't easy "controlling" things that go on inside the mind. I've learned to accept the way I am. It took me a long time. It doesn't have to be a bad thing for you. And there are ways to cope with any mental illness you may have.
Get plenty of rest even if that means sleeping more hours to get 8 hours of rest. Sleep is crucial for all of us.
Reach out to others on those "bad" days. Even on the good days, you can talk to someone who understands what you're going through. If you don't have someone by your side, you can talk to other people like your doctor, an associate at work who you trust, etc. Don't bottle it up because that can make things worse. I did that and it took slapping my husband in the face to finally unleash it (long story lol).
Taking care of your mind is important too. Take up a hobby you enjoy like gardening or crocheting. You don't have to be good at it as long as you enjoy it. Writing has always been something that I enjoyed and I knew at a young age that this was something I wanted to do full-time, professionally. But, it can be a hobby too.
Writing or drawing your "feelings" can help you cope with the low moments in your life. If you are bipolar and have extreme highs and lows, it can help with those high moments as well. Writing/drawing has a way of slowing things down. It can help put you at ease when you are more anxious.
Celebrate all sizes of successes. Just getting out of bed, or out of the house can be a big deal. Some people may not understand something like that but it truly is something special. Celebrate it. Those people around you may celebrate with you so include them.
There are several different types of places where you can connect with others. There are groups you can join. Support groups aren't just for AAA, they make them for all sorts of things like mental health. If you don't know where to look for one, ask your doctor about them.
Get involved with other activities like sports, school, or church activities. Start a women's group or men's group (or join one).
Take care of your body too. That can help the mental side of your body. Besides getting enough sleep, spend time outside whenever you can. Walk in your yard barefoot if you can. Get some exercise even if it's a walk around the block.
If the shoe is on the other foot and it's someone you care about who has mental health issues, be there for them. That is just as hard as facing the issue--do not judge this person. And sometimes, it is hard for them to reach out for help, don't force it. You can be there just by listening to him or her, and being there for them. Be supportive and keep an open mind. Do not judge. And don't offer cures by saying things like "shake it off," "you'll get over it, just forget about it," etc. It isn't that easy. In fact, it only makes things worse.
This relates to A Mother's Pain as well as Broken: An Autobiography.
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