Mental health is our emotional, psychological and social well being. It reflects how we think, feel, act or react to situations. Mental health also influences our choices of daily life. A person’s behavior also reflects his mental health. Mental health is a state of mental well being that enables people to cope up with stress, building strong relationships, making apt decisions, handling problems. Mental health not only affects mental well being rather it affects physical health and also overall growth of a person. Mental health affects one person’s daily life. From starting a day from no clue of how to manage the day to ending it with a lot of stress in bed. Bad mental health can become a curse to a person. The way we maintain our appearance, fashion, lifestyle i.e. how we look, what we eat, where we go, to whom we meet, with whom we talk and what activity takes the most amount of time in our day, all this affects our mental health.
Fear of being judged
Mental health is as crucial as physical health yet it is overlooked until it becomes severe. A major issue is the stigma around mental health. For reducing this stigma it requires having open conversations and education, helping people understand their issues. People feel ashamed or embarrassed to discuss how they are feeling and about their struggles, they fear being judged by others. Not sharing about one’s mental health leads to bigger problems. Earlier people didn’t know about mental health and its conditions and they used to disrespect others feelings by not acknowledging them but these days there is awareness about mental health issues and people now try to empathize with others.
In this modern world people are still trying to hide their true selves, they pretend to be some who would eventually be likeable and interesting but the bitter truth is there is no need to be likeable around everybody as if someone tries to open up about their fears or try to express themselves people tend make fun, mock around or ignore and judge, this makes people afraid and they never try to express what they are dealing with. But we should show what we really are and not try to be someone who would be liked by others. Maybe some people will not like us or judge us but people who actually care about us would come around and help us.
Lack of Awareness
In India there is a lack of awareness about mental health, people still are unaware about mental health, its issues, symptoms and consequences. There are still limited professionals which makes it difficult for people to get help. There should be some good initiatives from authorities to address mental health. Schools should conduct programmes for students educating them about mental health. Seminars, free online counseling should also be there to create awareness among people.
A person’s lifestyle also plays a major role in maintaining mental health i.e. having a balanced diet, sufficient sleep and exercising regularly can improve mental health. One can add meditation and yoga to their daily routine. Self-care is very necessary these days.
Social well-being
Social connections are an important part of life. Building strong relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours can provide emotional support and can reduce the feeling of loneliness. Social isolation, bullying and toxic relationships can negatively impact mental health.
People around us also affect our mental health. How one is treated in a group can affect mental health. Especially people with supportive friends tend to have good mental health or they heal better as good friends are someone who never judges you, always asks whether everything is fine or not and are always there to support and help in bad times.Keeping relationships which help us grow helps a lot to the people with mental health issues.
Impacts of bad mental health
Sometimes due to the suffering of a person his relationship gets affected. A person not dealing with his own issue can ruin his relationships unintentionally. A person with bad mental health generally is not able to communicate properly, either he communicates poorly that others interpret differently whatever he tries to communicate or he does not express himself at all which leads to piling up of unsaid things which create unresolved misunderstandings eventually creating communication gaps. Bad communication also leads to intimacy issues between the couple which leads to strained relationships.
Bad mental health also impacts one decision making power. Not being fully into your senses can lead to bad decisions. It also comes in between concentration, one cannot properly concentrate on important matters as there are thousands of unrelated things going on in mind and it is tough to concentrate on one. Also bad mental health gets worse with overthinking. Overthinking is something which is hard to control as one needs a lot of effort to control it.
Bad mental health not only affects psychologically but physically too. One can feel tired all day without doing anything. It can also lead to a bad diet (i.e. either eating junk or unhealthy food or not eating at all). Sometimes bad mental health leads to weight gain or loss. It can also lead to many diseases or deficiencies.
When mental health gets worse it can also affect badly, one can do self harm or get suicidal thoughts. When this happens there is an immediate need to seek help. Options like therapy, medications, yoga, meditations can help.
Types of Disorders
Anxiety
Anxiety is characterized by excessive worry, nervousness, or fear that is out of proportion to the actual threat. It is rooted in anticipation — an overactive fear of what might happen. Anxiety disorders involve persistent and uncontrollable anxious thoughts that interfere with daily functioning.
Depression
Depression is marked by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in once-enjoyed activities. It creates a heavy emotional state where motivation is diminished and life feels devoid of meaning or energy.
Depression is a complex disorder which is not easy to understand. It can ruin a person’s overall personality and it can affect a person’s daily life. It is a silent struggle which is a persistent feeling of sadness, nervousness, fatigue, tiredness and hopelessness. Depression also creates a change in appetite. Despite being in this modern world depression stays in the stigma and it has not been openly talked about in public. If someone is suffering from depression he is not able to talk about it even with his friends and family. It gets tough for a person to openly express himself in public or even when he is surrounded between his own people. Depression drains a person’s ability to do daily chores or focus on important things. Depression is a major public health concern which must be addressed. WHO (World Health Organisation) has also emphasized to consider depression as a concern which must be addressed.
Bipolar disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Schizophrenia
Eating Disorder
Eating disorders nowadays are as real as any other mental ailment. When one is not comfortable in their skin, whether it be body weight or body image it sometimes causes a person to develop an unhealthy relationship with food. But its sometimes a mistaken idea that these disorders are just about food, rather they are deeply rooted in psychological, biological and societal factors. Thousands, millions of individuals no matter the age, gender or social background suffer from eating disorders and the numbers are increasing.
These disorders might begin with a desire to improve oneself or become healthier, they might quickly shapeshift into life – threatening and obsessive conditions. They cause severe emotional and physical complications, emotional distress, withdrawal from society and even loved ones as they not only affect the body but also the mind.
Conclusion
Mental health is a critical aspect of our well-being. By breaking the silence around mental health, promoting education and awareness, and ensuring accessible services, we can create a supportive environment that prioritizes mental health. Let us work together to promote mental health awareness and support those struggling with mental health issues.
Mental health is also a fundamental part of our well-being. By silencing the silence of mental health, encouraging education and awareness, and making services accessible, we can make our community an enabling environment that values mental health. Let us strive together to champion mental health awareness and assist those with mental health disorders.
Frequently asked questions
What are the ways to improve mental health?
Some common ways to improve mental health are staying active, connecting with others, having good sleep, exercising regularly and managing stress.
Different types of mental disorder?
- Anxiety
– Depression
– Bipolar disorder
– Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
– Schizophrenia
– Eating Disorder
How to prevent mental issues?
Express your feelings, eat well, keep in touch with your close ones, try to do activities which make you happy, do not overthink.
