Mental Health

 

Let us know the difference between normal mental health and mental disorders?
Most of the time, the answer is clear but more often the distinction is not so obvious.
Let’s see one example of both- If you are afraid of giving a speech in public that means it's not a disorder or case of nerves? Or when shyness becomes a severe case of social phobia?
Here’s the details of your mental well-being -

Mental health

Mental well-being is the most important for overall health. Mental wellbeing includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health affects our mind like how we think, feel and act. It also helps to find how we handle, relate to others, and make healthy decisions at crucial points.

Mental well-being is the most important for overall health. Mental wellbeing includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health affects our mind like how we think, feel and act. It also helps to find how we handle, relate to others, and make healthy decisions at crucial points.

Sometimes we use this interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness but they are not the same. Some people can experience poor mental health and not be identified as mental illness. Likewise, one diagnosed with a mental illness can experience physical, mental and social well-being.

Why is mental health important for overall health?

Both mental and physical health are equally important for overall health. For example, Mental illnesses like depression increase the risk for many types of physical health problems, especially long-lasting problems like diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Likewise, the chronic conditions will increase the risk for mental illness.

What can affect my mental health?

There are many risk factors that affects your mental wellbeing, including:

• Biological factors like genes or brain chemistry
• Trauma or abuse
• Family history of mental wellbeing problems
• Your modern lifestyle such as diet, exercise and substance use

You can also take some steps to improve your mental health such as doing meditation, some relaxation yoga’s and more.

Can my mental health change over time?

Over time, your mental health can change for everyone. For example, you are facing difficult situations such as trying to manage a chronic illness, taking care of ill patients or facing any financial problems. Some critical situations lead to worsening of your mental health. For good mental health, attending any therapy may improve your mental health.

Signs of having a mental health problem?

Your emotions play a major role in your health conditions. If you experience any situation like happy or sad moments, it can be hard to make decisions and we don't know what is normal or what is not. Here some warning signs that you may have a mental health problem, including:

• your eating or sleeping habits are changed
• activities you enjoy
• Changes in your energy level
• Feeling numb or sitting ideal
• You get more unexplained aches and pain more often
• Feeling lonely or helpless
• More of smoking, drinking habits
• You can feel unusually confused, forgetful, angry, upset, worried, or scared
• Experiencing severe mood swings
• Head full of thoughts
• Hearing some false voices or believing sounds that are not true
• More thoughts of harming yourself or others
• Not able to take care of kids or getting to work or school

How do mental health professionals diagnose disorders?

Mental health conditions can be diagnosed by a psychiatrist, psychologist, clinical social worker or other mental health professional. Your general doctor can also be involved in a diagnostic assessment or make referrals to mental health specialists.

The following Diagnosis methods:

• A medical history of your health conditions or mental health in you or in your family
• A complete physical to identify a condition that may be causing symptoms
• Asking questions about your current problems or why are need of help
• Ask Questions about how recent problems changes in your life — trauma, relationships, work, death of a friend or relative and how it affects
• Formal test like Questionnaires that asks your feedback for how you think, feel or behave in certain typical situation
• Ask Questions about your past and current alcohol or drug usage
• Major life changing events like history of trauma, abuse, family crises etc.,
• Ask Questions about past or current issues like violence against yourself or others
• Asking Questionnaires or interviews completed by who knows you well, such as a parent or spouse

Tips to improve Your Mental Health

Try these below following tips to keep your balance, or re-energize yourself

• Value yourself

Value yourself with more kindness and respect as well as avoid self-criticism. Make time for yourself for your hobbies and favourite projects or make your friend circle broaden. Do small puzzles, gardening, dance classes, sports coaching or try to learn new languages etc.,

• Take care of your body

To improve your mental health, take care of your physical wellbeing. Make sure to

• Eat healthy nutritious meals
• Try to Avoid smoking and vaping (take Cessation Help)
• Drink more water frequently
• Regular Exercise, which helps to decrease depression and anxiety and improve your moods
• Get enough sleep. Researchers say that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of depression.

• Surround yourself with good people

People with strong family bonding or social connections are healthier than those who lack a support network. Make sure that you spend some time with your supportive family members and friends. Or try to be involved in activities where you can meet new people like clubs, classes or community groups.

• Give yourself

You can involve yourself to help someone else. You will feel good while helping others who need help. And it's a best way to meet new people

• Learn how to deal with stress

Do you want it or not? Like it or not? Stress is a part of life. Practice some good skills to cope with your mental health. Try one-minute stress strategies, Stress Strategies, do Tai Chi, exercise, take a walk, play with your pet or try writing as a stress reducer. And also remember to smile and see the joy of your life. Research shows that laughing can boost your immune system, relax your body and reduce stress.

• Quiet your mind

Try some meditation or mindfulness or prayer. These relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your mind sets and outlook in life. Most research shows that meditation will help you feel calm and improve the effects of therapy. 

• Set realistic goals

Write down the steps that you need to realize your goals like to achieve academically, professionally and personally. You will aim high, but be more realistic and don't over-schedule. You will enjoy this amazing sense of accomplishment as you progress to your goal. 

• Break up the monotony

Make Alter your jogging route, plan a road-trip like hiking, take a walk in a different eco park, hang some new pictures or try a new restaurant. 

• Avoid alcohol and other drugs

You must avoid alcohol and other types of drugs. Because alcohol will change your moods. It will affect your mental health by making you unconscious. Alcohol and other drugs only aggravate problems, not a solution.

• Get help when you need it

Asking for help is one way of being strong, not a weakness. People who get proper care will recover from mental problems and addiction.

Conclusion:

Many people who can experience mental health problems consider their signs and symptoms to become a part of life or avoid treatment out of any fear and shame. If you are concerned about your mental illness, don't hesitate to seek advice.

Consult your general doctor or make an appointment with a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional. It may be important for you to find a professional who is familiar with your culture and experiences and life story.

With proper support, you can identify mental health conditions and get treatments like medications or counselling.