When people hear mental health, many people being to think of depression, disorders or psychiatry but these words are often related to mental illness. Many people use mental health and mental illness interchangeably. Mental illness is often related to the disturbances an individual experiences through their thoughts, feelings and perception that impair an individual’s daily routine. Some examples of mental illnesses include anxiety disorders, depression and bipolar disorder. Mental health is known as our state of well-being. Mental health focuses ensuring you are enjoying yourself in life by having a sense of purpose and managing between the ups and downs that occur in life. 1 in 5 people in Canada can face a mental health problem, however 5 in 5 people can experience mental health.
Maintaining good mental health can be different from each individual. But overall, to maintain good mental health, there are 6 factors to build upon:
1. A sense of purpose 2. Strong relationships 3. Feeling connected to others 4. Having a good sense of self 5. Coping with stress 6. Enjoying moments within life Particularly, during the COVID-19 pandemic many individuals stayed home most of the time which had impacted their mental health as many individuals felt isolated. During these times, it is important to ensure we have strong social relations as we can communicate to others and build a sense of productivity to make sure we have meaning in our lives.
To ensure your mental health is well. Here are some examples of activities to do support your wellbeing:
· Deep breathing exercises can be done. In times where an individual feels stressed, practicing breathing can help to slow down your heart rate to feel calmer. · Exercising is another factor in which can help to improve your mood overtime. Exercises such as jogging, swimming, walking can reduce any stress and ensures an individual has better sleep. · Gardening is another hobby people take part in. Gardening helps people to keep their mind in peace as individuals can get some fresh air, vitamin D and some light exercise. Furthermore, gardening can reduce cortisol levels. · Reading books is another way in which helps people. For example, reading fictional books provides the opportunity for the reader to gain empathy, strengthen their social skills and gain a deeper interpersonal understanding. · Social interactions are important as it allows you communicate to someone who cares about you and helps to build strong relationships overtime.
For more information: https://cmha.ca/blogs/mental-health-what-is-it-really
Written by: Shenen Sivakumar