“There is no health without mental health,” WHO
Mental health is an important part of our daily lives, but it’s too often misunderstood or overlooked. And since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re dedicating this article to raising awareness about mental health and the importance of taking care of your mind as well as your body.
What is mental health?
Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It is the state of being sound in your mind and having an effective way of thinking about things. It is the sum of all your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. It’s a crucial piece of your overall health and contributes to your productivity and effectiveness in activities like work or school. It allows you to adapt to changes in your life and cope with adversity.
Now that we have established how mental health is a vital part of your life, do you know what it does for you? Let’s dive in:
Mental health helps you keep your focus and achieve goals. It also helps you manage your emotions, and it gives you the ability to control your actions. A healthy mind allows you to be creative and express yourself in positive ways. Mental health allows you to feel joy and happiness, which boosts your immune system and keeps you healthy physically as well as mentally.
To sum it up, mental health is a big deal, and it’s time we start talking about it. Here are some key facts to get you started:
- Globally, mental disorders account for 1 in 6 years lived with disability.
- The global economy loses about US$1 trillion per year in productivity due to depression and anxiety.
- Depressive symptoms grew from a base of about 193 million people worldwide to 246 million, which is about 28% since the pandemic.
- Anxiety disorders grew from about 298 million people affected to 374 million, which is about a 25% increase since the pandemic.
Just like your physical health, if you don’t take care of your mental health, it will be more difficult to function in the world. It can even prevent you from functioning at all! There is no better time than now to take charge of your life—and your brain!
We’ve got some tips for keeping your brain healthy so that you can stay sharp, focused, and productive:
- Take time to relax each day with a mindfulness practice such as yoga or meditation.
- Exercise regularly! It helps keep your stress levels down and can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety without medication.
- Make sure you get enough sleep at night so that you’re ready for whatever tomorrow might bring!
- Remember to take breaks throughout the day so that you don’t get overwhelmed by all the things on your plate!
- Get enough sunshine during the day because it helps regulate circadian rhythms and boosts serotonin levels which make us happier!
Mental health is an invisible problem, but it’s not a silent one! Mental health awareness month is here to help break the stigma surrounding mental illness. We must talk about this subject and make sure people know just how common it is. We hope you take part in raising awareness for mental health throughout May.
