Our mental health is a depiction of our sanity to put in simple words. Thus our goal shouldn’t just be to keep mental illnesses at bay but to make a conscious effort to improve our mental health every day. It is important to understand that a mental disorder doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a very slow process, your mind gives you ample opportunities, signs to seek help yet when ignored it transitions into a mental disorder and tangles all spheres of personal and professional life.
The focus of mental health has always been depression, anxiety, and mental disorders. The concept of “Don’t fix, if it isn’t broken” is a part of our everyday Indian culture that does not allow individuals to voice their discomfort leading to disasters in mental health.
Let us be honest – we cannot change the situations around us beyond a certain extent but having a healthy mind would allow us to be sane amidst all the chaos. “The foremost important thing is to take care of yourself – to value yourself, not to engage in unhealthy self-criticism, take time out to nurture your physical health too and by honouring your mental, physical and emotional needs,” says By Arouba Kabir, Mental Health counselor & Founder, Enso Wellness.
Here are some ways in which mental health can be nurtured
Start by setting small realistic goals for all areas of your life
Accomplishing them would give a sense of upliftment and happiness. “The goals can be as simple as getting up early and taking an early morning walk, meditating for 30 minutes every day to reclaim your balance and stability, journaling before you hit the bed to instil a sense of gratitude before sleeping,” adds Kabir.
Manage your work life balance
We have all heard that ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ Meeting work deadlines, thinking about finances related to your work are of course things that may occupy your head constantly – yet do not take out the wrath on your loved ones. Establishing this balance may be a little tough and you would need to work on it continuously. In short, focus equally on your work and family, friends, and hobbies. This way, you would be physically sound and mentally relaxed and master the art of happiness.
Exercise Daily
This is not just important for your physical fitness but exercising releases serotonin – a happy hormone that keeps your mood lifted throughout the day. You do not have to necessarily toil for hours at the gym, a 30-minute walk in your nearby garden shall also do the trick.
Stay Connected with your loved ones
Be it your friends, family, or workplace colleagues – it’s important to develop relationships where you both can nurture each other – sharing what you feel with each other and supporting each other helps create safe spaces which are comforting and help build a healthy mental health state.
Consider therapy
An external / non-judgmental ear to listen to and a place to express yourself can go a long way in healing what might become a bigger pandemic than Covid. “That is where we created the concept of a mental health marketplace on our app, where people can write a journal anonymously and have the option of talking for free to unrelated peers and more experienced people going all the way to paid therapists and medical professionals. Anonymity and privacy provides the much needed environment of trust,” says Kapil Gupta,Founder and CEO Solh Wellness.
A sound mental health is important not just for the individual but for the family, peers and community at large. Thus, we as individuals should encourage spreading awareness regarding having a healthy mind and help people break the vicious circles of stigmas, taboos and uncertainty looming in the society so as to create a healthy and happy community.
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