Mind Matters: Why we shouldn’t swipe past Mind Health

​An estimated 1 in 6 people experience a common mental health challenge such as depression or anxiety in a given week. There are probably more who choose not to speak to a medical professional so these go unreported.

The subject of mental health has also been given a lot of media coverage recently but we still need to do as much as possible to raise awareness, help each other and learn how we can better manage our own mental health and wellbeing.

Many of us have or will struggle with a mental health related challenge at some point in our lives, if you never do that’s great….Eureka you’ve conquered life.

What can you do to build greater resilience?

It is something to be aware of and one of the first things we can do is build up our resilience around some of our basic challenges so that we feel stronger and have resources to call on should we need them.

We’re not always in control of things that happen but what we can do is change our thoughts and the way we react to them.

For physical health generally it’s quite obvious when we’re unwell or feeling suboptimal the signs can be visible, noticeable or obvious. You can’t see your mind so it can take a little more focus to pinpoint what’s going on. A common reaction is to say things like "I think it’s all in my mind', 'I’m being silly', 'nobody else seems to be struggling' or just suffering in silence until things becomes more serious.

These are the types of things we’ve become programmed to do, think and say to ourselves. If we aren’t able to acknowledge the important topic of our own mental health, how can we become more comfortable taking action for our own wellbeing or even speaking about it to others?

You can contribute to improved mental health through exercise, nutrition and rest but you can also start to think about a few more things to build stronger resistance to stress and challenging situations, which are important factors when we consider the topic.

Here are a few to start you off:

Mind your language

What you say to yourself on a daily basis is very important. Think about the language you use. Is it encouraging and uplifting or do you often berate yourself? Would you speak to a friend in this way? Do you need to make a mental note to adjust your thoughts and language to be a bit kinder?

Improve your communication

Take time to listen more to your dialogue partner rather than just brain dumping, purely telling them how you see the world and how you think things should be. This will help you to build stronger relationships in and outside of work creating a strong network of trust and support.

Be Grateful

We have so many things to be thankful for, make it a daily practice to grow your list of these things it will help you to feel better and appreciate what you have. Improved quality of thoughts, bring better attitudes and more fulfilment.

Leave the complaining to someone else

If you’re always looking for something to disapprove of you will always find something to disapprove of. If you’re often finding fault start thinking about what you could do to improve things, there are always options. I can’t recall hearing anyone sound upbeat when they’re complaining.

Recognise your sensitivity to change

If plans are made then subsequently change and there is nothing you can do, notice your reaction. If it’s something that completely throws you and puts you in a bad mood ask yourself what can I do differently? Which mood do I prefer right now? Observing and challenging your reaction will help you recognise and alter your sensitivity to change if need be.

Keeping the topic of mental health mainstream

The more we talk to each other about what’s going on with our mental health and not be embarrassed or dismissive of what we’re experiencing, we’ll actually see that it’s not as uncommon as we think and we can also help each other.

Remember we’re seeking to build stronger foundations for improved mental health so something will need to change to reinforce your responsibility and commitment to your own improved mind health.

Become more aware when your mental health starts to feel less than optimal over a prolonged period of time, take responsibility and take action you owe it to yourself.

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Rosemarie