Mental health is everyone's business - not just today
Today is World Mental Health day
This year’s theme is Mental Health for all. I like it. Mental health like physical health is crucial for each one of us to live an engaged and meaningful life.
We all have moments when we feel low, anxious, stressed or frightened. Most of the time these feelings pass. But sometimes they develop into a more serious problem. This could happen to any one of us.
Did you know?
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England
1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England
(Source: Mind, 2020)
But how do we know if we have good mental health?
When we are in good mental health, we can:
make the most of our life
deal with the ups and downs of everyday life
engage fully with the different areas of our life - family, work, community and friends.
When we look after our mental health others benefit too
Looking after mental wellbeing is far from selfish or self-indulgent. On the contrary, the greater our mental wellbeing, the more we have to offer. We can maintain good perspective on things and respond rather than react to situations (be snappy, short-tempered, passive-aggressive, make knee-jerk decisions), we have greater capacity to be kind, open and caring to ourselves and to others.
We all experience mental health issues differently just like we experience physical illness differently. Some of us are more prone to illness, others are more robust. Some recover quickly, others take longer.
Sadly, there is still such stigma attached to mental health issues which makes many of us feel uncomfortable talking about our mental ill-health.
This was my own experience for a long time. I used to suffer from high levels of anxiety but I didn’t feel I could speak to anyone about it at work, apart from close friends, but even then I feared that they would think ill of me or see me as a problem.
That’s why I feel so passionate about helping to lift the stigma of mental ill-health and create a society where we can talk openly about how we feel in our head and heart and where we can support each other with understanding, kindness and compassion to achieve mental health for all.
Top tips to help you maintain and sustain good mental health – these tips have helped me hugely
Tip#1: Spend time in nature every day - in your garden, local park or neighbourhood – notice the trees, the open space, the changing season. Getting outside become particularly crucial since COVID-19 with many more of us spending more time at home. A good time is after lunch to break up the day and re-charge or after work to restore and relax after a day of sitting at your desk.
Tip#2: Pause five times a day to take three deep breaths. Set your alarm or make yourself a post-it note to remember. You can do this anywhere and at any time. Notice what it's like to pause several times a day for about 20 seconds. Pay attention to how you are in yourself. And whatever your experience is, you can say: It’s okay to feel like that.
Tip#3: Take note of the good in your life. Notice five beautiful, enjoyable, good things today: the autumn leaves, the sky, a kind gesture from a colleague, a friend calling for a chat, a friendly ‘good morning, the fascinating cry of geese, a job well done... Notice and let it in - it takes the brain 1/10 of a second to take in a negative event and 12 seconds to absorb a positive experience. This practice fosters positive emotion and enriches our everyday experience. You don't even have to find time to do this practice, you just have to notice the good stuff that's going on around you - good stuff is happening all the time. Enjoy!
Tip#4: Do nothing for 10 minutes daily. Sit by a window and looking out or pause on a bench in a nearby park. Many of us are locked into the Doing Mode of mind and our nervous system is over-stimulated, conditioned not to switch off, to 'be on' non-stop. Doing nothing ignites the parasympathetic nervous system that allows us to feel safe, calm and grounded.
Tip#5: Set an intention not to look at any devices as soon as you wake up in the morning. Give yourself some screen-free space to breathe, to start the day with an open mind and heart, to reflect, to be curious about what’s possible today. You may want to turn your bedroom into a device free living space.
I am actively supporting two charities that I feel have done ground-breaking work to lift the stigma of mental ill-health:
Minds@Work https://www.mindsatworkmovement.com/
A community of working people coming together to eradicate the stigma of mental illness and create a healthier working world.
United for Global Mental Health https://unitedgmh.org/
They unite: campaigners, practitioners, national organisations, businesses, people with lived experiences, funders, researchers, governments, and international bodies so that they can learn, collaborate and make greater progress together.
I joined their first ever 24-hour global virtual march for mental health.
If you sometimes feel low, anxious, down, overwhelmed by life and feel in need to talk, why not take up a free initial coaching conversation while walking in Victoria park, east London, or online.
Contact me on karen@greenspacecoaching.com