When you hear the words, mental health how does it make you feel? Sometimes people may feel uneasy and lost once we have been professionally diagnosed. Or, unsure of how to respond to an individual who has shared that they struggle with their mental health daily. Even today, there are still ongoing stigmas associated with mental health disorders and the misconceptions that come with them. I truly believe that we can bridge the gap between societal’s negative stigmas by treating the whole person instead of dismissing their self of self and their identity by only seeing them through the eyes of their mental health disorder.
So where do we begin? How can we start to lay the foundation and build a better awareness around the rising concerns around mental health? What about those looking for a way to cope with the added pressures of society’s expectations, institutions or repairing our relationship with past traumas and their beliefs? Firstly, we need to extend more focus on mental health education and shift our perception to better understand how to improve mental health illnesses and help those in need of our support. By doing so, we will help to reduce the negative connotations associated with the diverse types of mental health disorders like Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Personality Disorders, ADHD, Autism, social and emotional challenges, etc. So many individuals suffer in silence. They have become accustomed to feelings of fear, shame, self-consciousness, and are often misunderstood by their mental health. We need to foster a heart-centered approach of kindness, empathy, compassion, and respect towards anyone that may struggle with their mental health day to day instead of steering them closer to isolation and leaving them to deal with their disorder alone and afraid.
Mental health is an important part of one’s overall wellness. It can affect how we think, feel, act, and relate to others. It is vital to recognize and implement healthy practices into our daily lifestyles and make a conscious effort towards understanding that this is a part of who we are, but that it does not define us. And these healthy choices are crucial at every stage of a person’s life from childhood into adulthood as they can positively affect and influence their emotional, psychological, physical, and social well-being.
As we navigate new chapters of our lives, experience change, and challenges we need to be aware of what can trigger us. Or, how situations and people can affect us. With this new clarity and focus we can then move forward with intention embracing the confidence to set clear boundaries, protect our peace, and seek out support when needed with guilt. We also need to focus on removing toxicity and stepping away with love and gratitude from anyone or anything that is not serving your highest good.
With all of the chaos that life can throw at us daily, we need to focus on rest, repair, and restoring our energy by investing in our self-care. This is not about a cookie cutter approach of just taking a nice hot bubble bath in silence. Even though that is one of the ways you carve out much-needed me time, it is important to ensure that one takes time out for themselves. Mental Health self-care includes embracing self-preservation practices to help you feel happier, more empowered, and healthier while remembering the connection of mind, body, and soul. It is also important to find strength in your vulnerability and seek out support. Through communication and connection our firsthand experiences can help to heal our own struggles and even those dealing with similar challenges.
There are so many diverse types of self-care practices that you can start to use to detox your mental clutter. It is a matter of finding what works best for you and brings you a sense of calm, joy, and more stability. Whether you like to journal in the morning to express gratitude, ground yourself by placing your feet on the grass, detach from social media, invest in healthy eating, moving your body, getting facials, or cleansing your physical space all practices have the possibility of long-term effects assisting with your mental health.