The modern age has made everyone’s life hectic and stressful. Maybe you give importance to your physical well-being. But what about your mental health? Our mental health is as important as physical wellness may be more important than that. The truth is that nobody cares that much about mental well-being. The hectic day life has made it very difficult for people to live life on their terms, which results in frustrations and other difficulties. This in turn can lead to many other mental issues like depression, mood swings, and anxiety disorders. The time is high to give equal importance to both mental and physical fitness. The following article will give you an insight into mental health and its importance.
What is mental health?
Mental health refers to an individual’s emotional, psychological and social well-being. It is a kind of way of thinking that can affect our thoughts and actions. A person with strong mental health could handle all stress and issues more than a person with weak mental health. It is an important aspect of our overall well-being from childhood to old age.
Physical fitness won’t alone make you strong. Mental health plays an important role as well as physical fitness to determine whether a person is completely fit or not. If not cared for, poor mental health could lead to chronic diseases in future. So it is important to have a deep and proper understanding of the importance of mental health.
Different aspects of mental health
Emotional, psychological and social well-being are the three most important aspects of mental health. Each of these plays an important role in determining the mental fitness of an individual and their roles vary significantly. These emotional, psychological and social factors have got much control in deciding the course of a person’s life.
With the growing problems and stresses, the number of people who seek medical help is increasing day by day. But there still exists some myths in conservative societies like India, regarding the importance of mental health. Some people still ignore the importance of mental health and sees it as an embarrassment to seek the help of a doctor or therapist. But as an individual prolongs to seek medical help for mental disorders, it will increase the possibility for higher risks that could even push a person to life-threatening situations. So it is important to get rid of all myths existing in society regarding mental health and to create awareness among people on the importance of mental health.
Different types of mental disorders
Many types of conditions affect mental health. The following are some of the disorders that affect our mental health;
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood swings
- Psychotic disorders
- Eating disorders
- Personality disorders
- Dementia
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Insomnia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
The above disorders can seriously affect a person’s mental fitness which could even lead to chronic diseases and life-threatening situations.
Treatment methods
There are many treatment methods for mental disorders. From medications to counselling, there are many types of treatment techniques. In most cases, the treatment pattern depends on the patient and the mental disorder they have. Some of the common treatment methods include lab tests, a physical evaluation and a psychological evaluation.
Psychotherapy is one of the popular and effective treatment methods that make use of the help of a trained mental health professional. It is a therapeutic way of treatment. A psychotherapist explores the thoughts, emotions, feelings and behaviours of an individual by trying to understand the root cause of the problem and by seeking to transform or improve them from within.
Our mental health relies heavily on efforts on our part. There are certain specific things that we can do for maintaining good mental health. Following are some of the ways which help us with that;
1. Apart from online friendships, give importance to offline friends. Engage in the face to face interactions.
2. After resting, engage in activities that feel good for you other than always lying in bed or sleeping.
3. Take a break, whenever you think you needed it.
4. Practice Yoga
5. Try to do exercises regularly
6. Try to read books. Books can be your favourite companion
7. Converse with people
8. Engage in group activities
9. If you think you needed it, go for a trip. It doesn’t matter even if it’s a one-day trip.
10. Prioritize yourself over societal conventions. Do what you think is right. Don’t fear the judgments of society.
