As we observe World Mental Health day on October 10th, let’s go back to the basics of how we can make mental health a priority, both for ourselves and for others. Below are a few points to get you started on the journey; hopefully through your efforts, others would see the wisdom in being intentional about mental health.
· Make physical health a priority – To take care of your mental health, the most important thing is to ensure you are healthy. Set up a daily routine for yourself. Ensure you get sufficient amounts of sleep (6-8 hours), incorporate physical exercise into your schedule and aim at making healthy food choices.
· Ask for support when you need it – This cannot be emphasised enough. If you feel a drain in your mental, emotional or physical resources, you need to reach out to a trusted individual or a mental health professional (MHP) to get a better understanding of what might be going on. There’s no shame in wanting to get extra support on your journey; you will be doing yourself a huge favour.
· Regulate your social media use – Social media can be positive and negative to mental health. If social media seems to be getting the best of you, start limiting the time you spend on it and look for ways to replace the time you would spend scrolling instead.
· Learn more about mental health issues – Read up small articles or other resources to understand mental health better and signs to look out for within yourself and in others. Subscribe to trusted mental health pages as they can be great sources of help but also fact check what you consume. Talk about it with a professional to get more insight as there can be many misconceptions when it comes to mental health topics.
· Ask loved ones how they are doing – Check in with those you think might be struggling with their own mental health and offer them a listening ear. Be their safe space to share what they may be going through, ensuring full confidentiality and your full attention. Understand your own limitations in helping and know when to help them seek outside help. Another way to help would be putting up resources and contacts of MHPs on your social media pages.