Stigma

What a shame that it is still ‘uncool’ to admit to needing help with our mental health and emotional wellbeing. We don’t give it a second thought if we have a problem with our digestive system, our lungs, our ears, or our big toe. But when it comes to our psychological well-being, we keep quiet.

When something goes wrong with your car, you call a mechanic. When your chimney needs cleaning every year, you call in the chimney sweep. If you need a tree cut down in your garden, you call the tree surgeon. You get my drift here, I’m sure.

We all have mental health. We all need good mental health. Our mental health affects everything else about us. So why is it still deemed wrong to need help? Why is it that some people think mental health is funny? Funny, as in, they mock others who need help in some way. We all have and need different things in our lives, so what someone else thinks should, ideally, be irrelevant. However, those who have had some form of negative life experience can get stuck in the past through no fault of their own, leaving them feeling depressed with low confidence, low self-worth, and a sense of hopelessness.

In an ideal world, there would be no stigma attached to seeing a therapist of some sort. It needs to be seen as a positive thing. Something that is encouraged for the greater good of all. When we go through therapy, everyone wins. As we see ourselves in a new light, heal, and grow in confidence, others benefit in some way. How good is that?

What is mental health anyway?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It determines how we handle situations, including stress. It is what helps us make good decisions about many different things in our lives.

There is strength in recognising that you need support and guidance. Many believe that it is a weakness. No, far from it. It takes courage and determination to do the work needed to heal from trauma or phobias, move on from past failures, and look into some of the ‘Why doesn’t my life work anymore?”

So what can I do about my mental health?

When our mind is in the right place, the rest follows—whatever ‘the rest’ is. When we learn how our thoughts are affecting our feelings and our behaviours, and what to do about them, our lives improve.

When we identify all the negative self-talk and every-day words we use and learn how to turn them around, our lives improve.

When we learn how to ask ourselves different questions to get a better result, our lives improve.

We start to take care of ourselves by setting boundaries with others, learning to say no when necessary, taking part in appropriate physical activity, having a pamper day, listening to music, and getting out in nature. Have a think about some ways you could improve your mental and emotional wellbeing.

How can I help? Follow the link here for one way that I can support you on your journey to better mental health.