Crisis averted
You don’t have to wait until stress and worries reach a crisis point before seeking help. It’s time to prioritise ongoing nurturing and protection of our mental health and wellbeing – and here are seven simple steps to get started... Writing | Bonnie Evie Gifford
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veryone knows the importance of taking care of our physical health – going to the gym, or taking a walk, and nourishing ourselves properly. We know we have to look after our bodies to keep ourselves feeling healthy. So it’s strange that for many of us, maintaining and protecting our mental health doesn’t always factor into the same equation. All too often, we don’t pause to consider our emotional health and wellbeing until we are already starting to see a negative impact – be it on our stress levels, the quality of our sleep, or our ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance. But, while when we’re physically unwell our symptoms may go away within a few days or weeks, with mental illness, the symptoms can be harder to spot – and often won’t go away on their own. By continually protecting and nurturing your mental health and wellbeing, you can try to address issues before they escalate. It’s
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maintenance, upkeep, care and attention, so we can hopefully prevent reaching burnout, or a crisis. It’s no guarantee, but looking after yourself to support your emotional health can only be a positive thing. And the good news? You can start right now.
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
It’s a situation that happens dayin, day-out; someone asks: “How are you doing?” The chances are, you may have given the automatic response of: “I’m fine,” or “Can’t complain.” It’s easy to dismiss how we’re really feeling, to assume others are only asking out of politeness. But there are people who truly care, and who would be more than happy to listen or offer a helping hand if you’re struggling. It can be tough, but try taking a step back and ask yourself: “How am I really doing?” Evaluating your overall sense of wellbeing can help you to pick up on all
7 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR MENT AL HEALTH
those small things that might not have seemed like such a big deal, but may actually be having a big impact on your overall stress levels.
IDENTIFY THE WARNING SIGNS When we’re in the midst of things, it can be tricky to identify the signs that something might be wrong, and some symptoms of common mental health concerns, such as anxiety and stress, are easy to overlook. Burnout has become a popular buzzword in the media, yet many of us don’t know the signs