Healing mind & body We may talk about mental health and self-care as two separate things but, in reality, experts say they’re interconnected. Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi THESE are uncertain times we are in and the pressure on people’s mental health has possibly never been greater. Whether you are adjusting to a new work-home situation, the loss of a job, or grieving the loss of a loved one, the weight of these unprecedented times can be heavy, and significantly impact our mental health. We may talk about mental health and self-care as two separate things but, in reality, experts say they’re interconnected.
Taking care of one’s mental health has become a bigger priority. There has been an increase in self-care interventions and it’s shifting the way health care is perceived, understood and accessed, but also adding to the many medicines, routines, concoctions and technologies available for people to use themselves. A recent World Health Organization (WHO) survey in 130 countries shows Covid-19 has disrupted or halted critical mental
health services in 93% of countries worldwide while the demand for such services has increased. Before the pandemic, the WHO found many countries were spending less than 2% of their national health budgets on mental health and struggling to meet their populations’ needs. This has sparked concerns that the current situation could become dire if ignored. A study conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council during the first hard lockdown
TAKING care of your mental health has become a bigger priority. | ANDRE FURTADO Pexels
