Are you Mental What does mental health mean? Everyone has mental health in the same way that everyone has physical health, and just like physical health whether it is good, or poor can change over time. You may also hear mental health referred to as ‘emotional health’ and is often included when we talk about our wellbeing in general. When we are in good mental health, we find it easier to cope with life and the challenges it can bring, whether that is at home, work, or school. The state of our mental health can affect relationships with family and friends and impact our outlook on life and what we want to achieve. As we move through life our circumstances change. We may experience setbacks or traumatic events which can affect people in different ways - how we react to or ‘bounce back’ from these can vary. An event that one person may take in their stride may take someone else a long time to recover from emotionally.
Common mental health conditions Whilst everyone experiences changes in their emotional health, some individuals can be diagnosed with mental health conditions which means they may be less resilient and may need some support or intervention to help them overcome the challenges they are facing. Mental health illness can affect anyone at any point in their lives and approximately one-quarter of people in the UK have a diagnosed mental health condition. Whilst mental health awareness is improving, there is still all too often stigma attached to mental health illness and because of this people can find it difficult to talk about their issues or access help and support.
How can I support someone with their mental health? It can be difficult to see someone you know become unwell or distressed but you don’t have to be an expert in mental health to support them – small everyday actions can make a big difference.
1. Show support Don’t be afraid to ask someone how they are – reaching outlets the person know they don’t have to avoid the issue and lets them know you care about them. It will also help you understand more about what they are experiencing.
2. Ask how you can help Don’t assume you know what they need. Once you understand what they need, depending on your role in their life or relationship with them, you may be able to offer them further support.
3. Don’t just focus on their mental health Ask about their life in general – people aren’t defined just by their mental health. Don’t be afraid to discuss things you would usually talk about and take a genuine interest in them and what’s happening in their life:
Mental health conditions can cover a broad range, and some may be more familiar to you than others. Whilst this list isn’t exhaustive, here are some examples:
Depression
Stress
Psychosis Bipolar Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Phobias
Anxiety and Panic Attack
Hoarding Self Harm
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Low Self-esteem
Schizophrenia Mental Health Awareness Week Dissociation and dissociative disorders The Mental Health Foundation has announced the dates and theme
Eating Disorders
You can find more information on these and other mental health conditions by following the link below to Mind, the mental health charity https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-ofmental-health-problems/
of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week. It will run from Monday 9 May until Sunday 15 May 2022. The week will explore the experience of loneliness, its effect on our mental health, and how we can all play a part in reducing loneliness in our communities. The pandemic has seen loneliness made worse by self-isolation away from family and friends and with the changing dynamic of many workplaces to a more remote-working or hybrid culture (where positions allow), we are reducing our face-to-face contact and socialisation even further. You can find out more about Mental health Awareness Week and the Mental Health Foundation here https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ news/mental-health-foundation-announces-loneliness-thememental-health-awareness-week-2022