Welcome to Mental health awareness week. Mental health encompasses many issues with many facets.
There are many causes of mental health issues, it can be easy to point a finger at abuse, neglect, hormones, PTSD. However, sometimes the cause isn’t clear and often isn’t caused by any one thing, but a chain reaction influenced by many different factors.
Mental health disorders do not necessarily mean suicidal thoughts, or that you don’t seem able to look after yourself, these are just some extremes.
Sometimes you may just feel disconnected, or like life is outside your control.
Some times you may feel suffocated by an unseen thing, or like someone in your head is telling you negative things about yourself, and the world you live in.
Sometimes you may cry and feel sad but not know why.
Getting out of the circle can seem difficult, maybe because you don’t feel worth the effort (you are worth the effort), maybe because you feel too trapped, or because you have found a strange comfort and reliability in misery (yes, this does happen).
Food can be a comfort, either eating it or avoiding it, but changing your diet could actually be more beneficial. They say the gut is the second brain, and I know from personal experience how a healthy diet, free form certain food can make a huge difference. Weather its avoiding gluten or lowering sugar intake, or increasing things such as fibres, and good gut bacteria, many changes can offer positive results.
Exercise can help balance hormones and 'blow away the cobwebs'.
Therapy can help you understand and deal with under-lying issues. Its good to talk, it’s helpful to feel listened to, it’s possible to accept and overcome.
Connections are valuable, you can connect with nature, you can connect with living things, people, even healing crystals. Something as simple as a walk can help you reconnect with the world, and free some of your restraints. I often recommend chakra-based meditation or crystal healing to help you make balanced connections. Grounding yourself can be highly beneficial (but don’t root yourself to one spot or one thing).
Mental issues can simply be a short-term hormone imbalance, or they can be a longer journey. They can be caused by loneliness, PTSD, lack of rest, external pressures such as work and family, and a host of other things.
There is always hope, even though it can feel a long way off, you only get to the hope by taking a step at a time. So don’t stand alone, take steps towards hope, and beyond.
As I write this, I know there are many adults and children suffering with their mental health due to the pressures, inconsistencies and fears of living through a pandemic; even if they have not had Covid19 or loosed someone to it or through it, they suffer still. Just because others seem to have had it harder than others, doesn’t mean any individuals feelings are less valid. We walk this world together, so let’s make it a world worth sharing.
Talk
Listen
Accept
Let go
Move forward
Connect
*I know I haven’t covered all the details; causes, symptoms, and treatments of Mental health, but hope this helps people understand and find hope for themselves and others.
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