Hello my lovelies! I am so sorry I have been distant lately and have not posted in a while. However, I am back and today I'll be talking you guys about the importance of mental health.
Many of you have made a conscious decision to take care of your physical health by following a fitness regimen, but you can’t forget about your mental health. The two are linked.
The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness in their lifetime. However, this is based on people who disclose their concerns and it’s believed that the actual number is closer to one in three.
I personally have been going through a lot, and feel as though I am being pulled in multiple directions. This has taken a toll on my mental health and I have started to notice negative changes in my behaviour and moods and knew something was off.
I then did some research into ways to self assess myself (as I know getting to a doctor can be difficult again due to the pandemic, and I needed to take action immediately).
I came across a few tools, which are available for you to use to find out if you’re experiencing a problem and strategies for coping or accessing treatment.
Self-awareness
Being aware of changes in your own thoughts, feelings and behaviours are important. People will typically find that at some point they’re feeling distressed in their day-to-day lives and can’t function as well. Self-awareness begins with asking yourself these types of questions:
How am I feeling?
How have things changed?
Am I sadder?
Do I carry more anger and tension?
Do I have less energy?
Am I concentrating less?
Do I no longer enjoy the things I used to enjoy?
Look at your behaviours and ask yourself what you’re doing differently:
Am I sleeping more or less?
Am I isolating myself from social activities?
Am I drinking more or doing recreational drugs?
Am I eating less or more?
Am I exercising less?
The answers you discover might be signs you should investigate things further.
Identify what’s going on
There are self-assessment tools you can access to find out more about what you’re experiencing.
One tool commonly used by psychologists is the DASS (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales). This is a downloadable, 42-item self-reporting tool that measures emotional states.
If you're struggling with your own mental health, the first point of contact should be your doctor. Get a physical to make sure your body is working fine and be very open with your doctor about what you’re feeling.
If the doctor can’t provide a diagnosis, you could be referred to a psychologist. The key is to determine whether you’re experiencing a temporary period of distress, whether you might be developing a mental health problem or whether there’s a diagnosable mental illness.
3 key actions
There are 3 important elements to creating a sense of control if you’re experiencing mental health problems or have an illness: educate yourself, develop self-care strategies and create a support network.
Educate yourself The more people learn about their illness, the more in control they tend to be and the less alone they feel. It’s important that people understand they have an illness, but they are not their illness. You also shouldn’t compare your illness to somebody else’s because everyone is going to experience it differently. Some Canadian websites offering credible information include www.cmha.ca, www.cpa.ca and www.anxietycanada.ca.
Develop self-care strategies These are things a person can engage in to help reduce the negative impact of their illness in their day-to-day life. It could be using mindfulness apps such as SAM (Self-help Anxiety Management), Headspace, BellyBio or Breathe2Relax. It may be ensuring you continue to exercise; which people tend to do less of when they don’t feel in control. I know for many athletes, like myself, this is taking a toll on themselves, especially during the time of the pandemic and not having access to the gym. However, doing things such as going for a walk or some light body weight exercises can help. Aromatherapy, keeping a journal, healthy eating, trying to improve sleep habits and focusing on good hygiene can also be beneficial.
Create a support network Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. You might be surprised how open people are to helping if given the opportunity. Your support network could include people through work, friends or family. Not everyone can help every time and people have different strengths, so find a number of people you can reach out to.
I know this is a difficult and stressful time for all of us. Being locked away, having limited social interaction and not being able to go about your normal daily lives can be detrimental to ones mental health. Remember to check in on your loved ones, and to check in with yourself!
Until next time, stay safe!
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