MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS: THE POWER OF TALKING
It is hard to have a discussion about health and wellbeing without including discussing mental health: it is an essential component. Approximately one in every five individuals in the United States suffers from a mental illness or a disease related to their mental health. This equates to around 52 million individuals.
On the other hand, mental health is not just about whether or not a person suffers from a mental disease.All parts of our lives have an impact on our well-being, which in turn has an impact on how we experience life, when we are at work, and when we are spending time with the people we care about. It is more important than ever before that we have this discourse. The state of mind that prevailed during the year 2021 was one of sluggishness. The study conducted by BetterUp discovered that more than fifty-five percent of workers did not suffer from mental illness, but they were also not prospering.
What is awareness of mental health?
So, what exactly does it mean to be mindful of mental health, and how can one go about promoting it? Misconceptions about mental health and mental fitness often lead individuals to suffer in silence, and their ailments frequently go untreated. This is something that happens rather frequently. Awareness of mental health is a significant societal movement that aims to promote knowledge as well as expand access to healthcare.
How can mental health awareness help?
Mental health awareness is critical to promoting mental health treatment and behavioral health. It’s a necessary and foundational conversation for changing to a more proactive model of mental health.
Right now, we only fill our tanks when they’re on “empty.” Developing our awareness helps us start to recognize the signs and symptoms when we’re feeling “off just as we do with physical illness.
Here are four important benefits of mental health awareness:
1. Helps you understand your symptoms
Sometimes, there is magic in having a diagnosis. Despite the stigma around the term, it’s simply a shorthand for a collection of symptoms that occur together.
2. Starts a conversation
Mental health awareness is an ongoing conversation, but up until recently, it's only been had in whispers. But because a common feature of many moods and anxiety disorders is distorted thinking, talking about it can actually be immensely therapeutic.
Building a support network and speaking with a licensed mental health professional is critical to alleviating symptoms of many mental health conditions.
3. Better education
It's crucial for caregivers, employers, parents, family members, and loved ones to understand the impact that mental health has on daily life. However, while mental health conditions can make daily life more difficult, they also don't have to prevent you from having a fulfilling and engaging life.
When the people in your life understand and prioritize mental health care, it makes it easier to take the actions you need to do to take care of yourself and thrive.
4. Promotes mental fitness
Many of us have fallen into the trap of thinking of mental health as solely related to mental illness. However, it's possible to have a mental health condition and be mentally fit, and the absence of a mental health condition doesn't necessarily ensure mental fitness.
Expanding our understanding of mental health issues and wellness to incorporate mental fitness, a proactive approach to emotional health, well-being, and cognitive agility. It allows us to live life with more purpose, clarity, and passion. Reducing the stigma around mental health is an important step to embracing mental fitness.
