Time to Dispel the Myths About Mental Health

It is very important that we commit to getting rid of the myths that are associated with mental health. Can you pinpoint the difference between a myth or fact about mental health? One of the biggest myths about mental health is, “It does not affect me.” This is false. Mental Health can affect anyone; it doesn’t matter your race, gender, rich or poor. According to MentalHealth.gov, suicide accounts for the loss of more than 40,000 American lives each year, which is more than double the number of lives that are lost to homicide.

Rather than coming up with ways to fix this crisis, we must first find ways to prevent them and recognize the signs. Another mental health myth is, “Prevention does not work. You can’t prevent mental illnesses.” This is also false. According to MentalHealth.gov, Prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders focuses on addressing known risk factors such as exposure to trauma that can affect the chances that children, youth, and young adults will develop mental health problems.

We waste so much time trying to fix an issue when the issue would not have happened if we found a way to prevent it from happening. We need to realize that our mental health has a big influence on how we think, feel, and behave in our daily lives. Whether you are seeking help in dealing with a specific problem or simply, trying to find a way to control your emotions better, here are four things you can add into your life that can have a positive impact on your mental health:

Setting Practical Goals

Choose today to decide what you want to make in your life. Whether it’s, academically, professionally or personally; write down the steps you need to realize your goals and always aim high, but be practical and never over-schedule. When you are setting those goals for your life, you’ll then feel a sense of enjoyment and accomplishment and those play a big role in building up your self-esteem.

Learn to Value Yourself

When you hear the words, self-doubt, self-esteem, self-sabotage, there’s one thing those words have in common; self. It is important to avoid self-criticism and learn to love yourself and what makes you unique. I know it’s easier said than done, but once you can do this, the sky’s the limit. It is also important to make time to do what you love to do. That can range from participating in your favorite hobbies, getting involved in some of your favorite projects, etc. These are examples of valuing yourself and there’s a saying that goes, “How can you love someone if you do not first love yourself?”

Meditation

Taking a few minutes out of your busy day to meditate with the goal of becoming more focused and accepting the present is another great way to relieve the stresses of what life throws your way on a given day. Meditation also helps ease conditions such as depression and anxiety; so much so, that some mental health professions are implementing it as a course of treatment before turning to medication. If you begin to dissect meditation, you’ll notice that it changes your brain, and with it, the way your body responds to stress.

Seeking Help

If you made the effort to improve your mental health and still, you aren’t functioning well at home, your work, and in your relationship, it’s time to seek help. When you receive advice from friends, family, or even professionals, that can make a huge impact and help motivate you to do more for yourself than you were able to do when you were alone.

When you can make these necessary steps to improve your mental health it will begin to pay off in all aspects of your life; boosting your mood, building resilience, and adding to your overall enjoyment of life. Always remember that you are uniquely made and no one can live your life better than YOU!