🌸Mental Health Awareness🌸
Hi guys!
I feel like although more recently, mental health has been spoken about and been raised aware to the public more and more, that doesn't mean that it cannot be spoken about even more. There is a stigma towards mental health and its a stigma that shouldn't be there!
Mental health awareness week is from 8th - 14th May 2017 so I thought it would be especially fitting to make a post on this as it is coming up.
Mental health is a person's psychological and well-being condition, usually these things may be internal issues and problems an individual may have. Mental health issues comes in all forms, more common mental health issues would be anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and others such as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), personality disorders, and alcohol/substance use and abuse.
How to spot someone with a mental health issue:
There can be many ways in which you can spot if someone has a mental health issue (most of the time, they don't want their problems to be voiced or known, and these people are the ones who probably need the most help and/or support). I've come up with a few ways you can spot someone with a mental health issue:
1. They may isolate themselves or seem very antisocial - this is common for those with depression and anxiety disorders (whether it is social anxiety, general anxiety or specific phobias) - these people will tend to avoid the situation that causes them to feel anxious or get panic attacks at all costs. This may mean not going to school as often, cancelling on plans to a planned day out or night out, but that doesn't mean if you know someone who skips a day of school then they have an anxiety disorder - it usually would be repeatedly missing school/plans very very often.
2. Their body language - Body language is a really key feature to spotting whether someone may have a mental health issue or not. They may tense up in certain situations or moments, have a shortness of breath, they may not be concentrating on the conversation (zoning out/daydreaming), and their facial expression (fear, confusion, trembling, distressed etc).
3. Their general actions - when you are with them, do they seem occupied with something else? Do they not seem engaged in the conversation or what's going on around them? Are they just staring blankly at the nothing for a long time? Do they not touch their food when they're eating with you? Or do they say they're going to the toilet/away from the dinner table and not return? Maybe they're continuously doing an action for a long time (for example, constantly washing their hands, checking to see if they've done something repeatedly, continuously missing deadlines or performing poorly at school/work).
Often, people will be in denial about their mental health and will just say "I'm fine, it's just a phase" - research has actually shown that men tend to be more in denial and more reluctant to get help! Maybe it seems to be a non-masculine "problem" to have, or they think they're mentally strong enough to overcome this 'phase'.
For example, someone with an addiction will be in denial about their addiction and blame it on external sources: if they're addicted to gambling they might blame the slot machines for not functioning properly, or blame the dealer for this and that, and more frequently say 'I'm just having a bad day'.
If you're at high school and university, your friend might be skipping lessons to stay in the toilets or skipping school in general, they may be sleeping in and missing lectures and seminars, and you may not be seeing them for months on end. These people often need the support and help from friends to let them know that they're not going through this alone, and that they do have someone.
University is an 'easy' place for people to feel lonely, depressed and isolated. They can easily lock themselves in their rooms, make excuses for why they don't want to go on night outs, not attend lectures (as most may not even be registered), and in general just seem to disappear. Uni is a really likely place for people to get depressed and/or feel socially anxious. They may overthink about situations, not go out or just go home every weekend because they just hate it at uni. If you know someone like this - speak out, be a friend and build a support system.
How to help:
There are many ways in which you can help someone with a mental health issue: maybe all they need is a friend to talk to and a friend to rely on, or it may be something more, such as helping them realise they need help and may need to talk to a doctor, it may even be helping them realise they may have a mental health issue!
1. Vocalise - let them know you're there for them, reach out to them and ask if they're okay- just be the person they can talk to and speak to. Often, people just feel like they're alone in this, and what's better than feeling like someone is there for you through a rough place in their life? Knowing that someone cares and doesn't feel that their issues and worries are 'stupid' or 'pathetic' just soothes their mind and (hopefully) they'll open up more and let you know what's on their mind.
2. Educate yourself - maybe you haven't gone through anything like they have, but that doesn't mean you can't try to understand and be there for them. If you educate yourself on what they're going through, then you'll be able to sympathise and understand exactly what it's like to be in their position. Educating yourself could then help you help them! Maybe you don't know what it's like to have social anxiety, but educating yourself on the symptoms, feelings and triggers can then help your friend either slowly overcome these triggers (e.g identifying a situation your friend would feel socially anxious over and knowing to give them more attention at these situations to help ease their anxiety, or just keeping an eye on your friend during these situations they may start to trigger symptoms and feelings of anxiety, so you know how they're coping would just help them in times they really do need help).
3. Take steps forward - Depending on the severity and/or how your friend copes with your help, taking steps forward to get professional help may be great in helping them recover and feel at ease in situations that trigger their thoughts/feelings. Getting help from your school counsellor, or even your GP to help identify these issues and perhaps refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to get a diagnosis and treatment may be just what is needed. It may be biological methods of treatment they need (e.g drug medication), or psychological methods of treatment (e.g cognitive-behavioural therapy CBT) - either way, these methods are here to help your friend get better. It may seem like a scary and daunting step, but remind them - health care professionals are here to help and be there for you, at the end of the day, they want you to feel great and worry-free!
Mental health is something that should be taken as seriously as a broken bone, because although physically they may seem okay, inside there is a broken person. Think of everyone you know, have they been seeming distant or strange recently? Do your part and help a friend out. Wouldn't you want help and support if you were in that position?
As I mentioned earlier, Mental Health Awareness week is coming up (8th - 14th May 2017) - do your part and help raise awareness, whether it is reaching out to a friend, sharing your story, spreading the word on social media, holding an event or taking part in an event!
If you're from the UK, find out here what events are happening in a city near you.
Or for more information go onto this website.
I hope this has been a helpful post!
If you're going through any mental health problems, just know you are not alone, you have supportive people around you waiting to help and be there for you♡
Lots of love!
xoxo
I feel like although more recently, mental health has been spoken about and been raised aware to the public more and more, that doesn't mean that it cannot be spoken about even more. There is a stigma towards mental health and its a stigma that shouldn't be there!Mental health awareness week is from 8th - 14th May 2017 so I thought it would be especially fitting to make a post on this as it is coming up.
Mental health is a person's psychological and well-being condition, usually these things may be internal issues and problems an individual may have. Mental health issues comes in all forms, more common mental health issues would be anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and others such as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), personality disorders, and alcohol/substance use and abuse.
How to spot someone with a mental health issue:
There can be many ways in which you can spot if someone has a mental health issue (most of the time, they don't want their problems to be voiced or known, and these people are the ones who probably need the most help and/or support). I've come up with a few ways you can spot someone with a mental health issue:
1. They may isolate themselves or seem very antisocial - this is common for those with depression and anxiety disorders (whether it is social anxiety, general anxiety or specific phobias) - these people will tend to avoid the situation that causes them to feel anxious or get panic attacks at all costs. This may mean not going to school as often, cancelling on plans to a planned day out or night out, but that doesn't mean if you know someone who skips a day of school then they have an anxiety disorder - it usually would be repeatedly missing school/plans very very often.
2. Their body language - Body language is a really key feature to spotting whether someone may have a mental health issue or not. They may tense up in certain situations or moments, have a shortness of breath, they may not be concentrating on the conversation (zoning out/daydreaming), and their facial expression (fear, confusion, trembling, distressed etc).
3. Their general actions - when you are with them, do they seem occupied with something else? Do they not seem engaged in the conversation or what's going on around them? Are they just staring blankly at the nothing for a long time? Do they not touch their food when they're eating with you? Or do they say they're going to the toilet/away from the dinner table and not return? Maybe they're continuously doing an action for a long time (for example, constantly washing their hands, checking to see if they've done something repeatedly, continuously missing deadlines or performing poorly at school/work).
Often, people will be in denial about their mental health and will just say "I'm fine, it's just a phase" - research has actually shown that men tend to be more in denial and more reluctant to get help! Maybe it seems to be a non-masculine "problem" to have, or they think they're mentally strong enough to overcome this 'phase'.
For example, someone with an addiction will be in denial about their addiction and blame it on external sources: if they're addicted to gambling they might blame the slot machines for not functioning properly, or blame the dealer for this and that, and more frequently say 'I'm just having a bad day'.
If you're at high school and university, your friend might be skipping lessons to stay in the toilets or skipping school in general, they may be sleeping in and missing lectures and seminars, and you may not be seeing them for months on end. These people often need the support and help from friends to let them know that they're not going through this alone, and that they do have someone.
University is an 'easy' place for people to feel lonely, depressed and isolated. They can easily lock themselves in their rooms, make excuses for why they don't want to go on night outs, not attend lectures (as most may not even be registered), and in general just seem to disappear. Uni is a really likely place for people to get depressed and/or feel socially anxious. They may overthink about situations, not go out or just go home every weekend because they just hate it at uni. If you know someone like this - speak out, be a friend and build a support system.
How to help:
There are many ways in which you can help someone with a mental health issue: maybe all they need is a friend to talk to and a friend to rely on, or it may be something more, such as helping them realise they need help and may need to talk to a doctor, it may even be helping them realise they may have a mental health issue!
1. Vocalise - let them know you're there for them, reach out to them and ask if they're okay- just be the person they can talk to and speak to. Often, people just feel like they're alone in this, and what's better than feeling like someone is there for you through a rough place in their life? Knowing that someone cares and doesn't feel that their issues and worries are 'stupid' or 'pathetic' just soothes their mind and (hopefully) they'll open up more and let you know what's on their mind.
2. Educate yourself - maybe you haven't gone through anything like they have, but that doesn't mean you can't try to understand and be there for them. If you educate yourself on what they're going through, then you'll be able to sympathise and understand exactly what it's like to be in their position. Educating yourself could then help you help them! Maybe you don't know what it's like to have social anxiety, but educating yourself on the symptoms, feelings and triggers can then help your friend either slowly overcome these triggers (e.g identifying a situation your friend would feel socially anxious over and knowing to give them more attention at these situations to help ease their anxiety, or just keeping an eye on your friend during these situations they may start to trigger symptoms and feelings of anxiety, so you know how they're coping would just help them in times they really do need help).
3. Take steps forward - Depending on the severity and/or how your friend copes with your help, taking steps forward to get professional help may be great in helping them recover and feel at ease in situations that trigger their thoughts/feelings. Getting help from your school counsellor, or even your GP to help identify these issues and perhaps refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist to get a diagnosis and treatment may be just what is needed. It may be biological methods of treatment they need (e.g drug medication), or psychological methods of treatment (e.g cognitive-behavioural therapy CBT) - either way, these methods are here to help your friend get better. It may seem like a scary and daunting step, but remind them - health care professionals are here to help and be there for you, at the end of the day, they want you to feel great and worry-free!
Mental health is something that should be taken as seriously as a broken bone, because although physically they may seem okay, inside there is a broken person. Think of everyone you know, have they been seeming distant or strange recently? Do your part and help a friend out. Wouldn't you want help and support if you were in that position?
As I mentioned earlier, Mental Health Awareness week is coming up (8th - 14th May 2017) - do your part and help raise awareness, whether it is reaching out to a friend, sharing your story, spreading the word on social media, holding an event or taking part in an event!
If you're from the UK, find out here what events are happening in a city near you.
Or for more information go onto this website.
I hope this has been a helpful post!
If you're going through any mental health problems, just know you are not alone, you have supportive people around you waiting to help and be there for you♡
Lots of love!
xoxo
Loving your blog especially this one because it's a topic not a lot of many bloggers talk about as some may not even realise they show/feel signs of mental illness affecting them. Check out my blog it's rishnasbeautyblog.blogspot.co.uk xx
ReplyDeleteHi Rishna! Thank you soo much for the kind message, I'm super glad to hear you enjoyed this blogpost! 💗💗
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