Your mind is a powerful thing. Your mind as consciousness creates your reality, and when you know how to effectively work with all of its parts, you can do some very powerful and amazing things. However there is a great issue that needs to be addressed. You may be asking “what’s this great issue?”
Well the issue is mental health. But what is mental health? According to the World Health Organization (WHO) mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Throughout our lives, multiple individual, social and structural determinants may combine to protect or undermine our mental health and shift our position on the mental health continuum.
Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions around the world and they include depression, schizophrenia disorders, anxiety and many more. WHO states that depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds and that people with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions. Around one in five adults experience some form of mental illness
Since there are no physical tests or scans reliably to indicate whether a person has developed a mental illness. The following are some the possible early signs of mental illness: withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues, avoiding activities they would normally enjoy, feeling hopeless, using mood-altering substances, including alcohol and nicotine, more frequently, displaying negative emotions being unable to complete daily tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal and many more.
However, in recent years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals. Many mental health conditions can be treated at fairly low cost. Treatment is highly individual, and what works for one person may not work for another. This treatment includes: Psychotherapy, or talking therapies, Medication (such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anxiolytic drugs) and Self-help (an individual making personal decisions to improve their mental health). Let’s protect our mind.
BY SHILOH JEDIDAH