It's World Mental Health Day 2023!

Albus_Scope

Today (10th October) is World Mental Health day 2023.  A day to increase awareness and get people talking about their mental health and the struggles people may face.  This year's theme is Mental health is a universal human right. 

 Disabled people are three times more likely to suffer from bad mental health and 38% of all reported severe mental health issues are down to long term health conditions.  
Having a long-term physical condition can lead to social isolation, low self-esteem, stigma and even discrimination. You may feel tired, frustrated, worried or stressed, especially when dealing with pain, tests, treatments or flare-ups. Throw in struggles with benefits and you can see the disabled community can be in need of more support than ever. 

The stigma around mental health issues and seeking help for the same is universal. It restricts individuals from expressing their concerns. Therefore, as a society, it is crucial to have resources that can help one take care of their mental health and to educate themselves and others.  I've included some links below to a few very helpful resources and help lines if you feel you need them.  

Mental health support doesn't have to be expensive and should be accessible to everyone. Having access to peer support, therapy, medication, and counselling can be very impactful and should be utilized if needed.  I know first hand it can be very hard to take that first step and seek help, but it can be life saving and life changing. 

If you feel like you're struggling, please speak out, you're never truly alone. 

So my question to you all;  What helps give your mental health a much needed boost? 

Links.

Find your local Mind support services. For counselling, talking therapy and Crisis lines.

The Samaritans offer emotional support 24 hours a day - in full confidence.

If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, trained Shout volunteers are available day or night via text, all anonymous.

Anxiety UK is run by and for those with anxiety, offering an extensive range of support services designed to help support those affected by anxiety disorders, anxiety and anxiety-based depression.

The NHS has a good page of resources to call on and can even help you change GPs if you feel yours isn't listening. 

and of course, you can check out the Scope page on mental health for more support.

chiarieds

I'm pleased that Albus has rightly linked physical conditions to mental health problems. There's no 2 ways about it that mind & body are so intricately linked, & problems with one can influence the other.

The first thing I'd recommend to anyone dealing with pain, anxiety, or stress of any kind, is to try the following diaphragmatic/abdominal breathing (in fact we should all be doing this, as this is the correct way to breathe, which babies & infants instinctively do, but which adults seem to forget) : https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/uploads/reconnect2life-1-deep-breathing-exercise-handout.pdf      for anyone who wants to read more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31436595/

Personally, again I think things that can help both mental & physical problems can be similar, such as Biblioklept has mentioned, & that's some form of distraction. For me that's often getting out into my garden, reading, listening to music, watching a film, doing online jigsaw puzzles (or anything else that a person might enjoy).

At the risk of suggesting (again) that people watch these 2 videos, yes, food is very important. Please see a link to the first video here: https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/73473/the-gut-brain-axis-coeliac-disease-diabetes-dementia-depression-parkinsons-adhd-asd-more

And hopefully watch here right to the end: https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/73483/longevity-wellness-diet-exercise-meditation-mindfulness-happiness-video

Albus_Scope

Thanks @Biblioklept and @chiarieds both amazingly helpful answers.  

I'm terrible at eating well, but I certainly notice the difference when I've had something decent. And music is so so powerful to me. 

One thing that can help snap me out of anxiety attacks or PTSD related flashbacks (or at least make them easier to cope with) is repeating The Bene Gesserit litany against fear, from the book Dune by Frank Herbert.  It sounds silly, but it helps me focus and keeps me grounded in the now. 

rebel11

Biblioklept said:

Albus_Scope said:

So my question to you all;  What helps give your mental health a much needed boost? 

I'm my own worst enemy with my mental health and when it's bad I either bury myself away from everything, making it worse, or I throw myself into everything, leaving me overwhelmed and drained. So I'm a bit of a hypocrit but:

Reminding myself that how I'm feeling is temporary, even if it's lasted for days or years.

Music. Something I know the words too and can listen to mindlessly.

Food. It's a cliche but food really does affect mood.

That really echos, random words that I've never used, popping into my head, makes me sound a bit 'intellectual'. I'm figuring out how to approach my Doctor, with 'random-word-ology'.