The Lowdown:
- Mental health issues have made a lot of headlines recently, and you may be starting to ask questions about your own mental health.
- Mental health is unlike your body’s health, there are no pills to cure your mind’s problems. And there’s a lot of damage poor mental health can inflict on you.
- Fear not, there is much you can do to take care of your mental health. It isn’t rocket science but it does mean you must take action! Mental health concerns are making headline news these days. You read about cases of extreme bullying, suicides and violent behaviour in the newspapers and you wonder what’s going on. You might be asking what’s making these people act the way they do. You may even ask yourself,
“Am I vulnerable too?”
Mental Health Calling
What actually happens in your head remains shrouded in mystery, but we know our sub-conscious works hard piecing together events occurring around you. Think about it, you’re constantly being bombarded by bad news. Your work life could also be a headache and you’re not able to switch off after work. Your family life feels chaotic with your spouse’s and children’s needs. Over time, all these troubles conspire to make your life a living hell, and you feel powerless. You can’t go to your doctor and ask for a prescription to cure ‘powerlessness’, there’s no pill for that. So we pretend it’s not a problem and march on. Until one day, you crack under all that pressure.
Why should you be concerned?
Poor physical health – Your mind and body are intertwined. If you’re feeling physical pain, it ruins everything, your family relationships and work. This causes stress and depression. Similarly, mental health disorders can impair physical health. Mental disorders affect your sleep quality, which make you more easily ill. You also risk living a shorter and less pleasant life.
Poor productivity and decision-making – When your mind’s out of sync, you’re less productive. You can’t complete tasks or make logical decisions. You miss work often and may find it difficult to control your finances.
Family relationships. Mental illness affects your family as well as yourself. Children of those with mental illness run a risk of neglect and a wide range of psychological issues. These children too, become psychologically damaged. If you love your loved ones, you owe it to them to stay mentally well.
Turning to crime. People who are mentally unwell are more likely to act out in anger and frustration. This is particularly true if they abuse drugs/alcohol too. They tend to act on impulse and may turn to petty crime. But there’s also a risk of violence, particularly if the person has been mentally ill and untreated for a long time.
What to do?
Now you know the consequences of poor mental health, you need to take action! Here are some things you should start doing today
Get professional help if you need it. Nobody likes to ask for help but there are times when you need to admit you have a problem. Remember, you’re not doing this just for yourself; you have your loved ones to think about too. At the very least, talk to someone you trust. Talking it through may help you understand what’s going on in your head.
Get physically active. Simply taking a walk could turn your mood for the better. There’s just something about strolling outside that helps clear the clutter from your mind. You could also consider yoga or meditation. Aim to stay active for at least 30 minutes/day.
Get enough sleep. Sleep is worth more than gold; just 2 consecutive nights of poor sleep can deteriorate your mental abilities significantly. The side effects of sleep deprivation are more serious than you think.
Stay well-nourished. Nutrition and mental health? Yes, it counts. If you have poor eating habits, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Stop consuming junk food and energy drinks; they mess with your head, really! Good nutrition which includes proteins, fats and certain carbohydrates help you maintain a healthy body and mind. The right nutrients trigger feel-good hormones that make you feel better.
Now you’re thinking, “But I don’t have time!” There is a shortcut that can help make up for times when you can’t eat healthy. The brain plays a central role in mental health. Therefore, feeding the brain with the right nutrients can help you stay sharp and calm. If staying sharp is what you’re looking for, then boy do we have something for you! Our CogniPro Tablet contains citicoline, a nutrient that improves brain function and memory. So here you have it, the power over your mental health is in your hands. You may not be able to control the things life throws at you, but you do have control over your mind. Take the reins and don’t let your mental health slip away today!
