World Mental Health Day
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), an estimated one in four Americans suffers from a mental health disorder every year. Mental health includes your emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how you think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how you handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Positive mental health allows you to:
Cope with life’s stress
Make meaningful contributions to your community
Be more productive at work and at home
Realize your full potential
Make sure you take time to place enough importance on your mental health. Be mindful, explore your mind-body connection, and be aware of your physical wellbeing needs. Here are some tips with what you can do personally and within your local community on world mental health day:
Make a pledge, starting now, that you will make your mental health a priority every day. Shift or remove negative distractions that poorly affect your mental health and emotional stability.
Practice self-care by performing at least one good habit each day that will nourish your mental health. Some examples may include:
Regularly exercise
Eating healthy
Meditation
Seek counseling
Volunteering
Journaling
Expressing daily gratitude
Spread awareness on the importance of mental health and help stop the stigma around the issue. Start your own conversation about what it takes to be healthy in body and mind by organizing an event with your friends and neighbors. It can be a powerful way to learn more about each other and strengthen support networks close to home.
Reach out to loved ones who have been facing challenging times and offer your support. Let them know why you value them.
To learn more about how you can fight against the stigma of mental health, visit www.1in4.info and www.curestigma.org
