What is World Mental Health Day all about? Well, it aims to spread awareness, educate and reduce the stigma that is sadly still associated with mental health problems in society.
The event provides a great opportunity for people to share knowledge, talk about how to take care of mental health, and also deal with society’s misconceptions.
So in this blog post I just want to focus on one element of this, and that is how to take care of our mental health. Caring for our mental health is so important, and never more so than after the past 18 months or so, and the collective sense of fear and overwhelm we have all experienced – never mind the individual stresses we may have been under during this time.
Covid-19 and the lockdowns that have gone along with it have really affected many peoples’ willingness to be sociable and see their friends. Its as though all the time we have been forced to spend at home has made some of us slightly hermit-like and reticent about re-connecting with people. Whilst many of us are, I know, delighted to be able to be out and about again, others are struggling with low-level anxieties and a kind of social apathy, a feeling of ‘can’t be bothered’ to fully embrace life again. In some ways this is no bad thing if one’s diary was too full and this was causing stress, but some contact with people and activities that lift us and make us happy is so vital for our mental health. So if you have got abit too used to staying home and being a bit isolated, maybe now would be a good time to give yourself a gentle push off the sofa, and think of something you could do that involves getting out into the world a little and reconnecting with friends and loved ones, or getting involved in some volunteering perhaps? Helping others is another great way to improve our own mental health.
Having said that, now that Autumn is here its the perfect time to slow down and make time for gentle acts of self love as we prepare for the coming Winter
My next blog post will be all about how we can do this. In the meantime, I wish you positive mental health
Thank you Francis, that was a very pleasant reflection and boost for me. Happy Autumn to you x
My pleasure Penny. I’m so pleased you enjoyed it. Happy Autumn to you too! x