Mental Health

If you didn't know already, May is Mental Health Month. So, to help raise awareness, here are some things we can all do to stay mentally healthy!

It is often said that staying fit and eating well is the main key to being happy and coping with stress. This is true, but what about our mental health? Mental health does not seem to be talked about as much as our physical health, which is understandable as it is not easy to grasp the concept of something that cannot even be seen. But why do so many people not talk about it? Simple. They don't know much about it or they haven't had any personal experiences with mental health problems. However, it is not something to fear. Mental health is a person's wellbeing or cognitive health. In simpler terms, it is if your brain is happy or not! I'm not going to go into serious detail in regards to mental illnesses but I just want to spread the importance of keeping a good state of mind and some ways in which you can do it!

First off, having good mental health is crucial for every age but most importantly, adolescence. This is a time when the brain changes and probably more noticeably, our moods.. I should also note that it is difficult to maintain a constant happy state of mind amongst all these changes, so don't stress if you feel as though you are all over the place! It is totally understandable and 100% normal.

You may be wondering what is more important; physical health or mental health? The truth is that they work together. By doing physical activity or a sport you enjoy with your friends, you are improving your mental health. If you are taking time out of your day to do some yoga to help calm your mind, then you are improving your physical health too! But overall, you should put your mental health first as it affects all aspects of your life and can help you live your life to the fullest.

Tips and tricks to improve your mental health:

• Treat yourself - this one might need a bit explaining. I don’t mean buy yourself a massive block of chocolate everyday just to 'treat yourself'. I mean set aside some time to just chill. Obviously it is important to get all your study and homework out of the way first, but make sure you have half an hour or so before bed to just read a book, have a bath, draw, or do anything else that you enjoy doing. If you do this every day, you will be more relaxed and feel much more happier for the rest of your day.
• Try to treat yourself just as well as you treats your pals - we want the best for our friends, we try and make sure they feel good about themselves and we support and encourage them when we can. Make sure you don’t forget about being kind to yourself too. Don't put yourself down to fit in. Embrace your flaws and use your strengths to your advantage. Encourage yourself and do what makes you happy.
• Surround yourself with people who make you happy - this one is super important. If you spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself, this will be extremely beneficial to your mental health. If you surround yourself with people who make you feel bad about yourself, point out your flaws or make you feel alone in a crowd, this could be detrimental to you mental health. Motivational speaker and entrepreneur, Jim Rohn once said "You are the average of the five people you spend time with".

There are so many more things you can do to improve your mental health. Eat healthy, listen to funky tunes, play with a dog or anything that makes you happy! (and is safe/legal!)

Written by Laura McKinnon.