Mental Health Matters
Having the right access to resources and support are eminent factors that aid in the betterment of mental health around the globe, but the first step and the most crucial one begins with awareness of the self.
Tag: mental health
Mental Health & Marriage
So what does one normally do when they deal with mental health issues and end up married? Obviously build up walls, close your darkness away, bottles things up until you can’t handle it anymore and then breakdown in front of your partner over something completely irrelevant making them feel like they’re not doing enough. Right?
Men’s Mental Health
There is still a huge stigma surrounding mental health. Mental health can feel like a taboo subject for men living in Dubai yet 77% of men report experiencing mental health symptoms. Mental health symptoms can often be ignored and only addressed once they become unmanageable. Men should not have to suffer alone with their mental health and by talking to a mental health professional, symptoms can be improved.
In the Arab Youth Survey 2019, one-third of respondents aged between 18 and 24 personally knew someone experiencing a mental health issue.
The majority of the people who complete suicide are men. The number one cause of death of men over the age of 45 to 49 in the UK is suicide.
WHY MEN'S DON'T TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH?
- Fear of shunning or shame
- Taboos surrounding mental health
- Toxic masculinity & socialisation
- Vulnerability seen as a weakness
- The impact on their friends and family
- Stigma surrounding mental health and suicide
- Stigma surrounding accessing mental health support
experiences
How to Support a Friend with their Mental Health?
Research has shown that 42% of university students experience serious emotional or mental health problems with 26% of these students having a current mental health diagnosis. However, 78% of students report hiding the symptoms from those around them due to fear or stigmatisation. Providing a Read more
How to Deal with Exam Stress?
Exam season can be difficult. Most people dread exam season and the pressure it brings with its tedious hours of revision, last-minute panics, and anxiety-inducing post-exam chats with friends. It is normal to feel a bit worried about exams and achieving the grades you would Read more
How to Practice Mindfulness?
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of one’s physical, mental, and emotional condition in a specific moment with ourselves and our environment. It is non- reactive experience where you accept and pay attention to your thoughts and feelings without judging them. Mindfulness encompasses a range of different contemplative practices which originated from Buddhist traditions and have been adapted by Western society and become mainstream. Practicing mindfulness can help you to better control your thoughts, rather than be controlled by them.
Pillars of mindfulness
These are the seven pillars of mindfulness that encompass what we should be striving towards when practising mindfulness. If you would like to know more about these principles read more here.
- Non-judging
- Patience
- Beginner’s mind
- Trust
- Non-striving
- Acceptance
- Letting go
How can practicing mindfulness improve your mental health and wellbeing?
How to practice mindfulness?
- Notice how thoughts come and go in your mind. You may learn that they don’t have to define who you are, or your experience of the world, and that you can let go of them.
- Notice what your body is telling you. For example, you might feel tension or anxiety in your body, such as a fast heartbeat, tense muscles or shallow breathing.
- Create space between you and your thoughts. With this space, you can reflect on the situation and react more calmly.
- Name thoughts and feelings – To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to silently name them: “Here’s the thought that I might fail that exam”. Or, “This is anxiety”.
Recovering from Narcissistic Abuse
This article will explain what Narcissistic Abuse is, what are the main characteristics and what steps we need to take in order to heal..
Managing Expectations: A Simpler Way of Life
Definition of expectations: you are expected to show up to work dressed, not naked.
Let’s look at this analogy for what it is, without any hidden connotations. This is a simple outcome that is considered an appropriate action within society.
I personally have a love-hate relationship with this term. Known as the number one initiator to stress, this term has an even more comprehensive level of misunderstanding and destruction attached to it.
Mental Health Disruptions During COVID-19
November 17, 2021
Mental health disruptions are one of the biggest concerns for people during this time. It refers to the changes in mood, thought patterns, and even the way individual views themselves. People are thinking of ways to stay healthy and how to avoid getting sick, but many forget to take care of their mental health as well. Mental health disruption can occur in several ways during COVID-19. In this article, we will discuss some ways in which people’s mental health could be disrupted during COVID-19. We will discuss some of the physical side effects that occur with covid-19, as well as some psychological ones too. We’ll also discuss some of the most common mental health disruptions that have been seen in previous epidemics, and see if they’re relevant to covid-19.
1. Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disruptions during COVID-19. It refers to a feeling of nervousness or fear that is overwhelming. Even if nothing real is going on, people who experience anxiety have a hard time controlling their emotions. Many people with anxiety during COVID-19 are concerned about whether diseases will spread or if they’ll get sick themselves. Many individuals suffer from dread for years after they have been diagnosed with a disease and begin treatment. Mental health issues are among the most common challenges during COVID-19, and many people are concerned about how to properly look after themselves and their families. Someone with anxiety may also become irritable very easily, experience sleeplessness, and feel sick to their stomach. Other symptoms of anxiety include headaches, trembling, and dizziness.
2. Mood swings
Mood swings are yet another common mental health disruption during COVID-19. They can be very hard to deal with because they cause extreme changes in the way people feel. People who experience mood swings may go from feeling happy and excited one moment, to angry or sad the next. These sudden shifts of emotions make it difficult for individuals to keep up with their daily activities and responsibilities. It often causes them to feel misunderstood by friends and family, which only makes matters worse. Mood swings also occur because people tend to focus all of their attention on themselves and what is going on in their lives. They forget to consider the emotions and actions of those around them, which can result in strained relationships.
3. Depression
Depression is another mental health disruption that frequently occurs during COVID-19. It refers to a feeling of hopelessness and sadness that doesn’t go away, even when there are reasons to be happy or hopeful. People who experience depression can feel very tired almost all of the time, and they may lack the energy to do the things they usually enjoy. They could also feel like they don’t have any motivation to get out of bed and start their day, and may not be able to sleep because they can’t stop thinking about how sad they are. It’s important to remember that depression isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a serious health condition that requires treatment in the same way that physical health conditions do.
4. Suicidal thoughts
Suicidal thoughts are the last mental health disruption that commonly occurs during COVID-19. They refer to thoughts of killing oneself or ending one’s own life. It may seem strange, but suicidal thoughts are actually very common during times of stress. They are also common among people who have been diagnosed with a serious illness because being sick can take an emotional toll on someone. A lot of people who experience suicidal thoughts start to feel trapped or out of control of their own lives, which can lead them to believe that death would be the only way out. It’s important to remember that there are many things that people can do during this time if they are feeling suicidal, but it’s always best to seek professional help from a doctor or therapist. Suicide is also an issue that should not be taken lightly because it can have severe consequences for everyone involved, including family members and friends.
During COVID-19 the number of mental health disruptions will increase because there is a very high-stress level in society. People are constantly worried about their own personal safety, plus they have to deal with the stress of their jobs, families, and more. Stress, depression, anxiety, mood swings, and suicidal thoughts-these are only some of the mental health disruptions that will become more common during COVID-19. There are many other forms of emotional distress that people may experience during this time as well, but they all have one thing in common: they can physically and mentally affect many people, even ones who do not suffer from mental illness. It’s important to seek professional help if you think that you or someone that you know may be suffering from more than just the stress of COVID-19; it’s also important to remember that we aren’t alone during this time and that there are people in the world who will be able to help.
Eliza Brooks
Eliza Brooks loves to write about personality development, mental and physical disabilities, and ways to overcome them effectively. She is currently working with Verboso, which offers online speech therapy for children to improve their speaking skills.
Eliza can be reached at:
Website- http://verboso.com/
Grief Beyond Tears
During this pandemic, the cumulative grief that people have withheld is so vast that almost each individual is familiar with the feeling of loss. Whether it’s the loss of identity, occupation, livelihood, health and the worst, your loved ones, this pandemic certainly took something integral away from each and every one of us.