How to Protect my Mental Health

Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others. Mental health is more than the absence of a mental illness; it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and helping support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness.

Self Care

Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical and mental health. When it comes to your mental health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy.

Seek professional help if you are experiencing severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted 2 weeks or more, such as:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Appetite changes that result in unwanted weight changes
• Struggling to get out of bed in the morning because of mood
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable
• Inability to perform usual daily functions and responsibilities

   

  Here are five ways to protect your mental health with tips from the MHFA curriculum:

  1. Express your feelings. Talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling or any problems you may be facing. Holding these emotions in can make you feel worse.
  2. Set boundaries. It’s ok to say "no" to activities you know you don’t like or no longer want to do. This might include not checking emails at night, not attending gatherings you don’t like, or not answering your phone at certain times of the day.
  3. Take care of your physical health. Physical self-care is an important way to manage the symptoms of mental health challenges. Eating healthfully, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly are a few ways you can take care of your physical health.
  4. Find a coping mechanism that works for you. Everyone is on a unique journey with their own challenges and coping mechanisms. Find a healthy activity that helps you cope with daily stress, such as creating art or music, journaling, or connecting with loved ones.
  5. Ask for help if you need it. It’s okay to ask for help. There are mental health professionals and services available to help you manage your symptoms.

     Get closer to nature.

     We all live with worries and fears, uncertainties, losses that leave us sad, and pressures that make us feel stressed.

     Nature can have a really calming effect on us. We have been living around other animals and plants for thousands of years. Some people say nature helps them feel calmer, more hopeful, and less alone. Our research found that going for a walk was the UK adults’ favourite way of coping with stress during the pandemic in 2020.

     In Japan, some people use "forest bathing", which may improve their mental health. So going to a forest or wood and experiencing the different smells, sounds, and textures may really help. To get the most out of nature’s healing effects, try tuning your senses to what’s around you—the trees, plants, birds, and animals, for instance, and water such as ponds or the seashore. Take a deep breath and see how you feel. The idea is to get connected with your natural surroundings.

     Why is mental health important?

     Mental health is important because it can help you to:

     • Cope with the stresses of life.
     • Be physically healthy.
     • Have good relationships.
     • Make meaningful contributions to your community.
     • Work productively
     • Realise your full potential.