One in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. One in every four people! That is a huge statistic that puts mental health as deadly an illness or more than other illnesses currently plaguing mankind.
But we never really talk about it.
Mental Health has always been a stigma as if it could only mean going completely bonkers. But It is much more than that. And in today’s fast-paced lives, mental balance is slowly being highjacked and is being replaced with constant stress and anxiety.
What is Mental Health?
Mental Health is Emotional, Psychological & Social Well Being. It is just as important as physical well-being to carry out day to day functions. Excessive anxiety, stress or depression can make it extremely difficult to even get out of bed on a daily basis.
Mental health cannot be identified with direct physical symptoms like a common cold or a spinal injury. These are subtle indicators in the physical aspects and minute changes in the emotional behaviors that on a regular day might just go unnoticed. Trivial behavioral changes like eating or sleeping too less or more, mood changes, lack of energy to go about with day-to-day activities, inability to make decisions or to follow through with it.
Mental Health does not get affected in a day
Things that affect this fine balance of our mental health do not just sprout overnight. Unlike how you suddenly wake up with a fever, these symptoms grow subconsciously until they become the new normal you know which is what makes it more lethal.
The daily rush of life with its abundance of distractions would leave us blind to the existence of these manifestations in most cases. It is difficult to do regular activities, you procrastinate, alienate yourself from your social circles. There are huge mood swings, much more than the worst PMS, I can assure you.
And mostly all of this happens gradually. It is like getting caught in quicksand, you do not realize you are getting into one and once you are inside, the way out becomes that much tougher.
The claws of depression
Depression hits you when you least expect it and has a way of enslaving you without realization for months if not years.
I was caught in its claws as well for a while, but I would never talk about it. No one could have ever known that is how well I could mask it. But there were brief periods of time when it took everything in me to get up and go about like nothing is the matter. It was hard and it weighed down on me. Would it have been better if I had known what I was going through? Hell, yes!
When I look back now, I can identify for myself exactly when I was undergoing excessive mental stress. Where I could have sought help, at least from my own family and inner circle of friends.
But I did not know then: that being unhappy and pretending to carry on every single day was not natural. Almost everyone I used to speak to was unhappy about something in their lives and seemed like they were carrying on. And the thought that they could while I was struggling, added more stress in my head and I used to tell myself to get it together and carry on.
Breathe, Take a step back
While change does not come about easily, small steps help in the journey. Start getting back on your feet slowly and fix the smaller issues that could be immediately rectified.
Take a walk or increase your physical activity. There is a release of endorphins after a workout that causes a post-workout kick helps in feeling good about yourself
If you feel you are not ready to talk to the world, journal periodically. Writing helps in a lot of ways. Putting your thoughts out there helps spells out worries that get muddled in the head. It also gives clarity in identifying the reasons or causes behind such stress. This was one thing that really helped me figure out my priorities in life, one step at a time.
Untreated mental illnesses do not cure themselves. They degenerate further and further until they blow up beyond recognition. So, remember to pay attention to yourself and catch yourself when you think you are veering off track and ensure you take corrective measures before it is too late.
What has helped you when you were feeling down and out?
