Mental Health

Let’s talk about mental health

 
 

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 - CSB

November is mental health awareness month.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is critically important for everyone, both locally and globally. 

It goes beyond the mere absence of a mental health condition. It is integral to well-being, enabling people to realize their full potential, show resilience amidst diversity, be productive across the various settings of daily life, form meaningful relationships and contribute to their communities. Physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, and other interrelated factors contribute to mental health, and there are inseparable links between mental and physical health. Promoting and protecting mental health is also critical to a well-functioning society. It fosters capital and solidarity, which are essential during times of crisis. 

Promoting mental health involves: developing community-based mental health services, strengthening government action on mental health, working toward universal health coverage, and developing activities that allow people to talk about the subject and spread the word to people that they are not alone! Since the Covid pandemic, more mental health issues have emerged, resulting in people feeling isolated, anxious, depressed, and unworthy. People need to know there is help available to everyone and that there are resources to help during these struggles. 

There are several aspects of providing wellness on this subject. Our community recently celebrated World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2022. It was about each of us committing to making mental health, there were daily helpful tips for taking care of the mental portion of our being, from October 1-10 to count down to the big day." a link that goes to https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2022/10/10-ways-to-celebrate-world-mental-health-day/

Young people are also facing several mental/behavioral health issues and crises. We can’t exclude them on this subject matter. Many teens have become suicidal during the difficult days of their life, this cannot become accepted as a trend, but instead, we need to work to eliminate their feelings of hopelessness, etc. 

The World Health Organization also reports that globally, it is estimated that 1 in 7 (14%) 10-19 year-olds experience mental health conditions. These remain largely unrecognized and if these are left untreated, may carry over into adulthood. Multiple factors affect mental health. The more risk factors adolescents are exposed to the greater the potential impact on their mental health. This age group is already a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits that are important for mental well-being. 

Adolescents with mental health conditions are vulnerable

  • Social exclusion

  • Discrimination

  • Stigma (affecting readiness to seek help)

  • Educational difficulties

  • Risk-taking behaviors

  • Physical ill-health

  • Human rights violations

Therefore, protective and supportive environments in the family, school, and community are important. The WHO organization works on strategies, programmers, and tools to assist governments in responding to the health needs of adolescents. They also offer a mental health training package for educators for an improved understanding of the importance of mental health in the school setting which also includes training manuals and materials to help scale up the number of schools promoting mental health. 

Ways to Improve mental health well-being

According to Dr. Rickey Leachman, there are several ways to promote mental wellness. Here are two main ways: 

  • Identifying your true self: It involves spending some self-examination time and recognizing who you are, like what are your likes, dislikes, belief, gifts, etc. Self-knowledge makes it easier to know one’s self. ”You can’t power from an empty cup.”

  • Practicing self-care: Start with learning how to do deep diaphragmatic breathing, especially when you start to feel stressed or anxious. Self-care involves different components such as spiritual, physical, social, etc. It is not self-Indulgence is about self-preservation It’s also a way of recharging yourself, spiritual is recognizing there is something bigger than “you.” 

  • Religion—meditate on scriptures, do a Bible Study, enjoy nature, do art

  • Physical—do things that help your body relax. Such as a foot or back massage, listening to meditation music, having a relaxing bubble bath, using body oils, etc

  • Social self-care—interact with family, friends, and even strangers

It’s about knowing how you like to be intentionally social with others and actively seeking it out—like get-togethers, picnics, volunteering, meet-ups, etc.

OTHER WAYS TO HELP IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE NO ONE:

  • Turn to a pet or spend time with animals- lots of research shows that pets are good for your mental health.

  • Join a book club—share a common interest with others

  • Find a support group if you need a safe space to talk.

  • Meet up with people around your area.

  • Start volunteering—but be sure to take care of yourself first.

  • Find a buddy through the Buddy Project, founded by Gabby Frost, one of the Mighty’s Mental Heroes of 2017. It is a non-profit movement that pairs people with online buddies to prevent suicide and self-harm, aiming to grow peer support networks online.

  • Connect with someone on 7 Cups online a safe space for people who want to connect about mental health. Chat one-on-one with one of their “listeners” for free, or connect with other members on their chat board.

  • Be your own and be the best advocate—everyone needs people and deserves to be supported and loved! We have the power to build our foundations. With the right tools and support, we can work to connect with others as we work on connecting with ourselves.

SOURCES

Prepared by Adriene Tillman, RN

COMING SOON

Mental Health Resource Table
Overcomer Foyer on Sunday, November 20, 2022 

If you or your family members are experiencing some life challenges, we as the Health Ministry have several community resources at our fingertips. Let us know how we can help!

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Do you have a passion to encourage others to serve God holistically through our minds, bodies, and souls? We invite both medical professionals and non-medical people to join this special team!

 

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