Importance of Staying Mentally Healthy

ASIYETH HAFISA
Msc (psychology), NLP
Psychologist
@Islaah Center for Psychological Wellness

All of us will have our struggles from time to time, but good mental health helps us bounce back and stay in control when times get tough. Being in a state of good mental health allows us to maintain healthy relationships as well as our physical well-being. Plus, we make solid life choices that are for the betterment of ourselves and those around us.

Mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”.

Mental health is important because it’s a vital part of your life and impacts your thoughts, behaviors and emotions. According to WHO, by the year 2020, depression will constitute the second largest disease burden worldwide (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Global burden of mental health will be well beyond the treatment capacities of developed and developing countries. The social and economic costs associated with growing burden of mental ill health focused the possibilities for promoting mental health as well as preventing and treating mental illness. Thus the Mental Health is linked to behavior and seen as fundamental to physical health and quality of life.

The more you help your body, the more you help your mind. Physical activity increases the flow of oxygen to your brain. It also increases the amount of endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals, in your brain. For this reason, the people who are in good physical shape also tend to enjoy a higher level of mental agility.

There are steps you can take to improve your mental health every day. Small things like:

      • Exercising,
      • Eating a balanced and healthy meals,
      • Opening up to other people in your life,
      • Taking a break when you need to,
      • Remembering something you are grateful for and getting a good night’s sleep,
      • Can be helpful in boosting your emotional health.

You can add mental exercises to the many activities you already perform, such as: reading, daydreaming and finding humor in life. Multitasking enables you to get more things done at once, but it actually creates more problems than it solves. Focusing on one task at a time will improve your concentration and help you to be more productive.