Don't Knock It
It’s a subject that many people don’t want, or don’t know how to talk about. Mental Health.
We often talk about our physical health and there are scores of resources to help you look after your body - from gyms to fitness classes, activity clubs, personal trainers, nutritionists and physicians but how often do we think about or look after our mental health? Probably not until something goes wrong or we finally recognise the symptoms of stress and depression or in the worst case, suffer a mental breakdown.
Modern day life is full of stress. One person’s stress is another person’s easy day at the office and we know only too well that depression can affect anyone, rich or poor, young or old. Being rich and successful is no guarantee that you’ll never suffer from depression. You only have to look at the celebrity pages to see that depression can affect us all.
As a nation, we tend to ignore mental health issues with the attitude of "pull yourself together" or adopting a "stiff upper lip" and ignoring it. However, although you can’t see it and the symptoms and underlying causes may be more difficult to identify, mental health is just as important as your physical health.
If you’ve never suffered from depression, you’ll know someone who has. One in four people have or will suffer from mental health at one time or another. Most symptoms tend to be shrugged off in the same way you ignore the symptoms of a common cold. Left untreated they can turn into something more serious and in a work environment can lead to long-term periods of absence and sickness – not good if you’re running your own business.
Learn to recognise the symptoms of stress or depression, so that you can see it in yourself and others. Just a few of these are: disturbed sleep, changes in mood, lack of energy, tiredness, poor concentration, low self-esteem, changes in appetite, increased drinking and smoking, irritability, negative thoughts.
Look after yourself mentally. Build yourself a support system to help you cope. Find someone you can talk to about how you’re feeling. Ask for help if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Focus on one-step at a time and don't take on too much. Get a different perspective on a stressful situation. Find time to relax and exercise and make sure you’re eating healthily. Take time out.
You can find out more here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/
We often talk about our physical health and there are scores of resources to help you look after your body - from gyms to fitness classes, activity clubs, personal trainers, nutritionists and physicians but how often do we think about or look after our mental health? Probably not until something goes wrong or we finally recognise the symptoms of stress and depression or in the worst case, suffer a mental breakdown.
Modern day life is full of stress. One person’s stress is another person’s easy day at the office and we know only too well that depression can affect anyone, rich or poor, young or old. Being rich and successful is no guarantee that you’ll never suffer from depression. You only have to look at the celebrity pages to see that depression can affect us all.
As a nation, we tend to ignore mental health issues with the attitude of "pull yourself together" or adopting a "stiff upper lip" and ignoring it. However, although you can’t see it and the symptoms and underlying causes may be more difficult to identify, mental health is just as important as your physical health.
If you’ve never suffered from depression, you’ll know someone who has. One in four people have or will suffer from mental health at one time or another. Most symptoms tend to be shrugged off in the same way you ignore the symptoms of a common cold. Left untreated they can turn into something more serious and in a work environment can lead to long-term periods of absence and sickness – not good if you’re running your own business.
Learn to recognise the symptoms of stress or depression, so that you can see it in yourself and others. Just a few of these are: disturbed sleep, changes in mood, lack of energy, tiredness, poor concentration, low self-esteem, changes in appetite, increased drinking and smoking, irritability, negative thoughts.
Look after yourself mentally. Build yourself a support system to help you cope. Find someone you can talk to about how you’re feeling. Ask for help if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Focus on one-step at a time and don't take on too much. Get a different perspective on a stressful situation. Find time to relax and exercise and make sure you’re eating healthily. Take time out.
You can find out more here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/mental_health/
Labels: health, work life balance
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