January 16, 2024
– By Ashley Green –
Mental health is important at any stage of life, from childhood through adulthood. It affects how we feel, think, and act. Mental health is just as important for overall health as taking care of our physical health. Many factors can lead to mental health issues, including a stressful or traumatic life event or long-lasting health condition.
Mental health issues are more common than many may realize. More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness, and over 1 in 5 teens (ages 13-18) have had a serious mental illness. Mental health issues can be treated, and many people can recover completely.
Many mental health issues, such as depression, can also affect our physical health. It can lead to increased risks of long-term illnesses, such as heart disease. It goes both ways – physical health issues can also increase our risk for mental health issues. We are understanding more and more that the mind and body are connected.
One mental health issue that we are all familiar with is stress. We might feel stress from pressures like getting the kids ready for school when the alarm didn’t go off and we’re now running behind. But stress can become more serious when it starts to affect our lives and when it doesn’t go away. The body can handle stress in small amounts, but when it becomes long-term, it can affect how we feel and even how we behave. Long-term stress can cause tense muscles, which can lead to headaches, breathing issues, and heart problems.
If you or a loved one are affected by mental health issues, there are plans and ways you can help.
How Can You Help Yourself?
Good mental health starts by taking care of yourself and making it a priority. Several tips for taking care of your mental well-being also connect with taking care of your physical health.
- Get exercise. Find an exercise activity you like that is easy to incorporate into your daily routine. Aim for 30 minutes each day. These exercises can be walking (alone, with a friend, or with your dog), biking or gardening. Exercise wherever you enjoy; no gym is needed. And it’s okay to break the 30 minutes into smaller chunks throughout the day. YouTube also offers free exercise videos.
- Do something enjoyable. Whether it’s sitting on the porch and enjoying being outside or taking up a new hobby (or starting back up with an old one), find time in your day to do something you like to do.
- Connect with others. Good, supportive relationships are important to your mental well-being. Take time each day to be with your family. Find ways to build community. You could join a Sunday School class at your church, find an activity group at your library, call up your sibling or friend, or make a new connection at your job. Your friends and family can provide emotional support when you need it.
- Get plenty of sleep. Create a sleep schedule or set an alarm on your phone to alert you to prepare for bed. Put your phone, computer, or device away around 30 minutes before sleep time to reduce blue light. Choose something else, such as reading or working on a relaxing hobby you may have.
How Can You Help Someone You Love?
- Listen to them. Be part of their support system and check in with them often. Let them know they are not alone.
- Learn the facts of mental health. Libraries are a great source of learning more information and gaining access to online resources.
- Let them know help is available. They can call 988, a nationwide 3-digit number for mental health crises.
If you would like to learn more about mental health and how it can affect you or the ones you love, please visit the resources below. These links contain more detailed information on mental health, including videos, for all ages, including children.
Resources:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- National Institute of Mental Health
- American Psychological Association
This blog was written for the Equitable Neighborhoods Initiative in collaboration with a class at The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences. The class, called “Health and Social Networks,” looked at how people, groups, and organizations communicate, especially regarding health topics. ENI pinpointed health issues that were of major concern to our partner communities. The students in the class created informative materials to raise awareness about these specific health issues. While some students produced educational videos, others participated in a health fair hosted in one of ENI’s partner communities. This blog was created as part of the class project.
