Mental Health- A greater and better investment

World Mental Health Day is observed every year on the 10th of October to create awareness about mental health issues around the world. Mental health is an integral part of our lives. It encompasses our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Mental health is extremely important at every stage of life, from childhood to adolescence and through adulthood. There are many factors that affect mental health like genetics, childhood trauma or experiences, abuse, family history, etc. It impacts your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. Positive mental health can actually improve a relationship, allows one to adjust to the constant changes in life, cope with stress and problems.

Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity and effectiveness in activities like work, school, or caregiving. It plays an important part in the health of relationships and allows one to adapt to changes in life and cope with adversity.

The current worldwide pandemic created a dire need to talk about the mental health landscape that saw as mental health cases kept rising across the globe.

In Vadodara, mental health-related issues also increased during the pandemic. “Anxiety-related issues regarding COVID, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), decrease in sleep-related issues, relationship issues, insecurity about life, and often drug abuse and addiction”, said Mrunal Athle, a Clinical Psychologist working at Hospital for Mental Health when asked about the kinds of cases that she has been dealing with during and after the lockdown.

If COVID-19 has taught us anything then it is the importance of will-power and positive mental health. A healthy body with good immunity power is definitely crucial, but so is positive mental health. COVID patients are being kept healthy physically and mentally as well because it is necessary for them to stay positive about the situation.

Mental health has been neglected for too long due to taboos associated with it. It is high time to address mental health because it is integral to living a healthy and balanced life. Mental health problems are common but if one reaches out then help is available. People with mental health problems can get better and many even recover completely. So while we invest in good technology and financial assets, why not invest in mental health too?

According to the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), the theme for World Mental Health Day 2020 is ‘Mental Health for All: Greater Investment – Greater Access’.

Mrunal Athle is a Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) registered Clinical Psychiatrist and is a licensed practitioner with more than 12 years of experience and she advises, “Practice mindfulness. It means to be present. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing be aware and feel the experience. This time will not come back so live today to the fullest”. She elaborated giving an example of Sanjeev Kapoor explaining that before tasting the food, he inhales the aroma of the food first which enhances the senses in the body, and then he enjoys the food. She added, “If we live our present to the fullest, then in the future our memories of the past will be filled with happiness”.
“Maintain your hobby, pay attention to your sleep cycle, declutter the negative relationships are all part of mindfulness. A change in lifestyle can also alleviate our mood. Practice gratitude and explain and express it to the people. Keep sending positive affirmations to the universe”.

If you feel fatigued often, unable to concentrate on your work, taking more leaves from work, there are more conflicts in relationships, emotional and thought disturbances affecting the decision-making skills, guilty of making decisions, and punishing ourselves for a wrong decision can be the red flags. These are the mild stresses from which one can understand that something is not quite right.

Seek help if you feel emotionally disturbed, talk it out or vent it out and visit any mental health establishment and get treatment. Treatment does not always mean prolonged sessions.

One can have access to counseling and/or therapies through 3 centers – Hospital for Mental Health Karelibaug, SSG Psychiatry Department, and Jamnabai General Hospital – Psychiatry Department.

There are ways to maintain positive mental health, which includes-

• Seek professional help if you need it
• Connect and talk it out with your loved ones
• Staying positive and practice positive affirmations
• Keep yourself physically fit and mentally active (like solve puzzles or sudoku)
• Follow a proper sleep schedule
• Maintain a to-do list
• Learn to say no
• Practice Gratitude
• Do not neglect mental health

CONTACT
In case you need to seek help, you can call on 1100 number. The government of India has also launched the KIRAN helpline service – 1800-599-0019.
9722100200, 9722100300,0265-2466834, 98254-53224, 9909013276, and one National helpline from NIMHANS is 8046110007.
These all are government helplines to access mental support and counseling.