What is Mental Health and why do people develop concerns?


 What is Mental Health and why do people develop concerns?

Thankfully now Mental Health is getting a lot more publicity then previously in the hope that it will not only help to educate others to understand it better but also remove the stigma and judgement that sadly can often surround it.
As we have previously discussed Mental Health is how a person is able to think, feel, behave and respond to others. It is a hugely signiticant part of their overall health and wellbeing .
Mental health is a person's emotional and mental well-being.It is their ability to cope with the stresses and stains of daily life, how they are able to interact professionally, socially and emotionally.
It plays a huge part in how they learn and take on board new information and it's how they feel within themselves and respond to others. It is learning ways to feel inner peace and calm so our relationships can be harmonious and the development of life skills and learning to balance and manage our emotions.
The most common Mental Health conditions are Anxiety, Depression and Eating disorders but of course there are many more that affect thousands of people in their everyday lives.
Your social and professional environment will have a huge impact on your mental health as will your personal relationships. In the UK alone one in four adults are affected and it is thought that 50 percent of concerns may start initially in adolescent hood which rises to 75 percent once the age of twenty is reached . That alone is a frightening thought and yet is it really surprising in this world we live in? You only need to look online at so many hateful comments in regard to someone's colour, gender, profession or appearance and the sad reality is often the people who make these cruel remarks refuse to take accountability and may even play a part in causing serious distress to another person and why?
However it is not always strangers it can be family or friends and that hurts much more. Growing up I often felt alone and different to my peers and often felt judged which led to me over achieving in all aspects of my life that had its benefits , but it has also come at a personal cost that is not always recognised or understood.

What are some of the most common reasons for developing a Mental Health concern?

I know only too well how it feels to be that person who feels they don't quite fit in and are somehow different. My extreme sensitivity and highly emotional nature have proved problematic in my personal life and yet helped me to excel in my professional life, connecting with others and helping to provide unconditional love and nurturing as their wounds are healed as I sincerely believe that it is necessary to have had hardships and overcome them so you are able to then relate to others and understand them better. It is impossible to feel empathy, compassion and be able to resonate with another person if you have not had that life experience to draw from , to know how it feels.
I have been that person who was told was 'too sensitive or emotional for my own good' or acting like a 'drama Queen ' when that was not my intention but something had been triggered causing me to react the way I did and the people who used these throw away comments obviously had no idea as to the detrimental effect their words would have on my confidence levels both growing up and as an adult.
Of course part of becoming an adult is to take full responsibility in regard to.our behaviour and actions but sometimes situations can be complicated and easily misread and therefore misunderstood. When we become vulnerable we become easy targets to be taken advantage of or victims of gossip or judgement . What is often not understood is that we do not all think alike and something that may cause great pain to one person may have no impact on another. Being different is what makes the human race so interesting.
Mental health concerns can be caused by many factors the most common of which are shown below:
Childhood Trauma
Family genetics (Mental health concerns are often inherited from.a parent)
Prejudice of any kind such as Racism
Stress from overload at work
Hormonal imbalances in the body and brain
Prenatel Depression following a birth
Having a serious health condition
Feeling isolated or lonely
Using drugs/ alcohol becoming addicted
Victims of abuse
Witness to a traumatic event

How to recognise if someone may be struggling with mental health concerns , it may be that you have a colleague, family member, friend or partner that is struggling with mental health concerns. Here are some indications that there may be a genuine concern.

Quick to react to situations, often feeling defensive or quick to anger
Constant fear of failure,shame or guilt
Feeling sad or depressed on a daily basis , feeling there is no hope for the future
Giving away personal and sentimental items they own to others feeling they don't deserve them
Constant mood swings from one extreme to another ,often feeling agitated or restless
Hypersensitivity to everyday circumstances
Isolating themselves from others on a long-term basis including family and friends
Stopping caring about hygiene or appearance
Getting overwhelmed and upset easily with life or the behaviour of others
Fear of change or a break in routine due to the potential of what may happen.
The abuse of drugs or alcohol and becoming dependant on them
Threatening to self harm themselves or others
Insomnia , sleeping for excessive periods or struggling to establish regular sleep routines
Using food as a weapon to punish themselves or give comfort
Overeating or not eating for days at a time
Being physically, emotionally or verbally abusive to strangers, loved ones and themselves particularly
Attempting to withdraw from everyday life
An impending sense of doom for the future
A desperate need to write a will or get affairs in order
Talking rapidly and non stop
A constant fluctuation in body weight
Loss of interest in things they used to do or enjoy
Having extreme thoughts that are often irrational
Feeling afraid of others opinions or judgement
Looking for constant reassurance and support from others
Feeling they are unable to cope or function with everyday choices

Elizabeth Lock      Holistic Therapist 
www.yourcuddletherapy.co.uk   heal@yourcuddletherapy.co.ukwww.yourinnerglow.co.uk         heal@yourinnerglow.co.ukwww.yourtantrictouch.co.uk      heal@yourtantrictouch.co.uk

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