Mental Health And Its Importance

What Comes To Your Mind When I Say “ Health”?

I am sure most of you must be thinking about the physical aspects of health. Some may even be thinking about the violation of physical health, which may be in the form of fever or diabetes, or so on. But the term health is not only confined to physical aspects of health.

According to the World Health Organisation, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social and economic well-being.” Out of all these, the most neglected and ignored is mental health, one of the most severe issues in today’s world. Mental health is more of a silent killer in comparison to physical, social, or economic health.

What Is Mental Health And Mental Well Being?

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

But is mental health taken seriously by our society? Do people realize that mental health is as important as physical health?

The answer is “No” in most cases and there are various reasons for this, such as-

1. Many people do not know that the problem they are facing is not just any common issue and that it is impacting their mental health, and they should do something about it.
2. Sometimes people take it lightly and think that it will be okay with time, and they do not need to worry about that.
3. Although they know that they are facing mental issues, some people live in a state of denial, thinking that “these are just random mood swings and maybe I am just overthinking.”
4. One of the biggest reasons why people shy away from the topic of mental health is society and the stigma that it has created around mental health.

Mental Health Issues And The Society

Our society still considers mental health problems a stigma. According to them, if a person is suffering from a mental health issue or if a person is visiting a psychologist, then that person is psychotic or insane, and they are not fit for living in the society. They should live in the psychiatric ward of the hospital, but this is not true.

Most of the mental health issues initially are trivial, which can be treated without any medication by talking to a psychologist, doctor, or therapy. But due to ignorance, these issues become much more complicated and lead to severe health conditions. Depression and Anxiety are very common nowadays, and they sometimes lead to even worse conditions, mostly resulting in suicides.

How Can We Help?

There are many ways in which we can help. They are-

1. We should spread awareness about mental health issues to help normalize them and help remove the stigma around them.
2. We should make people understand that it is okay if someone has a problem and should not be ashamed of it.
3. We should encourage people to talk more about these issues.
4. We should encourage those people who have experienced mental health issues in the past and have overcome them to share their stories and motivate people to ask for help.
5. We should also make people understand that when someone comes to them with their problems, instead of rebuking them, judging them, or making fun of them, they should assure them that they are listening without judgment.

Many people are fighting a new battle every day against their mental health issues. For them, every day, there is a new battle waiting and a new struggle to face in the form of both the external world and their own mind. No one can understand their pain and what they are going through, but we can surely help them by trying to understand them.

For The People Struggling With Mental Health Issues

1. Do not lose hope.
2. You are doing great.
3. You are an incredibly strong and amazing person.
4. Tomorrow will be better.
5. If there is someone you can trust blindly and someone who can save you, then it’s you only.
6. Everything will be alright; just keep faith in yourself.

I know we can never understand what another person is going through, but as a society, the least we can do is to encourage and support them when they are in need and tell them that we are with them in this, and together we will conquer this.