Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mental health. Show all posts

Thursday 18 February 2016

Mental Health: Coming Out Of The Shadows

Just like a person with poor eyesight needs glasses and a diabetic needs insulin, some very ordinary people have a chemical imbalance and need medication.
Mental health.
We make an appointment every year with their G.P. to check out their physical health and reluctantly arrange for a dental check up but why don’t we also have a professional mental health check up?
Some people might laugh off the implication there is anything wrong with them. Others might nervously skim the rest of this post, fearing to admit they have problems.  This question is far from ridiculous, though. Have you taken a good look around lately? What do you see and hear?
The modern society is stressful because people are anxious about the economy and job security. They have problems sleeping; many self-medicate with alcohol, drugs and cigarettes to help ‘take the edge off’. More and more sick days are the result of depression and other mental health issues. However it never enters most people’s minds to seek professional help until they are in a crisis; there still is a stigma attached to mental illness.
Most of us who do seek help, gloss over our issues saying we go for counselling because simply as a self-help resource. The labels are so damning.”Post-traumatic stress disorder, restless leg syndrome, depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, paranoia, panic attacks”….  The labels are a terrible stigma. Often people become ashamed and it is no wonder that they do.
Others usually cannot understand these unseen illnesses. So they simply fall back on age-old admonishments,
“Pull your self up by the boot straps.
Just push yourself.
Don’t be lazy.
What’s wrong with you, anyway?
You seem fine to me!”
But often mental and emotional issues are a simple matter of serotonin levels. Problems with anxiety and/or depression are merely wake-up calls for people to seek counselling and open mental closets, setting shadows free.

Thursday 9 May 2013

Letting Our Shadows Out of the Closet


Mental Health.
Well I want to yell from the roof tops that just like a person with poor eyesight needs glasses and a diabetic needs insulin, some very ordinary people have a chemical imbalance and need prescription drugs.
Darin Hammond
How IS Your Mental Health? Eh?
Reading this some people might laugh off the implication that there is anything wrong with them, others might nervously skim the rest of this post. This question is far from ridiculous,though. Have you taken a good look around lately? What do you see and hear?
The whole atmosphere of modern society is stressful because people are anxious about the economy and their job security. They have problems sleeping or self medicate with alcohol, drugs and cigarettes to help 'take the edge off'. More and more sick days are the result of depression and other mental health issues. However it never enters most people's minds to seek professional help until they are in a crisis or even must be committed. There still is s stigma attached to mental illness.
Most of us who do seek help, gloss over our issues saying we go for counselling because the labels are so damning."Post traumatic stress disorder, restless leg syndrome, depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, paranoia, panic attacks.... the labels are a terrible stigma. Often people become ashamed and it is no wonder that they do.
People usually cannot understand these unseen illnesses. So they simply fall back on age-old admonishments,
"Pull your self up by the boot straps.
Just push yourself.
Don't be lazy. What's wrong with you, anyway?
You seem fine to me!"
Well I want to yell from the roof tops that just like a person with poor eyesight needs glasses and a diabetic needs insulin, some very ordinary people have a chemical imbalance and need prescription drugs.
It is that simple.
No shame.
No guilt.
A simple matter of serotonin levels. Anxiety and/or depression is merely a wake-up call for us to seek counselling and open our mental closets, setting  shadows free.

Sunday 21 April 2013

Laughter


Humor is infectious, especially  roaring laughter. Not only that,  when laughter is shared, it  brings people together by breaking down social barriers, self-consciousness and  facilitates intimacy. It  triggers healthy physical changes in the body by strengthening  our immune system, boosting energy, diminishing pain and stress.
“Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.”
~ Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D.
Yep, laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict.
 Humor lightens our burdens, inspires hope and keeps us in reality.
Laughter is free.
Laughter is powerful.
Laughter is contagious and addictive.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
SMILE> GIGGLE> LAUGH>



Tuesday 20 November 2012

.So how Is YOUR Mental Health? Eh?


Mental Health
People make an appointment every year with their G.P. to check out their physical health and reluctantly arrange for a dental check up but why don't people have a professional mental health check up?

So how Is YOUR Mental Health? Eh?

Reading this some people might laugh off the implication that there is anything wrong with them, others might nervously skim the rest of this post. This question is far from ridiculous,though. Have you taken a good look around lately? What do you see and hear?

The whole atmosphere of modern society is stressful because people are anxious about the economy and their job security. They have problems sleeping or self medicate with alcohol, drugs and cigarettes to help 'take the edge off'. More and more sick days are the result of depression and other mental health issues. 

However it never enters most people's minds to seek professional help until they are in a crisis or even must be committed. There still is s stigma attached to mental illness.

Most of us who do seek help, gloss over our issues saying we go for counselling because the labels are so damning."Post traumatic stress disorder, restless leg syndrome, depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, paranoia, panic attacks.... the labels are a terrible stigma. Often people become ashamed and it is no wonder that they do.

Society usually cannot fathom these unseen illnesses and resorts to  an age-old admonishment,
"Pull your self up by the boot straps.
Just push yourself.
Don't be lazy. What's wrong with you, anyway?
You seem fine to me!"

Well I want to yell from the roof tops that just like a person with WITH POOR EYESIGHT NEEDS G LASSES AND A DIABETIC NEEDS INSULIN SOME ORDINARY PEOPLE HAVE CHEMICAL IMBALANCES AND NEED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. PERIOD.
It is that simple.
No shame.
No guilt.
A simple matter of serotonin levels.