World Mental Health Day 2023
- Dr Noreen Dera
- Oct 10, 2023
- 4 min read
Access to high quality mental health care should be a universal human right. We have a long way to go to realise this aspiration.
World Mental Health Day was first observed in 1992 by the World Health Organisation in an effort to raise the profile of mental health. While modern medicine has advanced rapidly, there still remains a lack of parity of esteem between mental health and physical health. This year’s theme: “Mental Health is a universal human right” feels apt as it highlights the importance of treating mental health as the pinnacle of holistic wellbeing. For many centuries, physical ailments have been attributed to natural causes, yet mental health difficulties were seen as supernatural. Modern psychiatry and psychology brought about a seismic shift in this fallacy by debunking taken-for-granted myths and researching widely the biopsychosocial roots of mental distress. That being said, there are still many challenges faced by people suffering from mental health issues.
One thing that I have learned in the early stages of my career is the importance of maintaining good mental wellbeing. When people struggle with a persistent cold, they go to the doctor to seek a remedy for their malaise. People recognize early symptoms that could easily develop into something more serious. The key thing to recognize here is that people seek help for physical difficulties as soon as they recognize that things are going awry. Our mental health also deserves an equal response. We experience a range of emotions from time to time (happy, sad, angry, embarrassed); however, when we notice that we are experiencing any one of these emotions at a greater intensity or frequency than usual, then our psychological equilibrium becomes disturbed. This is the time to seek help! I believe it all starts with a conversation; either with friends, family, close acquaintances, or even your GP. I recognize that describing somatic symptoms of a cold can be relatively easy, yet describing psychological symptoms can cause a certain degree of anomia: difficulty finding the right words to say. We just need to be more sensitive and self-aware of our unmet needs. Being sensitive to our own mental wellbeing and keeping ourselves in check will aid in the early recognition of things going wrong. The earlier we notice it, the quicker we can get help.
Thankfully, social media has created a platform for difficult conversations about mental health. I was personally moved by Alex Beresford’s ‘Black Men Can Cry‘, a recent ITV documentary where he spoke to Black men experiencing mental health struggles and the importance of vulnerability as a key to getting help. Beresford was moved to make Black Boys Can Cry after his friend Martin Walker died in 2020, 18 months after attempting suicide. His documentary brought to the limelight the struggles faced by people afflicted by mental health difficulties, particularly those who are sectioned under the mental health act. One of the interviewees, Shocka the Artist was sectioned at least four times under the mental health act. This is an unsurprising statistic given that Black people are 4 times more likely to be sectioned under the mental health act. In his narrative, Shocka spoke about the tumultuous breakdown of his career when his group were dropped from their record label, causing the artist to suffer a breakdown that has led to an ongoing battle with his mental health. This documentary candidly covered the undue stress one can be exposed to overtime, eventually resulting in mental health deterioration. I have no doubt this documentary will move people to speak bravely about their own battles, but more importantly to seek help before reaching a point of crisis.
Here are some of my personal TOP 5 tips for keeping well. I am no expert, but these are little things that I do to keep myself psyched up.
1. Let’s sit down and talk: Talking about how you feel with people can help to let things out of your head. Just having someone to listen can go a long way, and in some ways, allows you to process how you feel especially when you’re experiencing a labyrinth of emotions.
2. I love keeping journals. My journals not only contain my own ideas and ambitions but also provide a great space for expressing and reflecting on how I feel. If I’m on the go, the notes section of my phone becomes a treasured outlet.
3. Do things you love! I try to keep a good work-life balance. I make a list of things to achieve for the week every Sunday evening and I make sure to add something pleasurable. It can be gratifying to put a line across things that I manage to achieve.
4. Mindfulness and prayer- when things become heavy, my faith becomes my source of solace and tranquillity. I have created a ‘wellbeing box’ containing some uplifting bible verses and quotes to readily access. It is my go to, and it stays appropriately close to my medical kit. I have also started working through the ‘Headspace’ app which contains mindfulness sessions which last 10 minutes.
5. Surround yourself with people that make you happy! I read an article recently (tagged) about the importance of maintaining good relationships with others (above getting rich) in promoting good mental wellbeing.
What do you do to keep yourself well? Would love to hear your comments below.
Well, that’s it, folks. Just remember that every day is Mental Health day so don’t wait until October 2024 to seek help speak up.
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Absolutely wonderful information. Thank you for sharing.