Overview

Mental health is as essential as physical health for leading a happy life. Just as physical fitness helps to stay strong, mental fitness helps to achieve and sustain good mental and emotional well-being. In a good mental health state, a person enjoys life with a positive attitude.  It helps to cope with stresses in life, be physically healthy, have good relationships, work productively and realize the full potential. An unhealthy mind can affect the quality of life and makes us unable to perform the most basic tasks. Therefore, focusing on your mental health is the most important step you can take to improve your overall well-being.

So, let us understand what is mental health and why is it important to care for it. We will also provide a few tips to help boost your mood, build resilience and strengthen your mental health.

What is Mental Health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and sociological well-being. It affects how we feel, think and interact with our family and friends. Prioritizing mental health is important at every stage of life. It is not something we can deal with once and then get over and goes from infancy all the way into adulthood.  

A good mental state can help us to be more productive and effective in our daily activities at work, school or at home. It plays an important part in the health of our relationships and allows us to adapt to changes in our lives and cope with adversity. It also helps to keep us healthy and prevent serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. 

Maintaining positive mental health and treating any mental health condition at its earliest is crucial for building healthy relationships with people, increasing productivity and enhancing our self-image.

Signs of Mental Health Problems

Mental health problems are difficult to identify and it can be hard to know what is normal and what is not. There are certain signs to look out for, that may signify negative changes. These may include:

• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Over or undereating
• Change in sleeping habits
• Reduction in energy levels
• Shying away from others
• Having unexplained aches and pains
• Feeling persistent despair
• Indulging in alcohol, tobacco, or other substances 
• Experiencing confusion, anger, guilt, or worry
• Severe mood swings
• Picking fights with family and friends
• Thinking of self-harm or causing harm to others

• Feeling helpless or hopeless
• Not being able to perform daily tasks 

Causes

There is no single cause for mental health problems but there are a number of factors that can affect mental health, including:

• Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
• Life experiences, such as trauma, abuse or neglect
• Family history of mental health problems
• Lifestyles, such as diet, physical activity, and substance use

Mental Health and Wellness

When it comes to your mental health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. A few life style changes may be helpful for relieving stress and anxiety.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

§  Exercise regularly: Being physically active may help boost your mood, increase concentration, alleviate symptoms of anxiety and improve your health. Aim for30 minutes of activity such as walking or climbing stairs which may help to reduce stress and increase alertness. 

§  Eat healthily: A balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and help you focus throughout the day. 

§  Set your sleeping pattern: Stick to a sleeping schedule and make sure you are getting enough quality sleep. 

§  Find purpose and meaning: Find out the most important thing in your life and focus on it. 

§  Try a relaxing activity: Schedule relaxing activities like meditation, muscle relaxation, deep breathing or journaling which you enjoy doing the most.

§  Develop coping skills for life challenges: These help to deal with stressful situations such as facing a problem, taking action, being flexible, and not easily giving up.

§  Connecting with loved ones: Reach out to your friends or family members who can provide emotional support and practical help.

§  Helping others: People who consistently help other people experience less depression, greater calm, fewer pains and better health.

§  Enjoy yourself: Simple activities which you enjoy doing like having coffee with friends, having a soak in the bath or going out for a cheat meal can all improve your day. 

§  Maintain a positive outlook on life: Focus on the good things in your life and spend time with healthy and positive people.

• Seek therapy - talk to a mental health expert: If you think you have depression, anxiety or any specific mental health symptom you can take professional support at any time.

Conclusion

Your mental health plays an important role in your quality of life. Some people may need self-care by following a healthy lifestyle which may help to promote greater wellness. Others may require medication which can improve symptoms and help a person resume normal routine while working on their mental health.

As you are aware, the 2022 Flood has caused severe devastation. Shifaam feels privileged to initiate Project Yaqeen which aims to provide counselling and support for front-liners & relief workers. Front liners are working under critical conditions and are also experiencing trauma as they help the flood affectees during this crisis. If you are a front-liner looking for well-being support, please provide the following:

• Name of the organization you’re working with. 
• ID or proof at the time of booking your FREE THERAPY SESSION..

Kindly note that the first two therapy sessions are completely free of cost and you will be charged third session onwards. So get in touch with our experienced & trained counsellors!

To book an on line or physical consultation with the best psychologist in Karachi visit https://www.shifaam.com. You can also download the Shifaam Health App from Google Play Store (bit.ly/2JqZo3C) or the iOS App Store(apple.co/2QUVxQz). Call us at 021-37132273 or Whatsapp at 0347 7222273.

For more information on Psychologists in Karachi or for an appointment with experienced doctors click on the links below:

References