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Good mental health is the sense of well-being we have when all aspects of our lives are in balance - social, physical, spiritual, economic and mental.When we concentrate too much in one area, it will affect other parts of our lives. For example, if we put all our energy into our work, we soon find that our spiritual and social lives begin to suffer. Your personal balance is unique to you. Everyone has different needs. By paying attention to what's going on in your life, you can learn to find a balance that works. Just as there are things you can do to stay physically healthy, there are things you can do to stay mentally healthy.
Enjoying good mental health throughout your life means feeling good about yourself,
deciding what is important to you, and interacting well with others.
Where do you start? Ask yourself - do you have a healthy balance in your life?
What you can do to nurture a sense of well-being in your life:
> Activity: On a piece of paper, draw two columns.Write a list of your strengths in one and a list of the areas you would like to work on in the other. > Activity: Celebrate your successes by having a party with family and friends. > Activity: Eat a balanced diet. Find a healthy eating class and enroll today. > Activity: Get plenty of physical exercise. Start walking or running or join the local fitness centre. > Activity: Avoid fatigue and be sure to get a good night's sleep. > Activity: Bring your family together to discuss issues but also think of ways to have fun with them. How about going to the park or the movies? Do it regularly. > Activity: The next time someone gives you a compliment say, "Thank you, I really appreciate hearing that." > Activity: Make it a habit to take a five minute 'mental holiday' every day. Go to a quiet place, close your eyes and dream about a favourite place or memory. Feel yourself relax. > Activity: Many people find support groups helpful and like to share their thoughts and possible solutions with people in similar situations. > Activity: You may prefer to talk to a friend, counsellor or clergy. > Activity: Talking to a good friend can help reduce the intensity of your feelings. > Activity: Do some physical exercise at home or at the local fitness centre. You should seek professional help if you frequently feel strong emotions like these. > Activity: Build a 'friendship tree' that starts with you as the tree base and builds out from there. Ask each of your friends to bring a new friend to your next gathering. This is a great way to form a walking group or a coffee club. > Activity: Financially, a budget can help your family separate the 'needs' from the 'wants' or 'nice to have' items. > Activity: Take the time to consider your social, mental and spiritual needs and priorities. It can be very helpful to write out a list for each of these three needs. Put each item in its order of importance to you right now. > Activity: Begin small with an activity you like.Most communities have organized programs that need volunteers. Maybe you would like to volunteer in your child's school or with a seniors' project? > Activity: Set a few minutes aside each day to be alone with your thoughts. You may want to do this in a quiet room or while taking a walk. A breathing exercise can relax and calm you. You can think about what makes you happy, who and what you really care for. > Activity: Look for things to laugh at - read cartoons, watch comedy shows, or share a joke. Find ways to surprise and delight your friends and family.
Depression
Everyday challenges can sometimes leave us feeling sad and hopeless even though we are quite healthy mentally. Usually these feelings pass after a period of time. If they don't go away, you may be suffering from depression. Depression becomes an illness when your negative feelings begin to affect your personal and work life. Depression has many causes and can happen to anyone at any time. These are some of the warning signs of depression:
If you think you or someone you know may suffer from depression, seek professional help from a doctor or counsellor. What you think has a way of becoming true.
For more information...
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