MY FRIENDS POST SOMETHING THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT, EPISODE 6: MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health needs our divided attention it’s time to put it in consideration. Some would say it’s ‘attention seeking’, but i would say let’s put an end to this critiquing.
Investing time into looking after yourself and your mental health is just as important as your physical health. The recognition of the importance of mental is continuously improving, yet it is still not where it needs to be. Everyone you meet has struggles and mental health challenges as it is only in our human nature, whether this be anxiety or trauma from a past relationship. You never know what someone is going through and this is why it is so important to be kind to others, your action could be affecting someone more than you know. A smile when passing someone on the street, checking up on your friends and family and letting them know how important they are, even sending them a meme on Instagram or a funny Tik Tok you saw that reminded you of them to let them know you’re thinking of them; gestures like these might seem small but can help so much to a person’s self esteem and mental health and could even possibly save a life.
Not only should be aware and look after those around us, it’s important to be kind to yourself as well. The constant pressure of our society to look happy over social media and not show our raw emotions is draining, you have to remind yourself that you are human and feeling those emotions and having these thoughts are 100% normal and you deserve to overcome those hurdles and be genuinely happy.
Everyone has their own way of dealing with things, whether you tend to be more private and deal with things in your own time and way or you are very vocal with your emotions, it is important to have those key relationships in your life that you know will always be there to help. Going through mental health can be challenging and confusing, but to know you’re not alone can always be a comforting thought.
Mental health was considered taboo in some cultures, and it continues to be this way. This stigma stops people from getting the help they need, simple conversations with family members or a friend can open more doors for you than you know. As i said before, feeling alone through challenging times can push us over the edge. It is not enough to be posting Instagram pictures flexing to hide behind a fake smile beyond the screen and creating a happy life online; happiness lives beyond social media. Although social media can be such an empowering place, it is also a home to a lot of hate which is why it is important to not depend your happiness on the views or likes you get. We are a generation of preaching kindness and empowerment of others, yet are so quick to judge. We hate on these celebrities and their ‘perfect lives’ and when it leads to suicide, we gospelize how important it is to be sensitive to others and that people can be ‘so mean’ when we are guilty of that ourselves. Then only a few weeks later, the cycle continues and we are back to our judgemental ways. How many lives will it take for us realise that we are all human, we all have emotions? The quicker we realise this, the quicker we can live in a more harmonised society.
Our mental health doesn’t define us but it is important that we are aware of how it can affect us in every way possible and take the necessary steps to look after ourselves and one another. Reach out to a friend, buy a notebook and write your feelings out, be active and eat well, take necessary breaks and don’t overwork yourself. It may be raining now, but the sun always comes out again.
By Robyn Burton
Investing time into looking after yourself and your mental health is just as important as your physical health. The recognition of the importance of mental is continuously improving, yet it is still not where it needs to be. Everyone you meet has struggles and mental health challenges as it is only in our human nature, whether this be anxiety or trauma from a past relationship. You never know what someone is going through and this is why it is so important to be kind to others, your action could be affecting someone more than you know. A smile when passing someone on the street, checking up on your friends and family and letting them know how important they are, even sending them a meme on Instagram or a funny Tik Tok you saw that reminded you of them to let them know you’re thinking of them; gestures like these might seem small but can help so much to a person’s self esteem and mental health and could even possibly save a life.
Not only should be aware and look after those around us, it’s important to be kind to yourself as well. The constant pressure of our society to look happy over social media and not show our raw emotions is draining, you have to remind yourself that you are human and feeling those emotions and having these thoughts are 100% normal and you deserve to overcome those hurdles and be genuinely happy.
Everyone has their own way of dealing with things, whether you tend to be more private and deal with things in your own time and way or you are very vocal with your emotions, it is important to have those key relationships in your life that you know will always be there to help. Going through mental health can be challenging and confusing, but to know you’re not alone can always be a comforting thought.
Mental health was considered taboo in some cultures, and it continues to be this way. This stigma stops people from getting the help they need, simple conversations with family members or a friend can open more doors for you than you know. As i said before, feeling alone through challenging times can push us over the edge. It is not enough to be posting Instagram pictures flexing to hide behind a fake smile beyond the screen and creating a happy life online; happiness lives beyond social media. Although social media can be such an empowering place, it is also a home to a lot of hate which is why it is important to not depend your happiness on the views or likes you get. We are a generation of preaching kindness and empowerment of others, yet are so quick to judge. We hate on these celebrities and their ‘perfect lives’ and when it leads to suicide, we gospelize how important it is to be sensitive to others and that people can be ‘so mean’ when we are guilty of that ourselves. Then only a few weeks later, the cycle continues and we are back to our judgemental ways. How many lives will it take for us realise that we are all human, we all have emotions? The quicker we realise this, the quicker we can live in a more harmonised society.
Our mental health doesn’t define us but it is important that we are aware of how it can affect us in every way possible and take the necessary steps to look after ourselves and one another. Reach out to a friend, buy a notebook and write your feelings out, be active and eat well, take necessary breaks and don’t overwork yourself. It may be raining now, but the sun always comes out again.
By Robyn Burton
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