Although mental health has become a topic that more and more people are openly talking about, as a subject it is still taboo to many people and many countries. The world and life itself can be more daunting to some than it is to others, so it is important to recognise when either yourself or somebody else is struggling. We often care about mental health issues before it is too late. There are still 16 suicides a day in the United Kingdom and it is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45. These statistics are harrowing and are part of the reason why TA-DAH.TV are running their new SELF-HELP special.
Causes
Many people believe that here is no correlation between mental illness and biological factors. However, if someone is struggling with mental illness, biological factors could well be the cause. Many mental illnesses are linked to the abnormally functioning nerve cell pathways which connect certain brain regions. Within these pathways are nerve cells that use chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate. Unfortunately, these communications can often falter, thus causing mental illness. However, we can help these pathways be more efficient by tweaking these chemicals – this can be done though physiotherapy, medicines or other holistic procedures. Mental illness can also be caused by several other biological factors, including:
- Genetics – In many cases, a parent’s mental illness can be passed on to their offspring. Susceptibility to mental illness is passed on in families via genes.
- Infections – Several infections are linked to brain damage and mental illness developing or its symptoms getting worse.
- Injury – If certain areas of the brain become injured, this can often lead to the person gaining mental illness.
- Substance Abuse – Long term substance abuse, (be it legal or illegal drugs) is closely linked to paranoia, depression, and anxiety.
Of course, biological factors are not the only causes of mental illness. A lot of sufferers’ mental health journeys originally occur much earlier in life through psychological factors – but they are often not aware they are suffering till some time later. Some of the psycological factors that could be a catalyst in mental health occurring are:
- Suffering extreme psychological trauma as a child, including physical, sexual or emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Losing someone important at a young age, such as a parent or guardian
- The inability to relate to other people’s lives
- Changing schools or jobs
- Moving to another country/culture with a foreign language
- Not conforming to what society’s expectations deem to be ideal
- A dysfunctional family life
- House-building or divorce
Symptoms
You cannot always tell if a friend, or even yourself, is suffering from mental health. A lot of symptoms aren’t visible, or you may not have the understanding that what you’re experiencing means you are suffering from mental health issues. Always think to check up on your friends or talk to people, whether you experience the following symptoms or not:
- Being confused or having a lowered ability to concentrate
- Being down or sad
- Having extremely guilty or excessive fears/worries
- Frequent, drastic mood changes
- Secluding yourself from socialising
- Constantly being tired and struggling to sleep
- Experiencing hallucinations or paranoia
- Struggling to deal with everyday issues
- The inability to relate to other human beings
- Frequently taking alcohol or drugs
- Changes in your sex drive
- Drastic changes in your diet
- Easily becoming hostile and violent
- Having suicidal thoughts
Seeking Help
If you know that you are struggling with mental illness, or think you might be, it is essential to seek help as soon as possible. A problem shared is always a problem halved – and the sooner the better. In the United Kingdom, there are talking groups such as Anxiety UK and Andy’s Man Club that you can openly go to and comfortably talk to countless people who may be suffering in similar ways to yourself. Carrying the weight on your shoulders alone could make your illness worse as the days tick by, so try your best to act as soon as possible. Outside of the UK, you can attend the Fasching Carnival, (in Germany and Austria) to share love amongst everyone on the streets and voice your problems/issues in a fun way or contact www.deutschedepressionshilfe.de if you feel things are more serious. There is also Psycom in France, who work tirelessly to remove the stigma around mental health. If Spanish is your native language, you can also search for your local ‘Centro de Salud Mental‘ on the internet. All these organisations are there to help you, but why not open up to your friends or family and see what they can do to help you. It is important to not feel like a burden. You should also go to your personal primary care provider or a mental health professional. You could be given certain medicines or sessions with a psychiatrist and this can, in turn, improve your situation drastically. We understand this can seem intimidating, but you will thank yourself at a later date.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a fast and effective way of learning how to use your brain to affect your physical reactions and to learn how physical reactions (like the onset of a panic attack) don’t have to be lived out because of effectively applied brain control.
If you are suffering from suicidal thoughts, or have considered hurting yourself, it is more important than ever to seek help. Nobody in the world wants you to be hurt – everybody wants you to be okay. You can get help in the following ways:
- Call 999 or your local emergency number in the country you are in
- Call a mental health specialist
- Seek help from your primary core provider
- Open up to a friend or family member
- Call a suicide hotline number.
How You Can Help Yourself in Day to Day Life
If you are struggling with mental health, seeking help from others is important but it is not the only thing to do. It is vital that you realise your own responsibility and take the appropriate steps in your day to day life to look after yourself. Having help from other people is great, but prepare yourself for the times when somebody else isn’t there. Some of the best things you can do to feel positive are:
- Keep Active – Exercising frequently can heighten your self-esteem and help you to sleep better. Also, exercise releases endorphins which reduce your perception of pain, thus having a healthier mind.
- Eat Well – In order to function properly, your brain requires a mixture of nutrients. A diet that has a positive impact on your body will, in turn, have a positive impact on your mental health.
- Drink Sensibly – Many people drink alcohol to feel better. However, once the alcohol wears off, you will feel worse as your serotonin levels will be lowered.
- Take A Break – A monotonous lifestyle is only detrimental to anybody’s mental health. Taking a break from your current cycle and discovering new scenery can help in de-stressing your mind.
- Create space in your diary or daily life – if you feel that lists or diaries are running your life, you can create distance to stressful events by building in recovery time pockets either between or directly after these events to help you recover your poise and balance
- Accept Yourself – Possibly the most important way of helping yourself but also the most difficult. It is important to remember that everybody in the world is different – it would be boring if we were all the exact same!
- Care for Others – Being kind to other people will boost your relationships and friends will be even happier to help you. Just think, someone else could be enduring the same problems as you but you just can’t see it. Treat others how you would like to be treated.
