Mental Health Awareness 🤯

 Hello my lovely readers, how are you all? Hope that you are all keeping well and feeling fine fit & healthy! 🤗 It has been a very long time since I last came on my blog! Life has suddenly become so very different for everyone. Corona Virus has really hit everyone so hard that life is a gamble. Anything can happen at any time, and doesn't give you much time to think! ☹️ Today I want to discuss something that is a very sensitive topic, but I feel there should be more awareness about it, especially in this day and age. 

Disclaimer: 

These are merely my opinions. My advice is given freely. If it benefits you, please go ahead and make use of my advice. If you find my opinions do not interact with yours, please kindly get help from medical professionals. I am in no way a medical professional, but only speaking from personal experience. Thank you! 🥰 

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Mental Health

What is Mental Health? Mental Health put into words is about our state of mind. People may look and behave normally, but are they really mentally stable? 🤯 A happy mind is a happy person, but sometimes it doesn't always be that way. A person may look and act normal but inside they may be feeling something else. A person can be fighting many issues in their mind, which is difficult to see and understand. 

These can be things like; family, Jobs, enemies, society, addictions, financial difficulties, changes, drugs, rejection, spiritual and black magic problems, love life, peer pressure, trials & tribulations, hereditary, etc, etc. 

These are just a few topics, but I am sure there is more than that. 

Let me first start off with a major pointer that can be like a wake up call. How is your life going? Yes thats right! How do you feel your life is going? Do you feel you are in any kind of pressure or struggling a bit? 🤨 Maybe you can't notice it yourself that you may be fighting emotionally but someone else can notice it?  This is where you will sit yourself down and take a deep breath so that you can calm yourself and take a really good look at your state of mind. Some people may take on mental health as a burden and make it overtake their life instead of getting help or advice. This shouldn't make you feel ashamed of seeking help or put yourself down even more than you already are. Who doesn't have problems in life? But that doesn't mean it should weigh on your mind and make it a living hell? Why should anyone suffer alone or in silence? Help is available you just need to ask for it! 🤗 

Life is not as hard as you make it out to be. The stresses of life can be manageable through many activities and resources, you just need to put your mind in order and work your way through it. Its like a task that you must complete in order to gain the prize, which is peace of the mind 😌 A person with mental stress will feel like a criminal. They will take a problem and make it big in their mind. This then dwells on their mind and will keep repeating itself. This will then become a pattern. It will start to overtake your mind and life. It will appear in everything you do and exhaust you. Your mood & behaviour will determine your mental wellbeing and will start to affect your everyday lifestyle 😰

This will become apparent and people will start noticing that something is wrong. You may deny that something is wrong but will be worried about how to address any issues or be put off from getting help. This practice will become a pattern of days, weeks, months and maybe even years. One problem will become another, slowly piling up, one by one. By then you will either think about getting help or not even bother at all. The daily stresses of life will slowly but eventually consume you making you more sad & depressed and burdening your mind, putting pressure on your state of mind and life. Robbing you bit by bit of the quality of life that you had one time, to what it has become now. Suffering in silence is definitely a curse, but doesn't mean you should deprive yourself of getting help? If you don't speak your mind, you will never get recognition of your mental health and neither will you discover the many various sources of help & information. 

Mental health if left untreated can harm you whether mildly or seriously. Neglecting the health of your mind can also impact your body. Not taking care of your mind, will make you not care about your body, as both heart & mind work together. If you let your mental health to progress to a worser state can have serious consequences, leading to devastating circumstances... 😢😭⚰️

How do I know I have Mental Health Issues? 

STOP! 

Sit down and take a deep breath! 😤 Relax your mind. Ask yourself a few questions. Are you in any kind of stress? Do you feel pressure on your mind? Is there anything playing on your mind and are burdened by it? Do you deny there is anything that is affecting you? Have you noticed that people can see changes in your mood and behaviour? Do you feel scared or confused with your emotions or feelings? Are you brushings things under the carpet as to avoid it? Things not quite right in the head? That might be the start of something that can get more intense if help is not sought 😳 There are many things you can do to get help.

What can I do about it? 

GET HELP! 

The first thing to do if you doubt yourself of a mental breakdown is to seek help. Helping yourself is the first step to take. It may feel awkward or feel scared that people will not understand you, but this is the only way to find out. Help yourself  to learn about your unspoken mind 🤯

MAKE A RECORD! 

Making a record of things will help understand your mind better. Why not track your feelings and emotions by keeping notes of how you feel by writing a diary? Write a journal of your day. What did you do? Did you enjoy your day? Did you plan your day out according to what you would like to do and achieve any accomplished tasks? This way you can track what made you feel how you did, whether it was expected or unexpected. This will also show you if there is a repetitive pattern and when you analyse your daily findings you can see what exactly it is that puts stress on your mind 📒 

DOES ANYONE NOTICE? 

Has anyone noticed anything unusual about you? Most of the time our loved ones and people close to us notice that we are going through something stressful. It is our behaviour that gives them clues that something is not right and we may refrain from telling them what is troubling our minds. Everyone wants to show that they are able and strong minded when handling different situations and very rarely want to show that we are under pressure as it gives out a negative impression of the person who we want to show that we are. Sometimes even our work colleagues or associates can notice even the slightest of things through our emotions or behaviour. Our portrayal of ourselves gives good or bad impressions of our state of mind and we may not notice it ourself but other people will. We mustn't always be critical of other peoples comments, its their way of giving advice or pointing out what is wrong. This is a reminder of correcting oneself 🤗 

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? 

What do you think could be the problem? Are there any negative influences? Does something start you off? Is it a small problem that has increased quickly or gradually? Can you notice if there are any changes that may contribute to the stresses of your mind? How many problems do you feel you have? Do you know exactly what could be the cause or what could be causing it? All these questions don't make any sense now, but if you list them one by one, and count how many, then it will make sense! 🤔 Ridiculous as it may sound, and you might want to deny it, but think about it! Is there really any other way to find out if you don't find out yourself first? Who doesn't have problems? Things like family, addictions, peer pressure, society, financial, love life, etc etc all add up. Some things can be minor problems that can be dealt with,  with or without help from other people or services, and some may need professional or intensive help or resources to help overcome them. But you must remember it starts with YOU! 👍🏼 

SPEAK TO SOMEONE! 

Please please please speak to someone! First and foremost, the absolute best advice I can give to anyone is to speak to someone! By talking to someone that you can confide in will help open up what is bothering you and coming to terms with whether any help or advice may be necessary to help you deal with your mental health and state of mind. I strongly urge you do not brush it off, but to please encourage yourself to come forward and do yourself a favour by speaking you mind. Do not bottle it up and please don't let it get worse either! 😰 

I feel especially bad for old people and those who have no one to call their own. Even youngsters and people with troubled lives have difficulty speaking out. The difficulties they faced in their lives make it harder for them to express their feelings, putting stress & pressure upon them. The best way forward will be to speak to someone close, like your parents, siblings or a best friend. See if they notice anything unusual. They will help guide & give advice where necessary to go for further help. They may even have a strategy to work things out with you, the the aid of a action plan or something from their own personal experience. If you feel you don't have anyone to confide in, please go see your GP or local Citizens Advice Bureau. They can most best guide you of further help or direct you to what needs to be done. If necessary, your GP or doctor can treat you, refer you for further help and also put you in touch with relatable services. Why not look for an organisation or a local group where you can anonymously find a wealth of information and self help groups or advice to help you if you don't want to make health professionals be known to the problems you are facing? At least it will make you want to investigate further whether you need a little help or a lot? 

TACKLE YOUR WORRIES

Fighting your worries is self help 🤝 There may be 99 problems in the world, but why make Mental Health be one of them? Suffering in silence will not do any justice to anyone! Your loved ones, friends and family all suffer if you suffer... So putting others in misery is not a nice thing whether you realise it or not ☹️ 

Tackling your worries is a sure way of making priorities that need to be dealt with first. As I mentioned earlier make a list of all your worries. What is making these worries significant? For example, job losses = to bills mounting up. There is a solution for that if you just sit down and think about. How would you deal with bills mounting up? If you are in the habit of regularly saving your cash, this can help you through your bills. If you are smart but have no job, a skill you have can help you earn money 💷💶 

Another example for instance is Unnecessary things. Think about it... Do you really need them? Is it important or not? Make a list of things you need and don't need. When you clear out the clutter, you'll rid yourself of unwanted things aswell as make space for yourself and who knows, might even make some extra cash! Yippee!! 🤗 Getting your life in order is a big checklist! Just tick off what you don't need and find a way of getting thatcvthing that you do need ✅ 

Anyone can do at least that much before seeking extra help no doubt about that! Do not let your problems overtake your life, and learn how to live! 

HOW TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN THINGS? 

There are some things that can't be sorted out alone. Things like addiction for example or black magic will need specialist people to deal with them. Addictions are bad habits that can't easily be solved there is a technique and a process in which only certain individuals can come to rescue you. If you are a believer of God or not, surely you will encounter negativity of some kind whether its ongoing or comes and goes according to the people  associated with this kind of particular practice. Does it not cross your mind that something must have a hand in it or you don't know how to change something negative to positive? Do not be fooled that you can change your own destiny if you know how or the right way to go about it. Yes I do believe that there are people out there to harm or destroy but it depends on the way your perceive it. Yes thats correct. The power is in the mind. Why let people destroy your happiness? And yes you have every right to feel a little paranoid or have some degree of worry but you certainly must not let this guilt consume you no matter what! Wallowing in worry is not going to make it go away and neither does it change the perspective of things to come. You can do your own thing and make it right! 🥰

MIND DISORDER AND POST-NATAL DEPRESSION

Mind Disorder e.g Depression, Alzheimers, Hallucination & Post Natal Depression are next level Mental Health issues. These kind of disorders are more serious and complex, and need constant and intense kind of treatment. Therapy is a way of managing these problems but it needs to be under review and need adjusting as and when required. These disorders happen at different stages in an individual's life surrounded by the circumstances it was brought on by. Post-natal depression happens in a woman's life straight after or a short while after child birth. This can be aggravated more so by the situation the new mother is placed in. For example: If the new mother is a teen and new mother with no knowledge, or a woman who is single and has no additional help, will panic and try to organise her life as she comes to terms with how to bring up her child with a stable mind. Their first reactions for instance is either not knowing where to get help or finding a routine that fits with their lifestyle. Many are shy or refuse to get help when they know they can get help if they need it. But thats not always the case and they try their best to manage, panicking along the way, or getting stressed or frustrated hen things are not working out. Post Natal Depression can become fatal when the new mother has had a bad experience during pregnancy/childbirth or in sad cases when a child dies from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 😭 This is particularly sensitive to a woman who is undergoing depression of this level, giving up all hope & may even consider giving up the will to live. I feel very strongly about this, as I have gone through something of a similar level. Its very hard to talk about as so many emotions run through your mind all at the same time, and you can't think straight. 😖 It hurts to even mention it, but the strongest women heal with time and faith.  Cannot stress this enough but my own theory of living like this has tortured me and put me through hell. But my faith in God and having the strength and will to live has been replaced with the most valuable gifts that I couldn't imagine. My children 🥰❤️ My nature is soft yet fierce. Strong but gullible. I have learnt to adapt and change, and with this kind of concept, I try to see positivity, happiness & the goodness that can change a whole mood altogether! You shouldn't forget all the lessons that life taught you. Rather use these lessons to prevent mistakes from happening 🤗 

In terms of normal depression, get help and try therapy classes. These can greatly make a difference and help you manage your mind and problems. Gaining a clear conscience will help you stay focused and think straight. As with Alzheimers, I haven't quite got to that bad of a state yet that my mind has become like a sieve! Lol 😂 but yes i do find i'm getting forgetful but am trying to find ways that help me remember and relax. When a person panics they kind of forget what they were saying or doing. As well as old age being a major factor when a person becomes forgetful, and slowly as they age more or their health takes a turn, Alzheimers can take its toll on that person. But it needn't be that way. If you have a loving family, they will be dedicated and commit to making you living your life fully. They will reinforce your memory and help to balance between confusion & reality. They will put into steps that need to be worked on & make sure you achieve a certain daily target to keep your memory fresh in working order. Unfortunately in some sad situations where no progress is made or any efforts that go down in vain, these poor people with Alzheimers are sent to care homes to be looked after my health care professionals to do basic duties of cleaning and feeding. In actual fact these patients are sent off to live a life of their own, with other similar patients. They must feel so very sad and lonely and live there until the end of their time with little or no memory. If they are lucky they might have some family who will come check on them from time to time, make conversion and cheer them up for a while before they get left behind again and made to feel sad and depressed all over again. And before you assume I am heartless and am shaming all these lovely care workers & health professionals who work tirelessly and with dedication, I appreciate all that they do. But one can only do what is required of their job. Human affection & sympathy are natural elements of  a human being, but involving it too much in their work & daily lives does have it's repercussions. It can pay off well in the achievements of something, or be disastrous, sometimes making something worse than you intended. To be honest i'm no psychologist, but yes the human brain does fascinate me. There's so much to learn, but you never always learn enough! 🤯 

WHAT'S NEXT?

Make a Plan. Why not sit down with a good pal and make a list? One who knows you well will be the right person who can see all your flaws and help you turn them around too! A good understanding friend will help solve your problems together, give you confidence, boost your self esteem & will be by your side to help you out. Kindness does not cost anything, but can make a big difference to someones life. Even if you don't have a friend, you can always make one or two, or even a few! 👫🧍🏻‍♀️🧍🏻 

Work out what problems will need extra help and what can be easily accomplished. That way you can see what you sorted out and what needs work on. Join a group. Virtual, online or a local group. Get talking! Being shy will get you nowhere! You need to open up and speak out. Choose a topic. Whatever you feel needs more awareness on. Discussing something you feel deeply about will get heated conversations but will make you feel better now that its been opened up and spoken about. Nobody can guess what's in your mind unless they're a psychic! But even still jokes aside, holding things inside your ind for too long is also not healthy! People are allowed to express their opinions. They may be beneficial or may not apply to anyone. It's like free advice you either learn from it use to teach a lesson. So go ahead and speak your mind! 🗣 

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These are a few tips from me that has helped me find my voice and speak my mind. Mental health is something serious that should get more recognition. Struggling on your own should not be a burden on yourself, especially when you know that it can be sorted out. If you don't ask for help how will you know that its available? There are so many sources out there in which to gain help and advice from. Some advice you can get for free but some you have to pay for, like therapy sessions 😂

I can go on and on without ever getting bored or tired. You always learn something new everyday. I am not that old only 40. I still have lots of learning to do but I don't mind sharing what I've already learnt. Sharing is caring! 👍🏼 I have tried to pick on some important points that I feel are relevant or necessary to educate with but will feel more richer in knowledge with your feedback and information that I don't already know 🤗 

This topic has recently become so bogged in my mind, I felt that it would be an opportunity for me to share something that is already known about but needs more awareness on. Coronavirus has put immense pressure on everyone from ordinary people to extraordinary people. Everyone has had to deal with it in their own particular way, but with mounting pressure on some restricted people they are the ones who are struggling the most, having difficulties with their emotions and not finding a way to manage their mental well being 😢 or being able to speak up about it. 

I hope I have helped anyone in any way. As I mentioned in my disclaimer that I am not a professional of any sort and my opinions are my own. I have not encountered a mental breakdown or disorder of any extremity but am sharing what I think could be a good approach to make a difference of some sort. If my advice feels beneficial to you in anyway, please do not be discouraged not to make use of it. 

And if you feel that my advice is not relevant to yourself, please share it to someone who may need it. You will be helping a person find their mind and restore their mental well being 🥰 

If I have hurt the feelings of anyone please do forgive me. I did not mean any harm, but only to make someone come to terms with them self, and get self help or acquired help. 

This is the end of my long lecture! 😂 Sorry for it being too long or maybe an interesting read! 👍🏼 As always your comments and suggestions are always appreciated. Maybe you may have an idea for me on which to write about? This will give me an insight into a particular topic or just write for fun and entertainment. Whatever it may be I will always have pleasure in expressing my thoughts. 

So I shall sign off now, and be back again soon with a new and interesting read! Until then take are & see you all soon 😊 Take care & stay beautiful! 😘❤️ XXxx