What exactly is Mental Health?

According to the World Health Organisation Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stress of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Mental health is determined by how we recognise and manage our emotions, thoughts, and behaviour to stay in control of our lives and relate with others.

Why is Mental Health important?

Our state of mind regulates the way we perceive reality. It is the pair of glasses we wear to see the world. 

If we are in good mental health, with clean glasses, we get a clear picture of ourselves and our situation. We can appreciate our strengths, identify the things we may improve, find solutions to common problems, and create healthy relationships.

On the other hand, if we are stuck with non-useful emotions and thoughts, our glasses are foggy, and our vision of the world is distorted.

For example, when people are depressed, they tend to overrate their mistakes and flaws and think that there is no way out of difficult times, and nobody likes or cares about them.

THAT IS NOT THE REALITY…IT’S JUST THEIR VIEW THROUGH MURKY GLASSES 

How to stay mentally fit?

1. Taking care of our physical health. Thoughts and emotions are hosted in our brain. A healthy brain is part of a healthy body. So, we need to practice healthy habits, e.g. eating nutritious food, having quality sleep, and exercising.

2. Gaining awareness of our emotions, thoughts, and reactions. It is essential that every single time we feel uneasy, we take a break to reflect on what is going on both in our minds and in the real world.

3. Socialising. Observing others' behaviour and connecting with them to share thoughts and feelings is the best way to learn about different world perspectives. Recognising that there are alternative views to the same situation helps us pick the ones that serve us better.