You may not recognize me right away and thatʻs okay. You will not learn about me in text books at school and many times even your own family will not want to talk about me. I got a really bad wrap a while ago and even though COVID-19 has made me a bit more famous, a lot of people still think that I am not worth mentioning. I can look quite different according to oneʻs culture and age. I have no gender and I speak all languages. Many people are embarrassed to talk about me so sometimes I will remain sick and unattended too which is quite unhealthy. Since I am not talked about a lot, people will try to care for me in ways that may not be in their best interest. They may drink and do drugs, and even engage in other dangerous behaviors to distract themselves when I am not well. I get my strength from your own belief system about yourself and about how you view the world around you. Sometimes I am just born differently and so you may have difficulty handling me from a very young age and donʻt quite understand how I work. Many things impact my health, such as, the environment, chemical makeup in your body, what you eat, how you take care of your physical body, how you were raised and how you speak of yourself when no one is listening.
But there are a lot of ways to ensure that I am healthy and strong. Learning about me is the first thing, and not being ashamed to tell others when I am not doing so well. There is a whole field of professionals that are specifically trained to take care of me and help me get healthy when I am not doing well, they are called therapists, counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. You should never be made to feel less than when you work on getting me better and stronger. Many other times just talking to trusted adults, friends, and family members is a great start and may instantly begin the healing process. Something especially important to note is there are also 24 hour hotlines especially for when you feel that I am so sick, you cannot see or feel that I may ever get better and sense I feel like giving up. People on the other line are trained professionals that will help you get to a safe place and give you the resources you need.
If you havenʻt guessed yet , I am your mental health. I impact your life just was much as your physical health does. And I want you to know that you are never alone and that I go through growing pains just like your physical body does. Itʻs okay to talk about me and to seek out help when I am sick. Please take the time to learn more about me and how little things that you can do in your daily life can help to keep me healthy and strong. Here are some suggestions that I feel will help to keep me in balance so that I can help you feel better and guide you to a happier and healthier life.
Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep, on average 7-9 hours is adequate depending on your age
Incorporate veggies and fruits into your meals because what you eat directly impacts how I feel
Stay away from drugs an alcohol, those things only make me feel sicker in the long run
Surround yourself with people that are positive and encourage you to do well in your life, stay away from drama and emotional vampires that suck your energy.
Communicate your feelings with people you trust and ever be ashamed to ask for help
Limit your exposure to social media when it starts to make you feel less than and insecure
Now that you have a better understanding of who I am and how I work, please share this with your friends and family so that I can become a household name and people will be more open to making sure that we can be well taken care of.
Sincerely,
Your mental health
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