People take care of their physical health by hitting the gym twice a day, washing their face thrice a day, and going for surgeries to reduce fat. The list is long but doing meditation, having ‘Me’ time, journaling, screening for different mental health conditions, etc., which are essential for mental health, take a back seat. A person can call himself healthy if he has a healthy body and a sound mind. Even the World Health Organization defines Health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Many research shows the linkage between physical and mental health like depression and anxiety conditions affect the sleeping pattern, which leads to a waning of physical Health and vice versa is also true that physical pain can reduce productivity and push the person towards a state of depression. According to the World Health Organization, about 200 million workdays are lost because of depression. Mental health issues account for over half of the world’s top ten causes of disability.
Till now, you get the idea why mental health is as important as physical health.
Why the month of May is celebrated as Mental Health month?
May has been celebrated as Mental Health Month since 1949 in America to spread awareness about mental health and wellness. The month also applauds the people who recover from mental illness. The National Committee for Mental Hygiene, currently known as the National Mental Health Association, celebrates the event every year. Clifford Whittingham Beers was an American author who created the National Mental Health Association. Beers, who was born in Connecticut in 1876, was one of five children in a family who had a mental disease and psychological distress. He was maltreated and abused during his stay at mental institutions. Beers shared his struggles in his autobiography ‘A Mind That Found Itself’ (1908), one of his bestselling books even today. He graduated from Yale University, and as an insider of the Yale intelligentsia, he crafted a vision of including the community in the prevention and treatment of mental illness. Formulating mental health policy beers played an essential role by highlighting statistics on the number of individuals served by institutions and the psychiatrists who treated them. Now, May month is celebrated as mental health awareness month by all the countries, including India.
Every year a theme is selected for the month to spread the information and other essential aspects of mental health. The MHA’s 2022 theme is ‘Back To Basics’ A mental health month toolkit is formed that provides knowledge about different mental health conditions and guidance to the people who need help. The day also encourages citizens to understand and spread the word about the prevention and treatment of mental health problems.
How can public become part of this month?
The best way to promote awareness is by engaging themselves in the different mental health events.
Volunteer in a self-help community to connect with others and take online courses related to mental health to learn more about the issue.
During the pandemic, all the social media were full of negative news that induced anxiety in people. Try to listen and spread positive news through different channels.
‘ Bolna Jaruri hai’ ( it’s important to talk). Talk about mental health in your community or society to break the taboo around the topic. Stigma and discrimination are two building blocks that limit conversation about mental health.
Share your story, which motivates others to share their story. Sharing emotions with others makes you strong.
Don’t forget to check on your mental health and, if needed, take help from professionals. It’s just a gentle reminder that it’s not selfish to put your mental health first.
Try to learn the symptoms of different mental health illnesses and coping strategies so that you can help your loved ones.
Educational institutions should organize quizzes, essays, and competitions to spread awareness.
Mental Health Toolkit
Are you mentally healthy? Take out a few minutes to take care of the body part which takes care of your whole body part.
You can download the toolkit to get more ideas to spread awareness about mental health.
Download the toolkit from here!
Comment down below the tips you use to spread awareness about mental health.
