What Is Mental Health?

Mental health refers to the state of our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Our mental health affects how we feel and think, also how we act in different situations. When people think of mental health, they think of conditions like anxiety or loneliness. But being in good mental health doesn’t just mean you living without a disease. It also means that you live everyday with grace and ease. “Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” Defined by World Health Organization (WHO). Taking care of our emotional well-being has always been more important. Mental health is your overall psychological well-being—the way you feel about yourself and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with everyday problems.

Here are a couple of ways to enhance your mental health:

Always think positive

Research shows that your thoughts have a powerful effect on how you feel. When we think negative, we feel that everything around us is falling down. Positive thinking enhances our confidence and gives us a feeling of satisfaction.

Express gratitude

Start a journal and write down things you are thankful for. Whenever you are happy start writing things to be grateful for and write from the heart. It will benefit you in the long run.

Spend some alone time with yourself

We are social beings and it is important for us to communicate. But solitude is just as important. Studies show that alone time has been linked to improved happiness, less stress and better life satisfaction. It helps to know yourself a little better

Open up to someone

You should not bottle up your emotions as it has a negative effect on your bodies physically and mentally. You should talk to someone you trust about your thoughts and feelings. It will strengthen your relationship and improve your mental health.

Do something nice for someone

Research shows that being helpful to others has a positive effect on how you feel about yourself. Being helpful and kind is a good way to build self-esteem.

Take a break

When life seems like too much, just take a break. Do something you love to feel a little better and get you life back on track. Listen to calm music, go for a walk, take a nap, meditate, try some breathing exercises. Do whatever that feels right to you. 

Hangout with your friends

Friends are very important for your physical, mental and emotional well-being. They always support you no matter what. Whenever you feel a little down talk to a friend and it will make you feel a lot better. They boost your happiness and reduce your stress.

Self-care

Taking care of yourself can improve your psychological state. Eat nutritious meals and drink plenty of water. Get enough rest and sleep. Try to do at least one relaxing activity in a day. Do things that make you feel at peace.

Break the monotony

Although our routines make us more efficient a little change once is a while is okay. Life gets boring when we do the same thing every day. Try to add a little colour to your dull life. Take a different route to get to work, try a new restaurant, watch a new movie or plan a road-trip.

Disconnect yourself

When you wake up, don’t spend the first 30-45 minutes on your phone. And try to put down your phone 30 minutes before going to bed. Keep yourself busy. Do some housework or read a book instead of spending time on your mobile.

Prioritise your sleep

Try going to bed at the same time each day. These include shutting down screens for at least half an hour before bed and using your bed only for sleep or relaxing activities. Getting the right amount of sleep i.e. 7 to 8 hours can increase our productivity and keep us healthy.

Value yourself

You should treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism. Stop comparing yourself with others and start by appreciating yourself. Make time for your hobbies and broaden your horizons. Encourage yourself and follow your heart. Try something outside of your comfort zone.

Make time for your family

Spend time with your family reduces stress and strengthens your bond. You should make plans with your family. Go to a park, play a game, watch a movie together or go on a vacation.

Learn about mindfulness meditation

Try meditating, yoga and/or prayer. Relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your state of mind. Research shows that meditation may help you feel calm and compose.

Don’t be afraid to seek help

Seeking help is a symbol of strength — not a weakness. And it’s important to remember that treatment is effective. People who get proper care can get over their mental illness and addiction.

Write when something is bothering you

Just take a piece of paper and write about everything that has been going on – things that upset you, things you are worried about. Write it in any order. It  can reduce symptoms of depression. It will help It will make you feel better instantly. It will clear your mind and help in decision making. It will give you a sense of fulfilment.

Go for a long walk

It might be a stroll through a park, or a hike in the woods. Walking can help your mental health. Being in nature uplifts your mood, decrease anxiety and reduce depression. It also increases our creativity and keeps us healthy.

Social anxiety is the fear of social situations and interaction with people. Social situations can be of any kind like an event, a family gathering, a party or function. People with social anxiety have a fear of public speaking. They have a problem in interacting with a large group of people. They are very self-conscious and lack self-confidence. They feel that everyone is constantly judging them and tend to overthink a lot. In social situations they get tensed and become anxious but they feel okay when they are alone. It is a very common problem but people tend to confuse it with shyness. Most people don’t even know about it. 

Millions of people all over the world experience the ill effects of social anxiety. In India about 30 million people suffer from anxiety. In social anxiety disorder, fear disrupts their entire life. It affects their day to day activities. People can either be suffering from a specific social phobia of generalised social phobia. Specific social phobia means that they are afraid of a particular thing. For example speaking in front of a large group of people or meeting new people. Generalised social phobia means that they are afraid in all types of social situations. 

Common social anxiety triggers include:

1. Meeting new people
2. Talking to other people
3. Making phone calls
4. Giving a presentation in front of important people
5. Performing on stage
6. Being criticised or judged by others
7. Being the centre of attention
8. Going to any kind of social event
9. Introducing themselves to strangers

Whenever the land in social situations like the ones mentioned above yes start to panic and over thing and that’s when they’re in there in anxiety begins. They think too much like what to say, how to talk, how to behave, how to walk. They are afraid that they might say something stupid and embarrass or humiliate themselves in front of everyone else. They feel paranoid at all times and it messes up their mind. Entering a social situation triggered their anxiety.

Physical symptoms of anxiety include:

1. Blushing
2. Shaking
3. Trembling
4. Sweating
5. Dizziness
6. Increase in heart rate
7. Mind going blank
8. Nausea
9. Vomiting
10. Urge to escape or leave

Behavioural Symptoms may include:

1. Avoiding social situation
2. Leaving early
3. Focusing on themselves
4. Trying not to draw too much attention to themselves
5. Keeping quiet
6. Not making eye contact

In these types of situations all they want to do is escape. They have this fear in their mind. They try to avoid social situations altogether. In many cases, social anxiety leads to depression. They experience suicidal thoughts. It disrupts their mind which in turn affects proper functioning of the body. People with social anxiety often rely on alcohol or drugs to face social situations. Doctors prescribe benzodiazepine for social anxiety and other anxiety disorders. They are not the treatment of choice as they are highly addictive. Sometimes people develop tolerance to the drugs. Social anxiety affects our life in many ways but it doesn’t have to.

Here are a few ways to cope up with the anxiety disorders:

• Avoid negative coping strategies

The negative emotional and mental states related to social anxiety can cause physiological symptoms that worsen a person’s anxiety and lead to further isolation.The person may be tempted to drink to feel better, but alcohol can actually increase anxiety. When people find themselves in an unavoidable social situation such as an office event, many people try to avoid the symptoms of their social anxiety through negative coping strategies for example- drinking alcohol. And at first drinking might seem like a good idea to reduce anxiety, it makes it so much worse. Researches have shown that heavy drinking causes bad moods, increased anxiety etc. Besides medication, leading a healthy lifestyle helps in reducing social anxiety.

• Facing your fears

People who experience social anxiety try to avoid engaging in social situations by constantly checking their phones. People pretend to use their phone to get out of talking with someone at a social event. Our smartphones act like a tool that helps people escapes social situations. If you are hiding behind a smartphone you are simply avoiding the social situation. It may seem scary at first but it is better to face social anxiety than running away from it. Slowly and gradually you will get comfortable in facing social situations.

• Reframe your thoughts

Another coping strategy for social anxiety is to try and reframe the thoughts of the stress you are experiencing. You should think positive and face the situation. It is a proven fact that if a person understands how their body reacts to certain situations like public speaking, they experience less stress in uncomfortable social situations. When we feel stressed it just means that our body is preparing for a situation. You should counter your fear with positive and affirming thoughts.

• Do something nice for someone

A good way to take the edge off being in a social situation is to try and distract you from all the worries and negative thoughts by doing something nice for someone else.Kind deeds can have a positive impact on mood. When we do good things for someone else it activates a brain area linked with the motivation and reward cycle. Selfless acts could help people who have social anxiety feel more at ease in social situations.

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