We talk a lot about having a holistic approach to looking after your body, and believe in addressing every aspect of your health. From exercise, posture, general health and well-being to nutrition there are many factors we promote. The part of your body we all tend to forget about (and REALLY shouldn’t) is our emotional well-being and mental health.
Your mental health and mind affects every other part of your body, and is arguably the most important thing for us to continually look after. But for many of us, we overlook it or don’t put as much effort into it as we do our physical body.
This month we’re talking about mental health; we’re encouraging talking about it openly, in public and with people we care about. Our neighbours at Rough Patch Affordable Counselling in Leichhardt are the experts on the topic and have given us some of their top tips to consider.
1. Acknowledging your mental wellness challenges
Mental health is sadly a taboo topic for a lot of Australians. There are a number of factors that can negatively affect your mental health, including:
alcohol or drug use
how you think, such as having constant negative thoughts and low self-esteem
biological factors, such as genetics, hormones and chemistry
social factors, such as financial stress, family or relationship issues, or feeling isolated
2. Going for a walk or exercising won’t cure your mental health concerns
While there are proven benefits to exercising and the impact it has on your mental health, it’s not a cure. It also doesn’t work for everyone, despite what you may have read. There are many ways to support and maintain good mental health which can be tailored to you by a qualified counsellor or therapist.
Aside from that, here’s some things shown to help.
Building community, and spending time with people who support and care about you
Self care, including rest, relaxation, special interests and things that bring you joy
Asking for help when you need it, whether from your community or a professional
3. Remember everybody goes through rough patches sometimes
It’s incredibly easy to feel isolated, alone or even that you’re a burden when you’re suffering from mental distress. Everyone experiences rough patches in their life. Things like anxiety, sadness, worry, anger and pain are a normal part of being human. These things are normal, and yet there’s still so much stigma about the idea of talking to someone who can help us understand them better, so we can feel better.
Research tells us that when we get support and understanding to help us through a rough patch, we tend to feel better more quickly than people who don’t. We also know that counselling and support leads to better overall health outcomes, including physical health.
Talking to a counsellor and learning about mental health can help us all feel and be better, even if we don’t identify as having mental health issues. Counselling helps us learn about ourselves, improve our relationships, improve our coping skills, and reach our full potential. Rough Patch is here because everyone goes through a rough patch sometimes, and that’s totally normal.
If you or somebody you care about is looking for mental health support, Rough Patch offers counselling, referrals, and other support in Sydney’s Inner West. Get in touch with them here.
Comments