Welfare Wednesday: General Wellbeing

I think that lockdown has caused a lot of difficulties in regards to mental health, and despite social distancing and lockdown measures being reduced, people are still struggling with concerns and new measures of normality in place.

It's never been more important to talk about well-being and looking after yourself. Some simple facts, which are also from the Zero Suicide Alliance training I did recently:

  • Over 1 million antidepressant prescriptions are issued each week. 
  • 1 in 4 adults experience mental health problem in each year. 
  • 34% of females and 19% of males who are students report mental health problems. 
  • 90% of people who experience mental health problems feel stigmatised and discriminated against; this includes being made to feel isolated, ashamed, misunderstood and criticised.
  • 1 in 3 GP appointments are due to mental health problems.

Today, I wanted to touch upon some important areas to ensure you're looking after yourself, as well as others, and some easy steps to do that.

First of all, connection. The world has defintely changed since Covid-19 and social relationships have been fundamentally impacted. However, these are critical to promote well-being and act as as a buffer against poor mental health. We are so lucky to live in a world where technology is at the forefront so we have many ways to connect to each other, so whilst it's not the same, the options are there and available for many.
Be active! Regular physical activity has lower rates of depression and anxiety and it is also essential for preventing cognitive decline. That leads nicely to education, which is again, very important and continue to learn consistently for self-growth and positivity.

Mindfulness has increased as a part of self-awareness and time for self-exploration. It's important to remind yourself of your strengths and weakness to reaffirm priorities. I've loved having the opportunity to reset and take a moment to reassess what's important.

Finally, we need to remember to be kind and considerate. Give, donate and volunteer. Help others which will in turn improve your own happiness. Everyone deserves to be treated with kindess and respect. This year has stressed it even more than normal, with both Caroline Flack and with it being the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week.

Simply put, look after yourself, look after others and be kind.

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