Above is only a fraction of the statistics in regards to mental health. In fact, you can see it focuses primarily on the young. You can find tons of information if you go by gender, sexual orientation, age, race, religion, and many other categories. It seems every group has their own struggle with mental health, which makes it a fairly human situation.
I find myself thinking about mental health a lot, but I’ve seen therapists on and off since I was a teenager. Always felt it was good to have a professional to talk to when my life was feeling too heavy. Of course, having anxiety and maybe a little depression doesn’t make things easier. Seeing other people suffer from a variety of mental illnesses strengthens my resolve to get help too. Our minds are simply fragile and can get damage without us even realizing it.
Unfortunately, I also think we live in a society that pushes us to ignore our own suffering until it creates physical symptoms. Depression is passed off as sadness and anxiety is thought to simply be general nervousness. We downplay our situations in order to carry on with the neck-breaking speed of existence. I’ve had many people say that they can deal with their mental health once they retire. Psyches don’t work that way and it shows how we forget that our minds can be scarred. For example, constantly being exposed to negativity can cause a person’s mental pathways to be attuned to such environments. To them, it’s a challenge to be positive or even recognize such a thing. Negativity becomes their norm and it takes a lot of effort to get out of that mindset.
Let’s get to some questions:
- What do you do to improve your mental health?
- Do you think the society you live in supports or hinders positive mental health?
- How easy do you think it is to maintain and/or repair mental health?
Legends of Windemere 
I write for my own sanity. Characters seem to find way to overcome obstacles that are bigger than those I face. I think the society I live in hinders mental health. We are pushed to hit goals that matter to someone else with no consideration of our thoughts or ideas. Maintaining mental health is not easy. I believer it can be repaired when given time to actually deal with it. I am one of those who will deal with it when I retire.
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Good points on pushed to reach the goals of other people. Does seem like those who have nobody dictating their priorities have better mental health than those below them.
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Repairing mental damage is definitely a difficult task. I’d say it’s hindered a lot by the lack of patience by society, which you mention.
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I find both reading and writing helps to put things in perspective.
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Both can be relaxing.
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I should add that I may be more aware than some because, out of four siblings, I am the only one not to be hospitalized with major depression or bipolar. I count myself lucky, believe me!
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Interesting because I don’t notice a push to self-care anymore. There’s the suggestion to do it, but no actual help in making it possible. The attempt to self-care is seen as laziness and one being free to do things.
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That’s what I mean about it being in a shallow way. Different places are different. I regularly get reminders for self care from both my school district or my union.
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