Mental Health Awareness Month

This is a featured post for mental health awareness month

Last week in the UK was mental health awareness week, whilst the whole of May in the USA is mental Health awareness month. Mental health can affect anyone at anytime. Mental health knows no bounds on race, religion, beliefs, gender or age. It can strike without warning and for the majority of long term sufferers we can become very good at hiding it.

Mental health can span across a wide variety of topics. Things such as stress, alcohol, relationships and sleep can all impact our mental health well being. The way we live and the way we interact as humans has changed, our children are now growing up in an 'instant' world with access to the entire world at their fingertips and this in turn presents its own mental health issues.

Teenagers can now access their favourite TV show, album or film instantly on a smart device. There is no longer the waiting a week before the next episode is played or having to sit with fingers eagerly poised over a record button to record your favourite song onto a tape from the radio. Enter into the job market and the expectation that the promotion should be instant is there, even if not consciously aware of it because everything else in life has been instant and therefore so should this. 

From an early age children in school are now introduced to ways in which they can communicate their mental health problems. This open communication from a young age are great positive steps to help overcome many of the social anxiety and pressure they feel later in life. It is a valuable life skill to learn and by introducing early on it should hopefully become a normal part of their life.

One in five people in the UK suffer with depression and this in turn has a big impact on the relationship with family and friends. According to research those in troubled relationships are three times more likely to suffer with depression, and this in turn can lead the person with depression to feel a burden or often guilty towards the other party. In these situations relationship advice or counselling are the most positive step forward.

There are many great charities and resources available today to help those who suffer with mental health issues. Let's help to change the stigma around mental health and encourage open communication, we never truly know what someone is going through.

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