Hey Chook Are You Ok?
Introduction:
Your mental health is crucial to your well-being and the way in which your welfare determines how you operate emotionally and psychologically among your crew – at work and at home. It is fundamentally your ability to hold it together and en”joy” life.
How Did You Get Here?
Mental health is described in its core sense as the ability to cope with the daily stressors of life and in turn allows for productivity and your contribution to society in a meaningful manner. This ability is often formed or disrupted by four key factors including your childhood, your physical environment, your biology and your lifestyle. These four pillars increase or decrease your risk of exposure to mental health and certain disorders.
Childhood / Upbringing
Components such as attachment style, being exposed to violence, emotional or physical abuse, the way in which you are spoken to and your responsibilities as a child can lead to disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, personality disorders and lead to medical issues such as heart disease, diabetes and addiction.
The Environment
Your physical environment has a large affect on your mental stability. Your exposure to weather (sensory – light, temperature, sound), people (communication, crime, trust, relationships, culture and values), pollution and aesthetics (clutter) all impact your ability to cope on a daily basis. The work environment is paramount as well – are you truly valued? bullied? Micromanaged? Or stressed?
That is why it is important to find your tribe and create a space whether at work or home that is alluring and comforting to you. They need to be a safe and appealing space.
Lifestyle
Your life style has a great impact on your homeostasis and this includes what you consume, addiction, exercise and the way you choose to live your life. You can only imagine that sitting on a couch watching hours of Netflix while scrolling through social media can have a
Biology
Your genetic makeup often determines your well-being. Many disorders are genetically passed down including bipolar, schizophrenia, ADHD, autism, depression and much more.
Mental Health Signals
Mental health in many cases in super obvious however in many cases it is not such a beacon of alarming light. They can start to present as:
Moodiness – shortness of fuse
Exhaustion
Isolation
Changing eating habits – overeating / not eating
Substance abuse
Inability to stay in control of daily life
Why Is Mental Health Important?
Sometimes I feel the term mental health is being thrown around in every corner of life at the moment. I was always a little frustrated with the “Are You Ok” campaign as there was never a follow up if you were not. However, it brings awareness to the key factor that without mental stability we have very little peace, calm or productivity. With stable mental health comes:
Increased resilience when dealing with relationships, financial stress, work stress and approaching – avoiding maladaptive coping mechanisms
Productivity – with good mental health comes efficiency and a higher quality of work.
Positive self-imagery which in turn brings with it courage, motivation and commitment
Increased quality of life – integration into the community which improves your relationships
Maintaining Mental Health
To do this you need to really examine your self-care. Avoiding this can lead to severe health implications and a place of implosion. You need to (not should but need to) include:
Regular exercise
Prioritise sleep
Developing new coping skills – mediation / breathwork
Nutrition and in particular gut health
Connection – with friends, family, colleagues
Hydration – more than you think!
Work on developing areas that inject joy into your life – walking the dog, sitting in the sunshine, meeting a friend for a piece of chocolate cake, watching a comedy, cooking a hearty dinner with your children and and and. It’s the small things.
So why is mental health so important? Well basically it profoundly affects every area of your life. If you're finding it difficult to address mental health concerns alone try talk therapy through a like minded group or a specialist therapist. The stigma we have to deal with daily can be damming. Stay in your lane be honest and open with communication.
Mental health stability is not a sign of weakness. It is a conditioned or chemical imbalance. Own it, seek help if needed and pull it apart looking at each component of your safety, environment, stressors and your toolbox for dealing with each of them. Take time out to remove the things in your life that are simple distractors to focus on you and the importance of building your daily joy.
For further information you can head to:
The 30 Top Mental Health Organisations in Australia (australiacounselling.com.au)
100 Best Mental Health Blogs To Read in 2024 (feedspot.com)
Help for Mental Illnesses - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov)
