Mental Health Month is held each year in October and today marks International Mental Health Day.
These days serve as reminders to encourage all of us to think about our mental health and well-being, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. It also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives and encourages us to seek help and support when needed.
Learn more about the big picture of mental health below.
How can mental health impact your daily life?
Mental ill health can impact many aspects of daily living. This is because mental health and physical health are fundamentally linked. People living with a mental illness experience a higher rate of chronic physical conditions such as hormonal imbalances, sleep disturbances, and weight loss or weight gain and conversely people living with a chronic physical condition experience higher rates of mental ill health such as depression and anxiety.
Mental ill health significantly impacts a person’s quality of life which leads to longer illness duration and worse health outcomes. Symptoms of mental ill health increase a person’s vulnerability and ability to participate in functional tasks such as:
- Impaired ability to take care of oneself and their environment for example personal hygiene or cleaning the home
- Schedule and attend appointments
- Remembering to take prescribed medications
- Eating healthy regular meals
- Practice sleep hygiene
- Build and maintain healthy relationships
- Decrease community access
- Emotion dysregulation
- Sensory processing problems
- Impaired impulse control
- Inability to problem solve
Unfortunately, it is often more difficult for a person with mental ill health to seek and receive appropriate assistance than someone with a physical condition. This is because mental ill health is not as easily visible and it can require specialist skills to identify the causal links between functional need and illness/ disability which is needed to justify funding for support services and assistance.
How can s psychologist help?
Psychology can be defined as the study and understanding of brain functions, mental processes and how it affects behaviour. It is a multifaceted discipline that includes subfields that impact these processes such as developmental, social, environmental, and health.
Psychologists have a range of specialised assessment tools and evidence-based interventions to support you in building positive changes in the way you navigate through the world, and it’s challenges
As a human, you will engage in many typical behaviours daily, most of which are done without too much conscious thought. Before we understand the ‘why’ people participate in a particular behaviour, psychology investigates the various factors that influence the development and ongoing function of a behaviour.
Psychologists use evidence-based techniques to support their clients in developing a person’s insight into some of a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and develop a person’s own unique qualities that empower them to navigate through challenging situations and assist a person in thriving and achieving their goals.
For more information on understanding mental health, be sure to speak with a qualified psychologist, or you can phone the friendly team at Recovery Station to schedule an appointment on 1300 588 851.
Until next time,
Side Note: Please note that the information given above is general in nature; please consult your physician or therapist if you have any particular questions.