Mental Health Issues: What’s Stopping You from Seeking Help?

No matter who you are, everyone needs a little help sometimes. That’s why free and confidential mental health care is easily available for anyone, but still you can be reluctant to take it. Shying away from seeking care can be really detrimental to your wellbeing, as treatment can prevent your condition from getting worse. If left untreated, mental health problems can cause trouble at work, in your relationship and even lead to drug abuse or suicide. So, what’s stopping you from getting the help you need?

 

Outlook: A 2007 study, entitled “Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Service Utilization in the United States, Ontario and the Netherlands,” found that barriers in attitude were the most common reason why Americans don’t seek mental healthcare. The researchers found that many Americans wrongly believe their mental wellness will sort itself out on its own, and that professional psychiatry does not work.

 

Social factors: According to a report by former Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, PhD, race, age, culture and gender discrimination are major causes for obstructions in seeking mental care.

 

Lack of Self-Perception: If someone you care about has a mental illness, he or she may be unaware of the fact that anything is wrong. Your loved one may assume that those erratic actions, behaviours and emotions are normal, which means he or she won’t be able to entertain any thoughts of seeking medical help for the problems. You and your collective loved ones may need to intervene here, as there’s no way for the patient to find a solution until he or she first acknowledges that there’s a problem.

 

Lack of Access: You may find it difficult accessing mental healthcare facilities if you live in a rural environment or village, which is even more worrying considering the fact that seclusion is very damaging to mental wellness. You may also be unable to access facilities if you don’t have adequate transport or if you have certain responsibilities at home.

 

Social Stigma: No one wants to be seen as crazy, and so a lot of people – and teenagers in particular – don’t talk about mental health problems, or seek the treatment they need.

Categories: health, health problems, mental, Mental Health, Mental Healthcare, Mental Wellness, nbsp, nbsp lack, nbsp social, self perception, social stigma

How to Improve Your Mental Wellness in Four Fun Steps

You may give a lot of attention to your physical wellness, but what about your mind? Sure, a healthy body is important for preventing health conditions, weight gain and premature ageing, but so is a healthy mind! So, how can you improve your mental wellness?

 

• Take things one step at a time.

When you’re stressed out, you may start trying to do too many things at once, as multitasking seems a more efficient way to solve multiple problems. However, multitasking tends to create more problems than it solves, as focusing on one task at a time helps you to see the bigger picture, concentrate and actually be more productive.

 

• Be a Positive Influence…on Yourself

It’s common sense that saying nice things about yourself will help you to believe those things and, in turn, feel better, but there’s science to back this up; affirmation strengthens your neural pathways, which improves your self-confidence, wellbeing, and satisfaction. Why not make a list of your good qualities, and keep it tucked in your bag so you can read it when you feel low? At the top of the list, in big, bold letters, write “You don’t have to be perfect.” If there are things about yourself you truly don’t like, don’t wallow in it; be constructive. Set small goals for things you’re going to work on, and reward yourself when you get it right.

 

• Change things up

There’s nothing like a new experience to set you on the path to mental fitness. According to the Franklin Institute, breaking out of your routine can help keep your brain young and healthy, as it helps you to see the world in a new way and strengthen your neural pathways. So, find a new place to explore, a new way of doing an old task or even a new restaurant to try.

 

• Find a fun, nerdy hobby

Doing fun things that also use logic, reasoning or trivia is a great way build up your brain muscle. Try crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or even pub quizzes if you want something a little more social. Reading is an excellent hobby for your brain, as every word you read (including these ones) forces your brain to process and recall meanings instantly. Plus, reading engages your imagination, encouraging you to picture the scene or hear what the voices sound like (If you don’t believe me, read a Morgan Freeman quote, or any line from Forrest Gump).

Categories: Brain, Fun, Healthy, Mental Wellness, nbsp, neural pathways, positive, read, Wellness

How Does Quitting Drinking Affect Your Body?

Drinking has become such a regular part of a modern lifestyle that we don’t think to question exactly how much we really drink each week. Many people drink regularly, albeit not necessarily a lot, and have done since they were legally allowed to do so – but how does this affect your body? If you’ve gone years without really ever stopping drinking, chances are you’ll find it more difficult than you think. If you’ve been feeling under the weather for a while, or can’t seem to feel like yourself no matter how many diets or health kicks you go on, it could be that the alcohol is to blame.

Those evening glasses of wine or a beer to end the working week each Friday night soon add up, and if you were to stop yourself from having them you would almost certainly notice the difference. Alcohol not only affects your mental ability, but it can also lead to sleep deprivation and weight gain. Beer, mixers and cocktails are all loaded with sugar and calories, so your waistline will thank you for cutting back, as will your liver. Alcohol is also a stimulant, which is why you’ll find your sleep is more disrupted when you’ve been drinking more. Sleep is important for a healthy lifestyle and for your body to function efficiently, so cutting back on the alcohol can make you feel more energised and improve your wellbeing.

The social element of drinking is part of the reason why a lot of people drink more than they possibly would normally – when you quit, even for a short time, people notice and question why you’re not joining in. This peer pressure element of the drinking culture is partly to blame for many people’s drinking habits, but don’t feel pressured into drinking just because it’s questioned when you don’t. Giving your body chance to repair and recuperate for a while is not a bad thing, even if it’s just for a week.

Categories: Drinking, emotions, Mental Wellness

5 Alternative Therapies that Promote Positive Mental Health

Emotional and mental wellness doesn’t always have to come from a pill bottle or hours on the psychiatrist’s couch. Alternative therapy that promotes positive mental wellbeing is often considered to be a good way to treat certain mental health conditions and problems.

Here are 5 alternative therapies for good mental wellness.

Hypnotherapy: A form of psychotherapy that uses hypnosis to induce a state of deep relaxation, hypnotherapy promotes change in a patient by suggesting new ideas and intentions while the patient is in a hypnotic state. The suggestions become embedded in the psyche of the patient who can then alter their behaviour unconsciously, prompted by the therapist’s hints and suggestions during hypnosis.

Light therapy: This technique exposes an individual, often suffering from a condition such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), to intense levels of light. The light exposure can be done at any time, allowing the patient to function normally during treatment. Light therapy is also used to treat conditions such as depression, sleep disorders and bipolar.

Art therapy: A form of psychotherapy, art therapy uses art as a way of effecting change and growth in a patient by encouraging them to use “visual” language to express their feelings. This form of creative therapy is often used to treat individuals who have suffered trauma, those who have anxiety disorders or suffer from low self-esteem.

Music therapy: Music is used to treat patients who have difficulty with communicating. Qualified therapists encourage individuals to make music, write lyrics or simply listen to music to lower stress, alleviate pain, reduce anxiety and express hidden emotions among many other benefits.

Dance movement therapy: This form of therapy is based on the principle that movement can reflect how a patient is thinking or feeling. Individuals are encouraged to express their emotions and feelings through movement and dance, linking their emotional and physical experiences to create positive changes.

Categories: alternative therapy, Mental Wellness, treatment

Putting Youth Back into the Golden Age

When you enter the golden years of life, you are often reminded of the downsides ricocheting its way into bones, muscles and metabolism, with the additional rounds of those around you prompted to treating you like a toddler. At the back of your mind, you may be thinking that it’s all that you have to look forward to, apart from sitting and resting for a good portion of your day – but the age-old stereotype is last-season for a reason – and it’s time to put that youth back into your lifestyle.

You don’t have to submit yourself to the problems of age. In fact, by being positive and active, you are in fact benefiting yourself, rather than wearing yourself out, with a couple of check-ups here and there.

Tiny tweaks in lifestyle are usually all that you need.

The first is your diet. Usually as you grow older, you normally don’t feel the need to eat a big meal. As your metabolism hits a low point, so too does your desire to eat food. This isn’t to say that you should stuff your face full, but plan at least four to five small meals to be eaten throughout the day. Having a low-fat diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and lean meats will help nourish the body, while adding in whole grains and fibre-rich foods to keep your body ticking away properly.

The second is exercise. This isn’t to say that you have to hop onto a treadmill and work yourself into exhaustion. A 30 minute walk gets you the best exercise that you can manage, which in turn can help you improve your cardiovascular health, regulate diabetes, strengthen muscles and lower stress levels.

Thirdly, keep your mind active through hobbies, thinking games – whatever takes your fancy. Age should not be an obstacle in trying something new. Creating and reading are excellent ways to keep the grey matter ticking.

Whatever you try, it is better than sitting and waiting. You are not the frail person that you think that you might be. You are still you, through and through.

After all, no matter what your age is, we were all young once.

Putting Youth Back into the Golden Age

Categories: anti-ageing, diet, exercise, Food, healthy ageing, hobbies, Mental Wellness

Corrupted Soils: How a Pesticide Caused Irreversible Pollution

Sad news reached Martinique as on the 15th April 2013, over 100 fishermen stood at Fort de France in a call for aid against a contamination of pesticides that have been said to have existed in water for over thirty years.

The pesticide known as chlordecone, a persistent organochlorine pesticide, is used to combat banana weevil that infests banana plants, making them impossible for human consumption. What it is also combating however, is the environment that the banana trees are growing in.

The chemical sank into the soil, polluting and wrecking havoc with the wildlife and local flora, before finding its way to the sea; where it has made drinking water unsafe.

Fish and other edible grubs have become inedible, rendering the lives of fishermen utterly redundant, following an extensive ban on fishing. For the 70 families that depend on fishing as a means of livelihood, the chemical pollution has made it an unhappy one.

Not only is this an environmental crisis, but it is also an economical one.

Unfortunately, this is not all. According to France’s Institute of Health and Medical Research Chlordecone has been found to increase the risks of prostate cancer, as well as induce problems such as infertility. Furthermore, the doctors examined 1,000 women and their children that were exposed to the chemical, only to discover that the 153 of their toddlers had psycho-motor impairment, reduced visual memory and a lack of visual interest in new things.

“The problem is perhaps not on the same scale as Fukushima,” says Dr. Luc Multigner, an epidemiologist at the institute, “but it is comparable in its complexity. It isn’t the sort of crisis you can contain and solve, then move onto the next thing. No, it’s going to last.”

The upsetting message that a pesticide has affected a substantial number of lives has arrived at what most consider, a belated time. Paris does not deny responsibility for Martinique’s astounding tragedy, with several ministries already contributing through paid research, food stocks, schemes and publications. The future, at least for the time being, is not very certain.

Categories: chemical, diet, Environmental Wellness, Food, Mental Wellness, Pesticides, pollution, pregnancy, prostate cancer

Vitamin D Improves Female Mental Wellness

According to research conducted by a team led by Cedric Annweiler, MD, PhD, at the Angers University Hospital in France, having a high amount of vitamin D in your diet can be vital for your cognitive wellbeing, even reducing your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

 

These findings were based on data from the Toulouse cohort of the Epidemiology of Osteoporosis study, in which 498 community-dwelling women participated. Researchers found that the women with a lower baseline vitamin D intake of 50.3 micrograms per week were those that had developed Alzheimer’s disease, whereas those who developed other, less threatening dementias had an average vitamin D intake of 63.6 micrograms per week. Those who had developed no dementia at all also had a higher vitamin D intake than those who had developed Alzheimer’s disease. Interestingly, however, at an average of 59.0 micrograms per week, this was not as high as the vitamin D intake of women who had developed other forms of dementia.

 

Another study, led by Yelena Slinin, MD, MS, at the VA Medical Centre in Minneapolis, found that low vitamin D levels particularly harm among older women, as this leads to a higher chance of global cognitive impairment and decline. Investigators analysed a larger sample than Annweiler’s study, investigating 6257 community-dwelling older women who had their vitamin D levels and cognitive function measured during the Study of Osteopathic Fractures and the Mini-Mental State Examination respectively. They found that older women with less than 20 nanograms of vitamin D per millilitre of blood serum were associated with a higher risk of incident global cognitive decline, which increased in danger for women with half of that amount of vitamin D.

 

This follows studies earlier this year which have demonstrated that mobility limitations and disability can also be caused by a vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, it’s paramount to your wellness to get enough vitamin D, either from diet, supplements, or sun exposure.

Vitamin D Improves Female Mental Wellness

Categories: Advice, Mental Wellness, Vitamin D