This is not some cheesy, childish musical performance. The topics are addressed meaningfully and sensitively, with an injection of comedy, an original catchy pop/rock score, and hard-hitting messages for the students to take away.
One of the topics we cover is how “Everybody Has Mental Health”.
What Are Mental Health Problems?
Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing
Everyone has mental health, and we need to take care of it in many ways similar to how we care for our physical health.
Being typically capable of thinking, feeling, and acting in the ways that you need and desire to live your life is a sign of good mental health. However, if you have a period of poor mental health, you can discover that it's difficult or even impossible to deal with the thoughts, feelings, or reactions you have on a regular basis. This can feel just as bad as a physical illness, or even worse.
There is no health without mental health, as the World Health Organization is known to proclaim. Not everyone will develop a mental illness over the course of their lifetime, but everyone will have periods of difficulty with their mental well-being (also known as their mental health), just as we all experience periods of difficulty with our physical well-being.
When we discuss our mental health, we are referring to our emotions, thoughts, and feelings as well as our capacity to problem-solve and conquer challenges, our social relationships, and our comprehension of the environment.
Am I The Only One Who Feels This Way?
Mental Health Problem Is Far More Common Than We Knew
Numerous biological, psychological, social, and environmental elements that interact intricately all have an impact on mental health. These consist of:
- Structural elements include secure housing, employment, education, the absence of violence and prejudice, and access to financial resources
- Community elements include a strong feeling of community, linkages to the neighbourhood, events that celebrate and value diversity, social support, and social engagement
- An individual's capacity to control their thoughts, deal with stress, and interact with others is influenced by a variety of personal characteristics.
Being affected by a mental health issue is frequently distressing, perplexing, and frightening - especially at first. The unfavourable (and frequently irrational) representation of people with mental health issues in the media, on television, in movies, and in other forms of popular culture frequently feed these anxieties. This can prevent you from seeking assistance or discussing your difficulties. As a result, your distress and sense of loneliness are likely to worsen.
However, in reality, mental health problems are a common human experience. Most people know someone who has experienced a mental health problem. They can happen to all kinds of people from all walks of life. And it's likely that, when you find a combination of self-care, treatment and support that works for you, you will get better.
Everybody Has A Role To Play As Everybody's Mental Health Matters
This entails collaborating with our partners—the media, institutions of higher learning, workplaces, families, and communities—to address risk factors, promote resilience and wellbeing, and build a world in which people want to live and thrive. It also entails establishing a culture free from stigma and prejudice against people who have mental illnesses.
The truth is, that everyone has mental health, just as everyone has physical health. There are times when we have good physical health and have no reason to worry as we go about our regular lives. Considering this, why can't we discuss mental health the same way we would a broken bone, a physical ailment, or another condition that affects the majority of our body?
The key message to everyone, and especially those more likely to keep things to themselves, is to acknowledge that you have mental health and that, at times, it will be better and at times it will be worse. To feel that your mental health requires attention and that getting some support with it would be helpful is not a sign of weakness. Encourage your friends and family to discuss their mental health status in the same way we would our physical health by trying to start a conversation about it.
Tips For Mental Health And Wellbeing
How frequently do we stop to consider whether we are providing for our needs in order to thrive and live well?
It might be quite simple for us to ignore our mental health, place other priorities before it, or postpone taking care of it until the following week. It may also appear to be overly vast and difficult. Yet it isn't. Some activities are accessible to everyone. Here are some recommendations to get you going:
Get enough sleep and rest. Although sleep is important for both our physical and emotional wellbeing, it is often the first thing we forgo when we are busy or under stress.
Make time for your favourite activities. Maintaining balance in life is crucial, therefore making time for enjoyable activities can have an impact on your thoughts and feelings.
Be active and eat well. Our physical and mental health is closely linked, so adding exercise and nutritious food every day can make us feel better.
Connect with people and nurture your relationships. Our relationships with other people are what sustain and strengthen us.
Master stress management. Yoga, meditation, or writing down your feelings can be useful if you have difficulties unwinding or controlling your thoughts.
Participate and join in. A sense of belonging is fostered by participating in a group with shared interests, so look into local sporting, musical, volunteer, or community groups
Boost your self-assurance. Learning strengthens your mental health, and taking on a new task can increase confidence and make you feel accomplished.
Be at ease with your own skin. Everyone's individuality deserves to be cherished. Understand who you are and what brings you joy.
Set realistic goals and deal with tasks one at a time. It is good to be specific when you set a goal to help keep you on track
Reach out for help. Everyone needs support from time to time. Talking to a family member, a friend, your doctor or one of the many services available can make all the difference.
Health is just as important as Physical Health, but we don’t treat them the same way. The first dominant message we bring to the kids is to remove any expectation that Mental Health is only about mental illnesses. The importance of taking care of your individual mental health, and the impact that different stresses can have upon all of our fluctuating mental states are something everybody needs to take as seriously as their
physical health.
