It's Mental Health Awareness Week!
We are all acutely more aware of our mental health nowadays, but it's helpful to shine a light on what mental health means to people, what good and bad mental health look like and look at ways to improve our mental health.
This year’s theme is ‘Movement: moving more for our mental health’ which will highlight how important movement is for our mental health. Unfortunately, many of us struggle to move enough for many different reasons but, Mental Health Awareness Week aims to help people find ‘moments for movement’ in their everyday routines. This can be as simple as going for a walk around your neighbourhood, or putting on music and dancing around your living room; anything that gets those endorphins going and lifts your mood. It is well-known that exercise can increase your energy, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost your self-esteem.
What does mental health mean?
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the normal stresses of life, learn and work well, fulfil their abilities, and contribute to society. It encompasses emotional, psychological and social well-being and influences one’s cognition, perception, decision-making and ultimately behaviour.
In 2019, about 970 million people worldwide were reported to be suffering from a mental disorder, with the most common being anxiety and depression. This equates to about 1 in 8 people, including about 14% of the world’s adolescent population. The number of people suffering from mental disorders has risen significantly throughout the years; in fact, depression and anxiety were said to have gone up 25% during the first year of the pandemic. Mental disorders are defined by the WHO as ‘health conditions that affect and alter cognitive functioning, emotional responses, and interactions/behaviour.’
