Your mental health is just as important as your physical health so you need to be mindful of it and look after yourself. The state of your mental health, which includes your thoughts and feelings, can positively or negatively affect your relationships, your attitudes and your ability to cope. Try asking yourself, ‘How am I feeling? What emotions am I experiencing and how are they affecting me?’
Think about what interests you, what you enjoy and what helps you to stay mentally healthy. Connecting with others – friends, family and co-workers – is very important. Other things that help people to stay mentally healthy include regular exercise, a healthy diet, good-quality sleep and regular participation in enjoyable activities. Being actively involved in your community or having a sense of purpose in your life such as working, studying or volunteering have all been shown to boost people’s feelings of wellbeing.
An important part of tuning in to the state of your wellbeing is being able to identify things that may either protect your mental health or put it at risk. For example, ongoing stress or conflict in relationships may result in depression or anxiety. Being aware of the risks, and common signs and symptoms can help you to take action. Take a look at The facts.
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