7 minute read
Why Mental Health Matters
CEO of Responsible Futures, Sam Cande talks very candidly about mental health, she gives us some tips on how to help if we are struggling and asks us all to practice empathy and kindness.
This article has references to suicide which may be triggering. You can get help by going to: www.meandmymind.nhs.uk
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The last few years have been challenging for everyone. The way we work and live is different now, the war in Ukraine, the price of energy, food, and petrol rising. It is unsurprising that people are struggling. There is a mental health crisis going on and the world is not letting up.
We need to work hard on our own mental health and be aware of those around us. Keep everyone close, your family, friends, and work colleagues. Be empathetic and kind in every situation as you really don’t know what is going on in people’s lives.
At the end of February, my best friend took her life. I shared her story on LinkedIn which caused a huge reaction. I wasn’t expecting the two million views it got, yet I wasn’t surprised to see so many people that felt the same as Jenni did.
Jenni felt that the world was against her, she felt she wasn’t good enough, that she wasn’t accepted, that she was draining, that she wasn’t valued, she thought she didn’t deserve love, and that she was a burden. She wasn’t any of those things, and I, her family and friends told her every day just how much we loved her.
Jenni was the most beautiful, caring, kind, funny, capable, clever, driven, hard-working, passionate, adventurous woman I knew. She lit up a room when she walked into it. She was the life and soul of a party.
The day before Jenni took her life, she told me that she was okay, she was going to get back to the gym, back to her skipping and cold-water dipping, she was starting a new job, and had so much to live for, she has a loving and supportive family and so many friends who cared and loved her but still, she decided to end her unexplainable pain.
Since Jenni died, I’ve spoken to many people about mental health which has brought me to write this article today. I don’t have all the answers. I don’t think I will ever know why she couldn’t hold on a little bit longer for the clouds to pass and the sun to start shining again but I’ll do my best to try and find out and help others find their way.
So here are my tips to help your mental health. I hope it helps.
1. Have open conversations about mental health with those around you. These days the taboo on mental health is no longer there. If you are suffering, make sure you speak to your friends and family. Tell them you are struggling. If you find it hard to speak to them, call a helpline, there is lots of advice and support around. And there is always someone to listen.
2. Find a hobby. If you can find something that makes you smile, then you will have something to look forward to. It doesn’t have to cost. You can join local walking groups, or environmental groups or sign up to volunteer at your local food bank or see if the local council is looking for volunteers. You will be surprised at the effect meeting new people can have.
3. Get active. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain reducing your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body.
4. Meditate every day. Meditation can help rewire your brain. According to Psychology Today, meditation is the strongest mental practice to reset your happiness set point, which turns you into a happier person and rewires major areas in your brain. It can take just 10 minutes. There are hundreds of free guided meditations on the internet.
5. Stay away from negative people and social media. It is really easy to be dragged down by negative people and negative talk. Try to follow positive happy people. Some of my favourite podcasts are Jay Shetty – On Purpose and Fearne Cotton – The Happy Place. Unfollow people that trigger bad feelings. Surround yourself with good vibes.
6. Journal. Try to write every day. Set aside a few minutes every day to write. Make it easy by asking yourself three questions. What will make me happy today? What am I grateful for? What do I want to achieve today? Or just write whatever feels right. Your journal doesn’t need to follow any certain structure. Use your journal as you see fit. You don’t have to share your journal with anyone. By journaling, It allows for emotional catharsis and aids in the regulation of emotions in the brain. It gives you a better sense of selfassurance and self-identity. Journaling can aid in the handling of personal adversity and change, as well as highlighting essential life patterns and growth.
7. Eat a balanced and healthy diet. There is research to show for and against here so I will share my own experience. Whenever I eat a healthy balanced diet, I always feel so much better. Sugar makes me feel sluggish and when I feel bloated, I feel uncomfortable and low. When I’m eating a well-balanced diet, my clothes fit me better and I look better. My skin looks better too.
8. Drink less or no alcohol. Alcohol is a depressive, which means it affects your feelings, thoughts, and behaviour by disrupting the balance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in your brain. Because alcohol affects the region of your brain that governs inhibition, you may feel more relaxed, less worried, and more confident after a few drinks. However, these effects are short-lived. Regardless of your mood, chemical changes in your brain can quickly lead to more unpleasant feelings such as anger, melancholy, or anxiety. Alcohol also affects your brain’s ability to absorb information, making it more difficult to figure out what you’re truly feeling and the implications of your actions.
9. Be kind to yourself. Self-talk is so important. Researchers estimate that we think about 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts a day – and that about 80 percent of those thoughts are negative. That is a crazy amount of negative self-talk! Try to train your brain to think positively. There are lots of ways to do this. I find sometimes writing down the negative thoughts I have and crossing them out and switching to positive ones really helps.
10. Get a good night’s sleep. It allows our bodies to repair and our brains to consolidate our memories and process information. Poor sleep is linked to physical problems such as a weakened immune system and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. I find it helps to leave my phone in another room, read for 30 minutes before bed, and if I have exercised that day sleep comes quicker. I also highly recommend sleep meditations.
It just leaves me to say again be kind to those around you. You may not know what is going on in someone’s life, so think before you respond and always reach out to those closest to you. It may just save someone.
Sam Cande
Sam Cande, is CEO of Responsible Futures - providing Sustainability and Social Responsibility solutions. She is founder of Sustain Talks Podcast & Responsible Futures Webinars, and Level, a non-for-profit driving parity in the travel industry. She is a partner and assessor with CSR Accreditation and advisor to Eco-Friendly Web Alliance. www.responsiblefutures.info
