it really means

MindsetYourTaking care of your mental health What is Mental Health?

Simply put, it is the state of your mind, feelings and emotions which allows you to enjoy and cope with day-to-day life. Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to contribute to his or her community. Mental health helps determine the way we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Its deterioration can be more difficult to identify as there are less obvious physical signs such as a visually observable wound.

Some common changes are:

Sleep pattern Struggling to fall asleep, and/or waking up during the night. Eating patterns Loss of appetite or binge eating. Thought processes Experiencing excessive worry, paranoia, or racing thoughts. Mood Feeling prolonged sadness, irritability, over-whelmed, hopelessness.

Low motivation Feeling tired or fatigued. Body tension Muscle pain or increased heart rate.

Behaviour Withdrawing from others and/or participating in risky behaviours. Unhealthy coping strategies Increase in drug or alcohol consumption and excessive screen time.

Low self-esteem Lack of confidence and motivation, interest, and enjoyment in things. Concentration May have difficulty focusing on tasks.

Information taken from the World Health Organisation and mentalhealth.gov

What to L K OUT FOR

What are the signs we need to be aware of that indicate our mental health is at risk and what could happen if these signs go unchecked.

Our mental and physical health are interconnected. When one is left unchecked, it significantly increases the risk in developing problems in the other. It’s important to note that everyone can have different symptoms (physical and emotional) depending on their situation and that help is there if you need it. Hygiene is lacking, not taking showers as often, not putting as much pride and effort into your appearance.

Feeling scared a lot of the time without really knowing why. Poor hygiene is a sign of self-neglect and could lead to severe depression.

Not enjoying activities that used to be enjoyable.

Could lead to depression and other mental health concerns.

Slowly withdrawing and isolating ourselves from friends and family.

Could lead to a loss of friends and social connection which in turn, could lead to depression. Could lead to anxiety and other mental health concerns. Feeling tired for no reason, all the time.

Eating a lot more or less than usual. This is especially of concern when it is due to how we feel eg. incredibly nervous or incredibly stressed. Could lead to poor decision-making and an inability to complete important daily activities.

Unhealthy eating habits can lead to fatigue and poor decision-making which in turn can lead to anxiety and depression.

Feeling overly emotional or feeling limited emotions. Having problems sleeping, whether too much, too little, experiencing insomnia or waking up in the middle of the night unable to fall back to sleep.

May be a sign of anxiety or depression and if left unchecked, may slow or halt recovery.

Could lead to drastic mood swings and unpredictable behaviour.

Having problems concentrating.

Could lead to a steep decline in important activities such as studying or fulfilling job responsibilities, followed by failing exams/courses and being let go from a job. Having a persistent low mood, feeling burnt out, overly agitated and lack of motivation.

Can impact other aspects of your life such as physical health, personal relationships, work and self-esteem. MindsetYourTaking care of your mental health

Habits of a lot of people changed during the pandemic. Some adjusted reasonably well, though others could not. Let’s look at some examples of these changes. MindsetYourTaking care of your mental health

Prior to the pandemic, some people had not experienced mental health concerns, however, due to the restrictions, a lot of people faced unemployment, were isolated from their loved ones, lost their loved ones and were unable to be with them due to the risk of contracting the virus. All this impacted daily life and most people found they were lacking a routine, they were not motivated to even get up, did not have the energy to do small tasks, were always breaking down but were unable to understand why, some have also been experiencing anxiety and depression. During the pandemic, there has been an increase of individuals who are not coping with the lack of social interaction due to the restrictions. As humans, it’s essential that we keep social and get out and about in the community. This is extremely hard when everyone is trying to keep others and themselves safe from COVID. Since the restrictions, there are individuals who still feel unsafe going out in the community and others who have gone straight back to their usual routine. It’s important to keep your networks close whether that be over a phone or video call, whether that’s connecting with friends or family.

Stories of adaptation

Some people have faced tough challenges, such as small business owners who were not considered essential workers. They have had to shut their shops for an indefinite time, while still required to pay rent with having no income stream. Some of the people I know personally have turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms to be able to handle the stress of their situations.

However, others I know have used that time to spend with their families and concentrate on themselves.

A lot of my friends and acquaintances have developed a mental illness, most common being GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) and situational depression. This may not have stemmed purely due to the pandemic, but their symptoms were heightened enough to the stage where they were diagnosed. Some people around me have adopted some unhealthy habits such as procrastinating and withdrawing from social situations. How this looks might differ from person to person however, I have noticed that people became used to staying at home and socialising using online mediums rather than face to face interactions.

It can be hard to maintain a good work/life balance if you are working from home. I have heard stories of people working later and later into the evening as they no longer need to leave the office. Thanks to the evolution of technology, not much has changed for some people I know. They are functioning quite well, especially if they preferred relaxing in their home. They are on their phones talking to friends and family and doing a lot of online shopping! Some people have been feeling the negative effects of lockdown. Due to lockdown, their routines have had to shift drastically, and some people had a very difficult time adjusting. They couldn’t do a lot of the things they used to do, such as getting up at their regular time to get ready for work or drive their children to school. Instead of keeping as much of their routine the same, they slept in a lot more and felt bored sitting at home with nothing to do.

and some,not so much

Some people’s coping strategies have not been accessible during the pandemic, such unable to go to the gym due to closures or not being able to visit family and friends which has caused their stress levels to increase.

We have all been adjusting to lockdowns and diminished face to face social contact. For some, this has created frustration due to lack of social interaction or it has increased anxiety during social situations. For others, this has been a key time for self-growth, for re-evaluating themselves, setting up new goals and readjusting their lives. These are two sides of the same coin – It’s all a matter of mindset.

How one woman made working from home work for her!

Susan knew she needed routine and structure to get her through the day. See what changes she made to allow that to happen.

9 Made an office space, on the dining room table (working in a different room from her bedroom).

9 Designed a work calendar structure (diary) as though she was in the office.

9 Having a lunch break and eating lunch in the backyard. 9 Replacing snacks for herbal tea or fresh lime in soda water. 9 Challenged some of her unhelpful thoughts of others perception of their workload and capacity. 9 Turned the computer off at the end of the workday. 9 Incorporated self-care activities, walking every afternoon when the workday had completed as a transition to home activity.

MindsetYourTaking care of your mental health

Our clinicians’ TOP 10 practical tips for staying mentally fit in challenging times.

1 Try to get between 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.

2 Enjoy a balanced diet.

3 Drink plenty of water.

4 Get your body moving, even if it is just a daily walk

5 Having a set routine with achievable tasks

6 Self-care whatever that may mean for you. (Meditation, relaxation techniques, Journal, watch your favourite movie or read a favourite book).

7 Stay social with friends and family via technology.

8 Maintain work/home boundaries and have set breaks. If you are working from home, it is important to maintain those boundaries to avoid burnout.

9 Reduce Drug and Alcohol intake.

10 Ask for help either from a mental health professional, friends, or family.

These tips were provided by Seven Hills Head to Health mental health clinicians. Head to Health is a new, free service for anyone experiencing mental health distress. If you are concerned about your mental health call Head to Health on 1800 595 212 for your local service. No referral is needed and there is no wait list. You can also visit your GP for a mental health plan.

Who can I contact if I feel unsafe?

000 if safety cannot be guaranteed. Family member or relative you trust that can come over if necessary. Friends that you trust and know about your mental health concerns. Call them as a distraction from your thoughts, or just someone to talk to.

Professional hotlines:

24/7 crisis lines. You can call these crisis lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Emergency - 000

Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 - Open 24/7

Beyond Blue chat online Open 3pm to midnight, 7 days a week

Beyond Blue - Email support www.beyondblue.org.au/support-service/Email

Lifeline - 131 114

Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800

Mental Health Line - 1800 011 511

Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467