Mental Health Month

ON THE VERGE OF “CHANGING THE WAY WE SEE MENTAL HEALTH” October 2021

DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED TO UNFOLD, ALMOST HALF OF THE PORTUGUESE POPULATION FELT PSYCHOLOGICALLY AFFLICTED? In fact, this is one of the conclusions of a study accomplished by the Portuguese Institute of Clinical and Forensic Psychology, in close collaboration with other entities, regarding mental health – a relevant part of our emotional wellbeing, too often played down.

NORMALIZING MENTAL HEALTH has become a significant issue thanks to the experiences we all went through last year’s global public health crisis and the resulting inevitable changes that still don’t feel quite “normal”. Social isolation, chronic loneliness, fear of the unknown, snowballing anxiety, boredom, being kept away from whom we love, wearing a mask every day…

In a word - exhaustion!

Too often, people feel afraid to admit that they are struggling. The fear of stigma, prejudice, and judgment stops them from getting help. But, at Critical TechWorks, mental health is taken very seriously.

We cannot switch off our brains or feel good all the time and pretend nothing happened; yet we can talk about it and find ways to cope as a group.

AS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY IS CELEBRATED ON OCTOBER 10TH, WE WILL DEDICATE THE ENTIRE MONTH TO THIS VITAL TOPIC. As Sara Pereira, our Queen of Hearts, described: “We want to create awareness on this issue and deconstruct it, talk about it, really make people realize that it’s normal not to feel like a «well of happiness» every day.”

Physical activities, workshops and several talks on Psychological First Aid, Peer Support, among other themes, are merely some of the activities we’re promoting throughout this month.

Physiotherapy, Mindfulness, Meditation, Nutrition and Health Coaching are a few of the tools available to our teams all year round.

“Mental health needs to be openly talked about. Let’s evolve this idea of self-care and, of course, empathy and kindness towards ourselves and others.”

Wise words, Queen of Hearts.