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These days more people everywhere are aware of the importance of our mental wellbeing, and the impact poor mental health can have on us and the people around us. But we can always do more to improve. Here’s everything you need to know
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t is only a hundred years or so since we stopped putting anyone who thought or acted in ways that deviated from social norms in an institution. Fortunately, society has come a long way since those days: we’ve started to accept that mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are common, treatable conditions, and that no one should be ashamed to admit to having these problems or undergoing therapy. This is as it should be. The human brain is an incredibly complex beast, prone to chemical, hormonal and other outside influences, but people have found it difficult to discuss their dark thoughts in the past, in part because of a fear of negative reactions from others. It has taken us a long time to get to this stage, and we should do all we can to ensure mental health is no longer a taboo topic that comes with shame and stigma. Here is the Shire guide to good mental health and what you can do to maintain it.
DID YOU KNOW? One in four people experiences mental health issues each year. At any given time, one in six working-age adults has symptoms associated with mental ill health
‘The human brain is an incredibly complex beast’ PUBLIC PROMOTION Charities and organisations have played a massive part in making the subject more accessible, and PR campaigns such as those fronted by Princes William and Harry have been welcomed by millions. It is now widely considered the norm to talk openly with friends, both when we’re suffering or when we think they may be. We’re starting to understand better the situations others face and the limitations their situations impose. It might even, finally, be considered OK for boys to cry. It’s clear that men in particular have had a long journey out of the dark ages of mental health to reach the point at which they are able to express their emotions and process them in a positive way. This is a vital step – suicide remains the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, and the fact that male mental health has long been a hidden issue means that’s no surprise. It’s getting better but there is still work to be done.
54 SHIRE MAGAZINE | January/February 2020
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