MATTERS
MENTAL HEALTH
Mental Health
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Mental Illnesses // Page 05
Facts // Page 04
Tips
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MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS HARMONY MINDS FOUNDATION
CONTENTS We want to recognize the importance of educating about mental health and its surrounding factors. We created this magazine entitled “Mental Health Awareness” to spread awareness and and remind people how much it affects our lives as a human.
We also included some helpful tips to maintain and improve a good mental health for a better performance in life.
Mental Health//03
Facts //04
We will explain the importance of maintaining a good mental health and how it affects our daily lives.
We also included some facst about mental health to educate and remind people about what’s happening around us.
Mental Illnesses //05
Improve Mental Health//09
We list down some common mental illnesses, its symptoms and causes.
We list down some tips to help the readers improve their mental health in simple ways.
about
MENTAL HEALTH awareness
Mental health and well-being are very important as they allow you to live fully and to function at your best. Can you imagine difficulty of doing something when you are not feeling okay? It is simply physical illness that affects your condition. Your overall wellness makes a lot of difference and they are reflected by how you can handle things. Good mental health enhances your ability to relate with others well, resulting in satisfying, healthy relationships. It puts you in a good disposition as you interact with others. Moreover, it enables you to focus and make better choices because you are clear with what you want. It also enables you to handle the ups and downs of life. Likewise, good mental health positively affects your physical health. Remember that body and mind are connected Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, cope up with life, build relationship with others, react to
challenges, and make healthy wise choices. The World Health Organization (WHO) conceptualizes mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. In recent years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Goals. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 1529-year-olds. People with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions. Despite progress in some countries, people with mental health conditions often experience severe human rights violations, discrimination, and stigma. Many mental health conditions can be effectively treated at relatively low cost.
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57.7 million adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder
Mental Health Facts •
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each year, 6% of adults suffer from severe mental disorders. Major depressive disorder (depression) affects 14.8 million adults and is the leading cause of disability for people ages 15–44. In 2002 over 31,000 people died by suicide. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders. Approximately 40 million adults
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1 out of every 5 young people
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suffers from some form of
are five times more likely to
diagnosable mental illness.
attempt suicide as adults than
About 19% of young people each year.
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44% of college students in
leading cause of death in college
America reported feeling
students ages 20–24.
symptoms of depression.
Over 66% of young people with
•
4 out of every 5 young people
a substance use disorder have a
that contemplate or attempt
co-occurring mental health
suicide exhibit clear warning
problem.
signs.
obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder,
the way they used to. •
generalized anxiety disorder, and phobias (social phobia,
Stereotypes are one of the
agoraphobia, and specific
largest barriers preventing
phobia)
young people from seeking the
mental health problems. •
including, panic disorder,
health treatment can function
talk about or seek help for
cause of death among people
•
Over 2/3 of young people do not
suffer from anxiety disorders
80–90% of people that seek the necessary form of mental
illness.
Suicide is the third leading ages 15–24, and the second
•
adults without psychiatric
contemplate or attempt suicide
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Teens diagnosed with depression
help they need. •
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by suicide every year. Suicide
An estimated 5 million young
accounts for 1 in 100 deaths
females suffer from eating
globally.
disorders each year and eating disorders are the deadliest mental illness claiming more lives than any other illness.
More than 700,000 people die
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People with severe mental disorders die 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population
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MENTAL ILLNESSES
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) ADHD is common and can make it hard to focus and sit still. ADHD makes it hard to finish things, and makes thoughts jump around. Kids who have ADHD can learn to control their thoughts and bodies by figuring out what
Miro Matkovic //
helps them focus, or by talking to a doctor or mental health professional. Some kids with ADHD do better in school if they can do their work in a quiet room.
Bi-Polar Disorder Everybody has feelings that change. When something good happens, you feel happy. If something bad happens, you feel sad. Bi-polar disorder changes the way people feel emotions. If people have bi-polar disorder, their emotions can go from happy to sad very quickly. They can be very cheerful one moment, and very angry, sad, and tired the next moment. When people with bi-polar disorder experience intense feelings of happiness it is called “mania.” They cannot think clearly or sleep well, and they might do things without thinking about them first. When people with bi-polar disorder feel intense sadness and tiredness, it is called “depression.”
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Depression Depression is a mental health challenge that makes people feel very sad all the time. It can change how you think, feel, and act. It can even make your body feel sick too. A person diagnosed with depression can feel so sad that it makes it hard to think clearly. Someone diagnosed with depression might feel very sad every day or feel that nobody loves them. They might not want to do things they used to think were fun. People diagnosed with depression may not know why they feel so sad. Even if you have a good life, you can struggle with depression.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Sometimes if you see or live through something very scary, you can keep feeling afraid even after the scary part is over. It is normal to feel afraid sometimes, but people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) feel scared even if they are safe and there is nothing to be afraid of. Kids with PTSD might have very bad dreams that seem real or think something bad is going to happen again. Even when they are safe, the feelings of fear are very real. Talking to a mental health professional or friends and family can help. It takes time and hard work, but kids who are diagnosed with PTSD can learn ways to handle their fears and can live healthy, happy lives.
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Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder changes the way the brain understands the world. People diagnosed with autism can have a hard time talking about their feelings, understanding people’s actions, and being social. They can also be very
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sensitive about being touched. To a person diagnosed with autism, being hugged can be scary and uncomfortable. Kids who have autism are just as smart as other kids. They can be very good at things like math or music. Just because some things are hard for kids with autism, they are not acting mean or weird.
Anxiety (Panic Disorder) Feeling anxious and nervous is common. But a person diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder will have these feelings suddenly and often. These strong, sudden feelings of stress or fear are called “panic attacks.” A panic attack can make your chest or stomach hurt, your heart speed up, make you feel afraid, dizzy, or feel like you cannot breathe. Even kids can have panic attacks. People who have panic attacks sometimes feel scared to go places because they are afraid of having an attack. Their daily life can be scary, but they can get help, get better and be okay. too, and learn how to enjoy life. 8
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Schizophrenia Schizophrenia makes it hard for people to know what is real and what is not real. Schizophrenia can make the brain think it sees or hears things that are not there. A person diagnosed with schizophrenia can also start to think that people are trying to control them or read their minds. Even though the things they see, hear, believe, or feel might not be true, their brains think they are real and true, and that can be very scary. Having schizophrenia does not mean a person is violent or bad. Usually people do not get this illness until their late teens or early adulthood, and there are ways to make their lives better, like therapy and medication.
Eating Disorders An eating disorder exists when a person's thoughts and behaviors are focused too much on food and body weight. The person may worry about being "too fat." The person may have a big fear of becoming obese. Yet, the person's weight may be quite healthy. Three of the most common types of eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia, and extreme overeating. •
Anorexia refers to weight loss that occurs from not eating
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Bulimia refers to eating large amounts of food over a short period of time followed by an attempt to get rid of the food •
Extreme overeating is marked by eating, and eating, and eating and then having feelings of guilt and shame 9
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IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH
Value Yourself Treat yourself with kindness
Implementing a self-care
and respect and avoid self-
routine and set boundaries.
criticism.
We all have limited time, but
Make time for your hobbies
even ten minutes a day
and favorite projects or
dedicated to caring for
broaden your horizons.
yourself will do wonders for
Do a daily crossword puzzle, plant a garden, take dance lessons, learn to play an instrument, or become fluent in other language.
your mental wellness as well as self-esteem. By scheduling time for self care and setting and maintaining boundaries, you are telling yourself that you matter and respecting yourself..
hobbies 10
Take Care of your Body Taking care of yourself
Researchers believe that
physically can improve your
lack of sleep contributes to a
mental health.
high rate of depression in
Eat a healthy, balanced diet Avoid cigarettes. Drink plenty of water. Exercise, which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods. Get enough sleep.
college students. Reduce Sitting and Screen Time. Take multivitamin supplements. Read books Connect with nature
self-care 11
Surround Yourself with Good People People with strong family or
Spend time with your friends
social connections are
and family. Make memories
generally healthier than
together.
those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends or seek out activities where you can meet new people, such as a club, class, or
Positive people are a source of inspiration and motivation. On the other hand, negative people can bring you down and drain your energy.
support group.
loved ones 12
Learn How to Deal with Stress Like it or not, stress is a part
Always look at the brighter
of life.
side of life.
Do Tai Chi, exercise, take a
Effective stress management
nature walk, play with your
helps you break the hold
pet or try journal writing.
stress has on your life, so
Also, remember to smile and see the humor in life. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress. Listen to music Deal with stress
you can be happier, healthier, and more productive. Practice the 4 A's of stress management : avoid, alter, adapt, or accept Avoid unnecessary stress, alter the situation, adapt to the stressor, and accept the things you can’t change. 13
Quiet your Thoughts Research shows that
examination of our place in
meditation may help you
the world. Though our
feel calm and enhance the
thoughts are formed and
effects of therapy.
explored within ourselves,
Try meditating, mindfulness
tempered in their expression
or prayer. You can also go
by conditions from without.
they are informed and
outdoor to relax your mind. Relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your state of mind and outlook on life.
Thoughts are loud, and they often overwhelm the mind. In order to experience our mind, we must slow and quiet our thoughts to reach
In our daily lives we spend a
the deeper, more organic
lot of our time thinking.
mind; to experience our
Thinking is our overt internal
inner world.
Peace 14
sources https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/deta il/mental-health https://www.paho.org/en/topics/mental-health?fbclid =IwAR1ZWuG1ZDVi-UCFF5mXbtoWXzNyUIkguyxty2U yQ8LyDPaHozCrMefA7bA https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-m anagement/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950?f bclid=IwAR1akCwsfRLba4CVijBXGx5LuIJkbHNhFJ3dSl 4_Pp6Tr0s0S5bkHRaPWYQ https://www.who.int/health-topics/mentalhealth#tab=tab_1 ©