22
Startup your mental wellbeing
Startup your mental wellbeing Imagine having a physical illness. You wouldn’t for a moment hesitate in seeking help and treatment – mental health is no different.
D
r Anita Hall, Senior Teaching Fellow in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, is an Imperial Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) and she is on a mission to make people monitor and care for their mental health the same way they look after their physical health. Anita wants to bust the stigma surrounding discussion of mental ill health. Here are Anita’s top tips for looking after your mental wellbeing, based on her MHFA England training and the hundreds of conversations she’s had with Imperial students over the years, including startup founders. “You may already be convinced of the importance of mental health awareness or you may need some persuasion that it’s worth paying attention to. Recent reports about the mental health of entrepreneurs may encourage you to read on; for example, one study found a high level of ill health among entrepreneurs, caused by stress, anxiety and depression. There are aspects of the entrepreneurial life that may pose risks to our mental health and it is worth a little
D/srupt The magazine for student innovators & entrepreneurs
of your time and energy to plan how you are going to minimise these risks. “Mental health is defined by the World Health Organisation as ‘a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community’. If you have an existing mental health condition, there’s nothing to be ashamed of and you should seek all the help and support you can to help you live well with it. Imagine having a physical illness. You wouldn’t for a moment hesitate in seeking help and treatment – mental health is no different. Many entrepreneurs are living full lives with a mental illness because they have good help and support. Whether you do or don’t have an existing condition, regularly think about how you are feeling. If you or those around you notice a change in your feelings and/or behaviours, talk it through with someone – a friend, a family member, a therapist or a doctor. You are a very important asset to your business, so you need to take care of yourself and seek help and support when you need it. Taking care of your physical health will also support your mental health, so force yourself to leave the lab or office and make an effort to sleep, eat and exercise well.
Demanding careers
“There will be challenges throughout your working life that will sometimes cause you stress; while you are calm, plan things that you can and will do to healthily manage this stress. Avoid falling into the trap of unhealthy behaviours,
Issue two / 2019–20
