World Mental Health Day 2022
The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day 2022 on the 10th of October every year. Perfect Sense Energy is serious when it comes to mental health, especially in the workplace.
Hello, my name is Rebekah! I became the Mental Health advisor at Perfect Sense Energy after getting the required support from therapists and the support of my friends, family, and colleagues. Expressing the need for further knowledge in the workplace, I now enjoy providing that support and knowledge to others. Having the ability to know when my mental health isn’t so healthy and being proactive about it. At some stage in life, we will all go through some form of mental health issue or crisis, and THIS IS COMPLETELY NORMAL, believe me!
In my personal experience, it came in waves of anxiety that would cripple my ability to do normal daily tasks. For example, shying away from conversations at work or with friends in fear of them thinking I wasn’t ‘normal’, making the excuse of “it’s just one of those days” to anyone who could tell I wasn’t ok, and refusing to go out with friends when I knew there would be lots of people.
Here are a few topics I want to address to help people understand mental health in the workplace.
How to improve your self-esteem
The first thing I say to anyone having an issue with low self-esteem is if you have social media and use it often, please step away from it and take a break. Social media is not real life, we are all so encapsulated by mindless scrolling we begin to believe what we see. Self-esteem comes from within and to build on it we need to be comfortable within ourselves. Take some time for yourself, go for a walk, have a spa day, go for a meal with people who love you, and surround yourself with positive influences. Mindfulness is a really good tool to help you switch your focus from the negative. There are lots of great mindfulness programmes available for free that you can try and use daily if necessary. Lastly, tell someone how you are feeling, I can guarantee the minute you tell someone how you are feeling they will let you know how brilliant and loved you are. Everyone needs a reminder now and again, don’t they?
How to deal with Mental Health Medication Side Effects
This is always a tricky one, side effects can be varied and come in all shapes and sizes. The first pointer is to always keep track of what side-effects you are having, check in with your doctor regularly, but just take your time. Any new medication can cause side effects as your body has to come accustomed to them and what they contain. If you are struggling, ask your doctor to investigate whether another form of medication would be more helpful and cause fewer adverse side effects.
Speak to your line manager, a workplace should have an open line of communication when it comes to mental health. Let them know you are on different medication and if you don’t seem yourself, you are currently getting used to them. Make them aware that you may need to step away sometimes to gather yourself if the effects get worse. If you feel you need a break or must step outside then DO SO, no work at all is worth sacrificing your physical or mental health.
How could a safe place be beneficial to Mental Health
Safe Places come in all shapes and sizes, whether it be a kitchen or yard, they are all important. These are places we can gather our thoughts and take a moment. It is important to be able to retreat to these places in times of need or distress. Being able to step away from the hustle and bustle of the workplace gives us space to rethink our feelings. Mental health is often a cycle that must be broken and knowing you need to go into your safe place even just for a minute is one step toward breaking that cycle. Once we are in the habit of breaking the cycle, it will become more natural to do so and in turn will become easier.
How to deal with Anxiety
The first thing to do is TALK! Anxiety is often worrying about things that will likely never happen. Being able to recognise anxiety is the first step in dealing with it. Breathing exercises and being aware of your breathing rhythm is another. When we are anxious or panicking, our breathing can become erratic which will then cause further physical symptoms such as chest pains and dizziness. Speaking to your doctor is an important step to help get you on the road to receiving professional support from a therapist or counsellor. These people can help guide you through coping mechanisms and ways to continue to break the cycle of anxiety and worry through mind exercises and assessing your thinking style
How to deal with Anger Management Issues
Adverse Mental Health can make you feel things you maybe never have before and act in ways that are out of the norm. Everyone handles things differently however anger within the workplace can be very intimidating for others. The first thing to do when feeling anger is to remove yourself from the situation. When you are in a safe space, think about what triggered the anger in the first place and ask yourself whether the emotional response you have had was rational or irrational. Take a moment to steady your breathing and a few minutes to ground yourself again. Using breathing techniques can help massively when feeling anger, when you feel calm enough to return to your original space, tell someone how you are feeling and let them know what triggered the anger. If you find yourself losing control of your anger, speak to the doctor immediately as a therapist can help by taking back control quickly and without harming anyone including yourself.
How talking can help your Mental Health
Have you heard the phrase ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’? Well, it’s true! Sharing the load makes things much easier to carry, this quote also relates to mental health. A lot of the time, mental health issues are compounded by the fact we don’t share our issues with others. By opening up to people we trust, we immediately lighten the load. It allows us to let other people in and allows them to also understand how you are feeling. Talking to a therapist is helpful, these people have the tools to help you control and conquer your mental health. They understand and know the issues you are facing and can help guide you through the experience and the best ways you can help yourself. Mental health is a lot about self-help and recognising the cycle. Talking to people can help you recognise the cycle and when it may be starting again or getting better. This is helpful for recovery and additional support that may be required.
Looking after your Mental Health
Self-education will always help you look after your mental health. Knowledge as they say is power. Mindfulness, meditations, relaxation techniques, breathing exercises and rest periods are all helpful tools to support and improve mental health. Knowing when your mental health isn’t at its best is such an important skill to learn throughout the process. Knowing you need to act on how you are feeling and having the correct tools to do so will help relieve added stress and anxiety throughout your day-to-day life.
Having someone you know you can turn to when you are feeling a bit down or having an odd day will help to get you through, and within that your trusted person will feel comfortable talking to you about any issues they may be having.
Perfect Sense Energy has been supportive of my mental health journey and allowed me to develop my personal skills and complete more courses to further my knowledge and understanding. If I could help just one person, the training was more than worth it!
World Mental Health Day 2022 inspirational quotes
- “Mental health is extremely important for each one of us to have a happy life… Happy World Mental Health Day 2022.”
- “In the life that is so full of stress and tensions, may you be blessed with a sorted and healthy mind…. Warm wishes on World Mental Health Day 2022.”
- “Mental health needs a great deal of attention. It’s the final taboo and it needs to be faced and dealt with.”
- “What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.”
- “World Mental Health Day will always remind us that mental health must not be ignored but always must always be handled with care.”
Mental Health Awareness Days, Events and activities
Throughout the year there are lots of mental health awareness dates, events and activities you can get involved in and help spread the awareness. Re-Think have all the mental health awareness dates noted down and campaign and highlight the problems people living with mental illnesses face. For even more information visit the Mental Health Foundations’ website.
World Mental Health Day Activities for the workplace
World Mental Health Day is a great opportunity to get everybody in your workplace involved. There are plenty of activities you and your colleagues can take part in to spread the awareness. Here are just a few of them:
- Wellbeing Breakfast
- Mental Health Quiz
- Lunchtime Walk
- Wellbeing secret Santa
Happy World Mental Health Day 2022!
