By Rosemary
January 15, 2024, was what is known as “Blue Monday.” For 17 years, the third Monday in January has been labelled “the most depressing day of the year.” Whether this is true or not, many of us struggle with “winter blues” especially with the cold, grey days that see us drive to work in the dark and leave at the end of our day in darkness as well. For those who work a desk job, lack of movement throughout the day puts us at more risk of feeling “down in the dumps”, as my mother used to say.
The World Health Organization recognizes January as Mental Health Awareness Month, choosing to focus on the four dimensions of mental wellness: Thoughts, Bodily Functions, Behaviours, and Emotions.
Thoughts
Has anyone ever told you to control your thoughts? If you look it up online, you will find YouTube videos, articles and self-help resources on how to control your thoughts. It is something I have never bought into. Our thoughts are our thoughts. They enter our minds without notice. It is what we do with our thoughts that really matters. Emotions like sadness, anger, and frustration can indicate that we need to check in with our thoughts. For me, I know it’s “check-in time” when I am puzzled by the sudden presence of uncomfortable emotions. Often, they do not align with what is happening in my environment. Checking in isn’t always easy but it is necessary for mental wellness.
After I experience an uncomfortable emotion, I ask myself, “What was I thinking when I felt that?” I can usually narrow it down to a negative thought or belief. For example, my friend doesn’t call me on Friday night even though she promised she would. I begin to feel sad, lonely, and even angry. When I check in with my thoughts, I identify three:
- She never has time for me.
- She doesn’t like me.
- I have no friends.
Then I ask myself, “What factual evidence do I have for each thought?” In this case, I may find that:
- my friend doesn’t have a lot of time, but she does make a point of contacting me and spending time with me when she can.
- My friend likes me a lot – she has told me this many times; she just has a very full schedule with a young family and works full time.
- I can count at least 4 other friends with whom I interact; I just like this particular friend a little more and I was disappointed not to hear from her.
This simple “thought check-in” helps eliminate negative self-talk and prevents me from believing every thought that enters my brain. It forces me to look for facts and not to make assumptions that are often untrue.
Bodily Functions
Breathing, heart rate, digestion and more are affected by our mental state. When we experience high anxiety, our faces get flushed, our hearts race and our breathing becomes rapid and shallow. If we experience depression, we can lose our appetite or eat everything in sight. We can experience muscle tension, dizziness, upset stomach, and even a feeling that we are separated from things around us – as if everything is surreal.
Paying close attention to our bodily functions is a way to gauge our mental wellness and to identify when something is not right. Practicing yoga and meditation are activities that can help with self-awareness. Even if we take a quiet moment each day to engage in some quiet, deep, belly-breathing, we can improve our mental wellness.
Behaviours
Think about how we respond to our environment. Sometimes we behave in ways that are helpful to our mental health, while we also engage in harmful behaviours. Here are some examples of helpful behaviours:
- Eating healthy
- Regular exercise
- Spending time with friends and family
- Asking for support when you feel upset, or you are unsure of yourself
- Enjoying hobbies or spiritual activities
Here are some examples of harmful behaviours:
- Using alcohol and drugs to make feelings go away
- Avoiding things that upset you
- Lashing out at other people
- Isolating yourself
- Eating too much or not enough
Emotions
We all experience emotions. Some we enjoy having and others we do not. When we begin to notice a pattern of emotional changes, our mental health could be changing. When we feel more than one emotion at the same time, it can cause distress. Our emotions inform us, and we need to befriend them to achieve mental wellness.
We all experience our world uniquely, depending on our ability, race, religion, income etc. Regardless, we all have mental health. It is part of the human condition. No matter what successes we achieve or what barriers we face, our mental health is a matter of great importance. Consider the four dimensions of mental wellness and be gentle with yourself.
Your mental health is everything – prioritize it. Make the time like your life depends on it, because it does. — Mel Robbins
The post Hearing, Hard of Hearing, & Deaf Albertans: Achieving Mental Wellness appeared first on DHA.