Why Mental Health Matters

During the pandemic, I did a lot of soul-searching. I had a lot of free time at home since my business was shut down, and I was looking for ways to keep myself busy. I cooked, I exercised, I even made a loaf of sourdough bread, but most importantly, I did something I never thought I had time for… I started meditating. 

At the beginning of the pandemic, I had trouble sleeping. I was worried about my family, my business, and the uncertainty of what the future held. So, to help me fall asleep, I downloaded a meditation and listened to some of the sleep tracks. They were really helpful. I fell asleep much faster and overall had a better sleep than before. After a while, I started listening to the daily meditations, and I immediately started experiencing better moods and less stress. It dawned on me that I neglected my mental health and how it affected my life for years, especially after the pandemic. It was then that I decided to create Amomē, a place to promote mental and physical wellbeing. I wanted to create a community that encourages positive mental health. This idea inspired me to start researching and talking to many people about mental health and why it is important to them. To my surprise, many people still either don’t understand the importance of it or don’t bother learning about it.

So, what is mental health?

MentalHealth.gov describes mental health as “our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.” The reason mental health is important is that “it affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices”. Fundamentally your mental state can determine and explain so many choices and decisions you have made throughout your life. In order to make the right decisions, you need to safeguard your mental wellbeing. Hence the term “having a clear head.” Mental wellbeing can help you be able to handle stress better, make better choices, and have a better relationship, whether you are at home, with family and friends, or at work with your co-workers or employees.

Why Does Mental Health Matter?

2020 was a tough year. People were cooped up working from their homes for the better part of the year. Those were the lucky ones. Some people lost their jobs, and some lost their businesses, some people lost their loved ones, and some people lost everything. With the healthcare system being as broken as it is, most people don’t even take the time to do their yearly checkups, add to that the stigma of talking about mental health, and it becomes clearer why most people are not focused on their mental health.

However, now more than ever, mental health needs to be talked about and focused on. Mental illness, just like physical illness, needs to be diagnosed and treated. However, unlike physical illness, mental illness cannot be easily identified. Conditions like depression, addiction, and anxiety are sometimes disregarded as personality traits and left untreated for years. Only through education can we build a culture around mental health and the importance of maintaining your mental wellbeing. This is why I started Amomē to spread the word and help build a supportive community around mental health.

How do we know if we are suffering from mental health problems?

Many factors contribute to mental health problems. One cause could be biological sources such as genes or brain chemistry. Mental health problems could also arise from life experiences such as trauma or abuse. Family history of mental health problems could similarly play a role in your mental wellbeing. However, in order to recognize whether you or someone close to you is suffering from mental health problems, you need to look for and identify some of the early warning signs* such as

·      Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships

·      Yelling or fighting with family and friends

·      Pulling away from people and usual activities

·      Eating or sleeping too much or too little

·      Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared

*for a full list of early signs of mental illness, visit https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health

Now that it is established that mental health can affect the way you feel, think and make decisions, it is highly possible that it can change the direction of your life. Earlier I covered what mental health problems can do to you and those around you. It is also very important to highlight that positive mental health allows you to realize your full potential, manage stress, be more productive, and contribute to your community. Luckily, there are many ways to sustain positive mental health, including seeking professional help if you need it, becoming physically active, getting enough sleep, and changing your diet.

With Amomē, I aim to bring you more ways to improve and maintain positive mental health so you can be happier, healthier, and a more productive version of yourself.