10 october: World mental health day

 

Greetings everyone,

Hope we are doing good in our respective corners of the world

Today, I wish to introduce you to Mental Health.

October is mental health month, and 10th October is Mental Health Celebration day. It was a day that was designated to raise awareness, sensitize and create advocacy on Mental Health and Mental Health Problems, and also advocate for those with mental health problems. 

Mental health is about how you think, feel and behave. Mental health is not only about psychosis (Madness), drug abuse or addiction, Epilepsy, Cerebral palsy (weakness of the hand and legs) etc. All these ones are the problems or disorders. 

There is a difference between Mental Health and Mental Health Problems or disorders. 

Mental health is both our positive and negative state of mind, whereas mental health problems are the disorders that we develop when our mental health is not well managed, or when we encounter some kind of complications. Examples life’s challenges pushing us into drug addiction, the problems we have overwhelming us that we feel there is no hope or help. 

Sometimes we experience fear, stress, doubt, happiness, sadness, compassion, gratitude, goodness and so on. These are the different states of mind that characterise good mental or bad mental health. Our mental state is also determine by the way we manage problems, our choices in life, the relationships we have and our state of being either satisfied or dissatisfied with ourselves, others and life aa a whole. 

Mental health can be managed just like we manage our physical health. Like talking with someone when we going through bad moments, cry if we feel like crying, accepting ourselves and what we are going through, eating well, exercise, giving yourself a treat, avoiding unrealistic expectations, being good and nice to others, consulting or talk to  a Doctor or a Mental Health Specialist like us at the Presbyterian General Hospital, Kumba, etc. 

Remember, mental health is the foundation of a happy life

Tana Philomina A.

Psychologist, Psychotherapist

At

Mental Health Department

Presbyterian General Hospital, Kumba