Mental health is the bigger umbrella that covers your psychological and emotional well-being. It matters because your mental health can impact everything from your day-to-day activities, to your relationships, and to your health stabilities.
Sometimes, mental health conditions can occur regardless of your physical activities. These forms of mental illnesses impact your thinking, behavior, or mood and they often emerge on their own, or accompany other diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease.
You can however regulate your mental health by eating a healthy diet, socializing, and saving some time to relax. Here are what you need to know about mental health, mental illness, and how you can manage them.
Depression and its symptoms
Depression triggers feelings of emptiness and worthlessness and often emanates in the form of anxiety which could last for a few minutes or days. On rare occasions, you wouldn’t know that you are depressed.
Certain conditions like becoming pregnant (perinatal depression), having recently given birth (postpartum depression), or a change in seasons (Seasonal Affective Disorder) can trigger depression hence you must seek medical attention the moment you start feeling depressed.
Symptoms of depression include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, worthlessness, hopelessness, frustration or irritability
- Loss of interest in hobbies or activities you used to enjoy
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering things
- Trouble sleeping
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Thoughts of suicide
- Unexplained changes in appetite or weight
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD in people comes coupled with inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity. ADHD is mostly seen in healthy individuals, but it could become chronic and interfere with your life or your ability to perform at work, school, or even in social settings. At that point, you must consult a mental healthcare professional.
Symptoms of ADHD include:
- Restlessness and running around
- Excessively talking
- Having difficulty waiting your turn in a game or conversation
- Frequently interrupting others
- Missing details or making mistakes at school or work
- Losing items frequently
- Seeming to not pay attention to people who are speaking
- Getting distracted and struggling to finish tasks or assignments
- Fidgeting
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression. It is a mental disorder characterized by drastic and intense shifts in energy, mood, and activity level. Sufferers are normally exuberant and euphoric, irritable, severely depressed, or explosive.
Symptoms range from impulsive behavior, racing thoughts, suicidal behavior and self-destructive behavior though they may vary between individuals.
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are also termed as mental health conditions. Victims normally experience severe changes in your eating behaviors. It could emanate as anorexia nervosa, where the sufferers eat far less food than they need, and often become emaciated.
In other victims, the disorders trigger them to eat so much that it becomes an obsession or causes nutrient deficiencies. These conditions can cause inconsistencies in how you view your body and are associated with other mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.
Your diet versus your mental health
There is a saying that ‘you are what you eat” and indeed it is true because it has been shown that the foods you eat can have a direct effect on your mental health.
Mediterranean Diets have also been named the best diets to eat when you want to support your mental health. A study suggests that people that adhered closest to the diet rated their well-being as higher than those that didn’t.
In another evaluative study, it was proven that eating more fruits and vegetables, which are important aspects of the Mediterranean Diet, predicted greater happiness over the next two years.
Getting Better Sleep
Sleep is remedy to both your physical and emotional ailments. Not having enough sleep could trigger a variety of undesirable traits such as restlessness, anxiety and eating disorders. It therefore shows how sleep is incredibly important for your overall well being. Also, sleep disturbances have been linked to increasing suicidal thoughts. Almost 100% of veterans with PTSD report sleep disorders.
Exercise and Mental Health
Exercise is normally a preferential prescription when it comes to managing weight. However, exercise could manage far more health conditions than obesity. It can play a role in remedying your mental illnesses.
Scientific studies have shown that even light or moderate exercise like walking or yoga can help with a variety of mental health conditions.
Over time, exercise may even help you reduce your need to take mental health medications. Exercising could also offer additional health benefits, like lowering your blood pressure and reducing anxiety even further than an indoor workout. Read more on exercising from Here.