Your mental health is an important part of how you function in your daily life. Positive mental health contributes to your overall wellbeing and is experienced when you can realise your own abilities, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to your community.
Your mental health is not just about the absence of mental illness. Mental health can be affected by numerous factors in daily life. Some days we can feel mentally well and others we may not feel as able to do the things we normally do. Chatting with friends and family, working or school or making a meal can become more difficult if you are experiencing mental health difficulties. It is important to look after your mental health on good days and on the days we do not feel as good, we reach out and ask for support.
There a number of actions we can take on a daily basis to help maintain and improve our mental health.
Connect
Make time each day to Connect. Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. By staying connected and nurturing these relationships we feel happier and more secure, giving us a better sense of purpose.
Be Active
Look for ways to be active everyday. Go for a walk or a run. Step outside. Cycle, play a game, garden or dance. Discover a physical acitivity you enjoy which suits your lifestyle and level of mobility and fitness. Research has shown being physically active can improve your mental health and wellbeing.
Take Notice
Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Be Curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Pay attention to the present moment – to your thoughts, feelings and to the world around you.
Keep Learning
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Cook a new recipe. Take on a new responsibility. Setting yourself a new challenge and learning a new skill will increase your confidence which can improve your mental health and wellbeing.
Give
Giving to others is good for you. Do something nice for someone else. Thank someone. Volunteer your time or join a community group. See yourself and your happiness linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and create connectedness with the people around you.
Some useful websites:
For daily meditation workshop checkout the https://mindfulness.ie
Mental Health Ireland promote positive mental health and wellbeing supports to individuals and communities: https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie
Online counselling service offering support for whatever you are going through: https://turn2me.ie
AWARE provide support, information and training, online and in-person, to people over 18 years who are experiencing depression, anxiety and related conditions https://www.aware.ie
A team of supporters, professionals and volunteers who are passionate about supporting young peoples mental health: https://www.jigsaw.ie
Mental Health First Aid to support someone you know who may be experiencing a mental health difficulty or crisis: http://www.mhfaireland.ie
Pieta provide free therapy to those engaging in self-harm, with suicidal ideation, or bereaved by suicide. Call: 1800 247 247 or you can text HELP to 51444 https://www.pieta.ie
Samaritans: Charity dedicated to providing emotional support to anyone in distress or crisis: http://www.samaritans.org
National leader in the development of bereavement care: https://hospicefoundation.ie/bereavement
Eating disorders Association of Ireland: https://bodywhys.ie
