Throughout the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month is marked and serves as a constant reminder to ensure that everyone checks in with one another, and on individual needs.
Mental health has become a conversation that is now more openly discussed among many people, be it with professionals, friends, family and support groups.
As each individual deals with various situations in life in their own way, there are many reasons that can contribute to mental health issues in the UAE, be it living apart from friends and family back home, work pressures, disagreements with loved ones as well as the daily obstacles faced.
Additionally, with social media now a regular part of life, it is easy to compare the highlights shared from the lives of other people and disregard that everyday life is not always exciting and fun.
Support can always be found through family and friends, however, despite all the help available, it is crucial to constantly check in and make changes to help ourselves. Use this month as a reminder to take small steps to appreciate all the highs and lows of life.
Here are some tips that can be done personally to help overcome challenges:
Do not be hard on yourself: Every person can be their own worst critic at times, and it is extremely important to check in and ensure that they are not giving themselves constant grief from mistakes, and instead take them as lessons and continue to impart that knowledge in daily routines.
Journaling: An effective way of releasing negative emotions is journaling. It can be in the form of a bullet journal, where everything is organised into sections, an online journal or a physical one, and all the negative feelings experienced are written down. As it becomes a practice over time, it will get easier to identify patterns that cause the issues.
Daily gratitude: As life gets very busy and things keep happening and changing, people often remember to celebrate the big achievements and accomplishments but forget about the small wins that have a bigger impact. Gratitude is the practice of appreciating things happening to a person and around them, be it small or big.
A great way to make gratitude a priority is to take a few minutes to write down what one is grateful for in the morning and in the evening, even on the bad days. Over time the brain will automatically get accustomed to looking at the good things in life, and in turn, change the way of thinking for the better.
Affirmations: A common concept in today's time but also an effective one is practising affirmations. As human beings, it is easier for everyone to focus on the negative rather than the positive, and affirmations come in to help encourage positive self-talk and thinking.
Each individual is different and has various needs that require to be catered to, and if in a slump regarding multiple issues, be it family problems or insecure about personal abilities, finding affirmations that target the problem and repeating it daily in front of the mirror can help in the long run with feeling more confident.
Setting boundaries with people: Boundaries are a crucial step in managing one's mental health. Whether an extrovert or an introvert, everyone has different values and things that they prioritise in life. With setting boundaries, it reminds other people about the way that a person needs to be treated. It can be difficult for people to automatically understand what the thought process is behind how someone is feeling. By letting others know their personal boundaries and effectively communicating their requirements, helps create stronger bonds and others understand the level of support they can give.
Letting people help: Everyone goes through personal struggles on a daily basis, and though some can be managed alone, there are times when more help is needed. On these occasions, it is normal to turn to family and friends, as well as professionals and support networks to express how one truly feels, and get advice, guidance and a different perspective.
By making small changes to daily life, a person's mental health can drastically improve over time and the challenges faced can be managed. This May, cater to individual emotions while also being more receptive to others and create a better place for everyone to grow and thrive.