Why Does Mental Health Matters?

“Why should I see a counsellor or a psychologist? I am not crazy, only crazy people meet them.”

“You are the one who is having issues, go see a counsellor or psychologist!”

“You are seeing a counsellor then you must be one of those weird people.”

It is relatively quite common to hear these statements. Unfortunately, this indicates that the
stigma in seeking for mental health support still remains in the current context. This stigma is
like a thin layer of wall which hinders people from reaching out when they are not feeling well.
It is so close but yet so far! Therefore, it is important for us to recognise the importance of
mental health.
As the thought of mental health kicks in, people would relate a person having mental health
issues as being weak, weird, shameful, negative, disabled, etc. This is a misperception as they
could be struggling and overwhelmed with lots of things; feeling depressed, anxious, in pain,
sad, fearful and needing help. But due to the pressure of the stigma which could be rooted from
different types of sources such as personal perspectives of mental health, social views, family
beliefs and lack of understanding and knowledge of their own mental health condition itself,
they refrain themselves from getting the help they need.
Why do we have to emphasize taking care of mental health?
Mental health revolves around our well-being where it could affect the way we think, the way
we behave and the way we feel each day. To better understand this, let’s stand back and look at
a bigger picture, as our mental health is related to our thinking, behaviour and feelings, it could
eventually affect different areas of our lives, which includes our decision-making process, coping
mechanisms, relationships with people, productivity and adaptivity to life changes. This has
shown that mental health does impact us in many ways and to ensure we are functioning well
or perhaps in healthier manner, it is vital for us to take great consideration into taking care of
our mental health.

Here are some tips in taking care of our mental health:

Tip #1 Stay active – A healthy body helps keep a healthy mind. Keeping ourselves active by
exercising will be helpful in improving both our mental health and physical health. These
exercises do not necessarily have to be very strenuous but instead, it could be in the form of
walks or cycling in a park where we could be mindful of our surroundings and immerse
ourselves in nature. Staying away from alcohol or substance intake and reducing screen time is
another way to promote better mental health too!

Tip #2 Relaxation- Going for meditation classes or practicing mindfulness breathing exercises
will help us stay and focus on the present moment. Reading or perhaps listening to calming
music or songs could help in relaxation and provide us a sense of enjoyment.

Tip #3 Daily routines- Having healthy meals and proper sleep routines would be beneficial in
aiding our mental health. Starting a new hobby or revisiting our hobbies or activities that we
enjoy or have interest with where we could include in our daily routines would be useful in
improving our mental health as well.

Tip #4 Listen to ourselves- It is vital for us to notice and acknowledge our thoughts and feelings
where journaling could be a good tool in allowing us to express our thoughts and feelings.
Practice self-compassion and value ourselves with kindness instead of being critical and harsh
on ourselves.

Tip #5 Take breaks- Yes, we need to take breaks to give ourselves a space to relax regardless how
busy and hectic our schedules are. This can avoid ourselves from getting too overwhelmed with
the load of things that we have to handle for the day.

Tip #6 Reach out for support- Seek out support from friends, family or even community when
you are struggling with challenges. We could also opt to seek out professional help from mental
health practitioners such as counsellors or psychologists.

Of course, these are just some of the tips in taking care of our mental health. There are various
other ways to care for mental health which the list does not exhaust here. That being said, It is
always important to open up to mental health practitioners in communicating what would work
best for ourselves. Remember, life is not a journey which people walk alone and you don’t have
to walk this journey alone either!

By Catherine Teoh Ern Xin
Licensed and Registered Counsellor
7th July 2024