Mental Health - Let's Get Talking

     January is over and February is here. How are those new years resolutions coming along?  Congrats if you're still going - you rock! But if you've fallen off the metaphorical wagon or horse don't give up - brush yourself down and get back on that metaphorical wagon/horse that we talked about earlier.
     Even though the year is still young, I feel that this year will be a great year for mental health. Even though there are more and more people are talking, there is still a wall of stigma; but I believe that the more we walk about mental health the more the wall gets broken down.

     At this time 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems experience stigma and discrimination. I believe that it is the myths surrounding mental health that are perhaps the biggest contributor this stigma. Here are a few of these myths...

1. Mental health problems are very rare.
2. People with mental health problems are very different from other people.
3. Only celebrities get mental illnesses.
4. People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
5. It's best to leave people alone if they develop a mental health problem.

When in reality...

1. Mental health problems affect 1 in 4 people.
2. We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health.
3. Anyone can be affected by a mental illness, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or background.
4. People with a mental illness are more likely to be a victim of violence.
5. Most people with mental health problems will want to keep in touch with their friends, family and colleagues. Keeping in touch can be a great help in their recovery.

These experiences of stigma and discrimination against mental illness can have very harmful effects. It can:

• prevent an individual from applying or gaining a job,
• leave an individual feeling isolated from friends and family,
• most importantly, prevent someone from seeking help when they may need it most  due to feelings of embarrassment or fear of discrimination.

You might be thinking now 'What can I do about this?'. Well, I have a few suggestions. 

You don't have be a mental health expert to be supportive (but some knowledge can help). But doing nothing, or avoiding the issue, can making things worse. If someone close to you (a friend, family member or colleague) is experiencing mental health problems or a mental illness there are a lot of small things you can do that make a BIG difference. 

• Be there to talk and listen.
• It can be very hard for somebody to tell someone about a mental health problem out of fear of reactions. If someone talks to you, acknowledge their problem and let them know you're there for them.
• Make time to stay in touch, carry on with whatever you'd normally do.
• Ask them how you can help; people will need support at different times and in different ways.
• Also bear in mind that having a mental health problem is just one part of the person; don't define them by this alone. Speak about other things - TV, movies, music etc.
• Furthermore, think about the words you use. Using words like 'crazy', 'nutter', 'loony' or 'psycho' can hurt and only reinforce the stigma of mental health.

     For further help and advice, whenever you may want or need it, you can turn to mental health organisations like Mind, YoungMinds, Time to Change, Rethink, and many more.

     So, with these tips in your arsenal why not start a conversation about mental health?

Let's get talking!!

BMNM.

Mental Health & TV: Should We Rely On The Media To Educate Us?

     This week Channel 4 goes mad. Tonight is the beginning of a series of documentories; composed and compiled together by celebrities (Ruby Wax and Jon Richardson to name a few), volunteers, and mental health organisations (like Mind, Rethink and Time To Change). They will come onto our tellyboxes and explore all things mental health: from issues surrounding them to different mental illnesses. In my opinion I'm excited and I can't wait to watch it all.

     However, there's something that keeps on turning over and over in my mind. I can't help but think why we should rely (if 'rely' is the right word) on television programmes to teach us about mental health. The media plays a large part in the portrayal and education of mental health: from documentories to soap operas running storylines on their characters and their experiences. As much as they strive to raise awareness and reduce stigma sometimes these portrayals aren't always accurate and can present a varying amount of bias, and so can misinform us about things within mental health. These misunderstandings can potentially be harmful to us and others around us. Although, it is not to say that all we learn about mental health comes from the television. There are numerous organisations that provide us with facts, figures and first-hand experiences and these help us to better our understanding on mental health. The only criticism of these I can give is that they're not always accessible or available to everyone. I think education into mental health should be made more accessible, and more so available on the national curriculum.

     Throughout my time at school we have been given lessons called 'Directions', aka Citizenship or PSHE classes, within these lessons we are taught subjects that are outside the standard curriculum, of which include sex education, the environment, diversity, drugs and substance abuse etc. however, not once have I recalled being delivered information/education on mental health, apart from within Psychology lessons (but that's a different kettle of fish).  The point I'm trying to make here is that perhaps not enough is done to teach people about mental health, and that this lack of knowledge or understanding can lead to terrible consequences to those who experience a mental illness (whether it'd be directly or indirectly), e.g. bullying (not just within schools but also in the workplace), self-destruction, and even death. For something that affects all of us it should make sense to provide education on it, preferably from a relatively early age, so that we can develop our understanding and knowledge of mental health and improve the quality of life for us and others.
     It's a goal of mine to see mental health being taught in schools, and as part of the national curriculum. However, I cannot do this alone. I hope this to be the start of this campaign, and I would love to hear of your opinions or experiences - so feel free to comment below.
Thank you.


BMNM.

What is 'Be Mindful, Not Mindless'?

     Hello, I thought I'd just let you all know what Be Mindful, Not Mindless (BMNM for short) is all about. The blog itself will concern all things involved with mental health (from filling in the facts, to commenting on related news stories).
     
     Just like physical health we all have mental health; it can be good and it can be bad. Mental health, and it's awareness, has always been something very close and important to me, and it is for many others as well. 1 in 4 will experience mental health problems, whether it'd be themselves or someone they know. For something that affects all of us it still appears to be one of the biggest taboos in our society still. I hope to play some part in ending this. 
     My aim is to help raise awareness and hopefully educate others about mental health. Will you help too?

BMNM.