Mental Health And The Youth
Physical and Mental health go hand in hand Being healthy is very essential in today’s day and age. Health should be a priority and maintaining one’s health should be a part of our lifestyle. The several ways of being physically healthy are known to everyone- regular exercise, nutritious diet, etc. We often tend to focus on our physical health but no one really talks about our mental well being. Mental health is as important as physical health as it regulates our mind and hence our day to day activities.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health is basically a state of well-being or a state of mind in which an individual realises their own abilities and qualities and can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make some contribution to their community or whichever field.
Mental health is often ignored and not considered real, especially in a traditionally orthodox country like ours. In our society, a person can have only two states of being, completely fine or insane. We must understand that these are two ends of the spectrum.
The human mind is way too complex than we give it credit for. Several incidents affect our mind without us knowing and can cause trouble for us. We must have an open mind and normalise mental illness. Increasing conversation is the first step towards doing so.
Factors affecting Mental Health And The Youth
In today’s competitive world, the minds of the youth are at constant conflict. The youth today have completely different problems to deal with than any generations have had.
- Competition, insecurity, fear of missing out, being left out, bullying, uncertainty, etc. are some of the issues the youth faces today. In a world which teaches that every aspect of life; personal and professional is a competition, it is difficult to find solace.
- The trap of insecurity and overthinking has not been escaped by anyone. Both, the worst and the best out of the lot have insecurity; which in turn is a result of competition. Many face comparison from parents, extended family, friends which also lead to insecurity.
- Social media also plays a role in adding fuel to the fire of insecurity. It presents unrealistic expectations of beauty, fitness and life standard and hence has an adverse effect on the young minds.
- Childhood trauma, harassment, troubled household are some factors which affect mental health for the long term.
Let’s be the change
What mental health needs is more sunlight, candor and unshamed conversation.
Mental health issues are difficult to go through not only for the patient but also for the people around them. As a matter of fact, we are not equipped with enough information or awareness to realise if someone we know is going through mental health issues. A person suffering always gives away certain signs of mental illness knowingly or unknowingly. Most of the time, these signs go unnoticed since we are not educated enough on this issue, we fail to recognise the tiny signs of mental illness.
The people around also suffer with the patient regardless of the illness being diagnosed or not. It is difficult to communicate with a person who is unpredictable, cranky, arrogant and has mood swings at times. If the illness has been diagnosed, it is difficult for a person to see their loved struggling. One has to keep their own desires, problems, inhibitions aside to deal with someone with mental illness. Patience is of utmost importance when a loved one is mentally unwell. Constant motivation, understanding and most importantly, validation are things a mental health patient needs from their loved ones.
We, as a society, must acknowledge that the youth has their own share of problems to deal with instead of dismissing and claiming that mental health isn’t real. People who are mentally weak and do not get required help at the correct time tend towards alcohol, drugs for momentary peace which eventually ruins their lives.
What the youth of today needs is understanding, acknowledgement and support. Increasing conversation with them and creating a safe environment for them to talk about their feelings openly is something we must do. Seeking help for improving or even maintaining one’s mental health should not be shameful.
Being mentally healthy is everyone’s right and choice and one must have the freedom to choose for themselves without being shamed for it.
For more blogs, stay tuned. Let’s connect on social media! I’m a Mumbai-based corporate trainer, speaker, and educator. For enquiries, contact me on 9819648070 or write to me at riti@ritikapoorchopra.com.