Times Of Swaziland: MENTAL HEALTH NUGGETS FOR FESTIVE LUNCH

MENTAL HEALTH NUGGETS FOR FESTIVE LUNCH
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Runsford Laryea on 24/12/2024 09:27:00


IN these times of endless hardships and continued strife to get by, we are often
placed subject to numerous testing situations as well as experiences that flush
out our most resilient of beings. Everyday challenges pose as different
challenges in a variety of shapes and forms, with each and every one of them
weighing a significant ‘ball of mass’ that independently impinges on our
well-being in one (or two) ways.
Truth
The truth is, most of what we experience, whether good or bad, either nourishes
or depletes us as individual and over time, we become an accumulation of these
experiences, so much so that they become almost a part of our psycho-emotional
fabric.  In essence, our experiences have the capacity to mould, shape and
change us moving forward, and depending on the extent (and intensity) of
whatever we have been through (again, whether good or bad), most of our
decision-making henceforth tends to encapsulate,and/or be guided by many of the
things we have been through.  The end of the year is usually a time where many
people choose to take the time to reflect, look back and sort of recap on the
kind of year it has been.
Challenges
Personal accounts range from stories of pain, tragedy and harsh life lessons
brought about by challenges in socio-emotional, psychological as well as
financial forms. With everything that has gone on from the start of January (and
even before), the issues that we have been exposed to, both generally and
specifically, have contributed greatly to how we feel right now, as well as
influencing our prospective hopes and optimism for the future, especially
heading into the new year.
We live in a fast-paced society, one that is constantly and consistently
exposing us to a plethora of uncomfortable life situations, some more
psycho-emotionally imposing than others, and it is from these that we either
strengthen or weaken our psychological resolve. It is through these testing
experiences that we are pressured into learning the kind of mental resilience
that can then propel us to a greater state of psycho-emotional well-being and
recovery, especially in the aftermath of a demoralising setback. As harsh and
unkind as it may sound, it is quite often the testing times that define our
mental health stance, and it is from this stance that the foundations of our
recovery stem.
Isolation
For some, the festive period is often characterised by a deep sense of emotional
isolation and loneliness, some of which cannot be compensated for by flamboyant
meals or the sheer cheer that is often associated with this time of year and it
is for that reason that many mental health issues arise during this time, and
even worse, many more individuals succumb to the intensity of the emotional
mis-regulation they may experience, whether willingly or unwillingly.
This goes on to emphasise the need for and the importance of keeping our mental
health in check, especially in times such as these where the festivities seem to
take over and where issues of this nature are often under and overlooked. It is
of importance that we share reminders to check on each other’s well-being
while being extra vigilant of factors that may act as precipitants of a mental
health breakdown, both in ourselves and in those that we love. It is acts of
mental health vigilance such as this that can steadily contribute to a much
healthier mental health space moving forward.