‘MONTH TWELVE OF TWELVE: A MENTAL HEALTH LOOK-IN’

The end of the year is well and truly something that is upon us and just like every other year, this year has not been one without lifes’ many ‘crests’ and ‘troughs’.

It would be extraordinarily rare to find anyone who does not have a very personal account of how the year has been to them with regards to their experiences of lifes’ events - the positive ones, of course are always the most welcome but also the not-so positive ones that forced us into growing psycho-emotionally while learning as we go.  As we head toward the final stretch of the calendar, I do find it necessary to share a message of encouragement to all the people who have gone through the year with the aim of learning from the different experiences they have undergone; all the people who have had their mental health tested but still found core resilience to restore, compose and keep on going even when the idea of living looked a lot less like a plausible option.There have been many more who have fell at the feet of the overwhelming nature of it all, however, with that comes the realisation that one must work hard not to relinquish the control of his or her own mental health, therefore, moving forwards the message of self-care and monitoring still maintains its relevance.

Behaviours

As we head into times of celebration, sharing moments and entertainment - seeing loved ones we have not seen in a while and social reconnection, it is important to be mindful of the different behaviours that may end up placing our mental health under pressure in the medium-term in particular. It is a well known fact that 99 per cent of the time, our mental health and the stress levels we expose ourselves to is directly related to our external environments, so with that being said, the festive season is one, in particular, where many people tend to succumb to pressure to spend financially, for instance.

While the sources of this ‘pressure’ come in many forms, it is during these times where people tend to overlook and purposely select short-term excitement over ‘sticking to the long-term plan’, especially when it comes to finances. I highlight finances because to be fair, they are a heavy contributor to the mental health or ill health of many people and considering how influential having or not having money for important responsibilities come January, is for a lot of people.

Monitored

This is only one example, in which our mental health comes under pressure and there are plenty more that could be spoken of in a similar bracket. For the individual, the idea of extravagant behaviours before and during these times of festivities are better off monitored, paid attention to and carefully selected in order to prevent plunges into mental overexertion. Ideally, it would be most productive to engage in activities that mentally stray you away from the pressures that you are always under from year beginning to chronologically where we are now. This month is one that is generally related to high stress levels associated with fever pitch excitement, however, through all that it is vital to maintain a composed head, which will allow you to make clearer decisions in line with the levels of sanity that you desire.
Send comments to runsford0505@gmail.com.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: