MENTAL HEALTH NUGGETS FOR FESTIVE LUNCH

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.

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