ISSUE #73 cont'd -- Article

Photo by Caer Weber

I never noticed before that the Vancouver Metro newspaper has a section on mental health, at least it did this weekend. I'm going to "reprint" some of the articles here because I think they are relevant and have good things to say about mental health. The following article is a good follow-up to mine on anti-anxiety medications yesterday as well.  

From The Vancouver Metro, Weekend, October 7010, 2011 www.metronews.ca

"Take Control of Your Mental Health"

 by Pauline Anderson

Strategies like going to the gym and eating properly help keep you mentally as well as physically fit. And just like it's up to you to keep your heart and bones
healthy, you also have to take control of your own mental health. "You own it; it's your mind, and you need to give it as much attention as you give to your physical body," says Connie Krahenbil, Executive Director, Canadian Mental Health Association Manitoba, Winnipeg.

Managing stress is a big part of maintaining mental health, and each person has to discover the stress management approach that works best for him or her, says Krahenbil.

"Maybe your thing is going to the spa once a month, or maybe your thing is walking every day." She refers to the parable of the man who mentally hangs his troubles on a "worry tree" outside his house every day so they won't interfere with his family life.

The key is to find the right balance, says Krahenbil. Her own strategy is to make a conscious effort to turn off her Blackberry every evening, to meditate, to be outside in the fresh air, to find time to spend on herself, and to exercise as much as she can. "It doesn't have to be going to the gym; it could be something like gardening."

Getting enough sleep, too, is another "precious" ingredient to mental health, says Krahenbil, who takes steps to avoid sleep "getting behind me" because she knows what that can do to her overall health.

Just as with physical health, it's important to be committed to mental fitness and to incorporate these steps into your everyday life.

Recognizing when you need to "reach out" and talk to someone you trust is also important. Everyone has felt sad or blue at one time or another, but too often, you don't want to bother anyone so you withdraw, maybe cry alone in your room. But when you do talk to a friend, "you always feel 100 times better," says Krahenbil.

Sometimes these strategies aren't enough and you may need to seek out an expert. But this should be no different than someone who has diabetes, who has to see his doctor regularly and take insulin or other medications to treat the disease.

It's important to acknowledge that you have an illness and to accept it. "We all have our crosses to bear," says Krahenbil.

And it's important not to rely solely on medication such as antidepressants to make you well. "The work is up to you," says Krahenbil. "Taking those pills is just half of it, just like insulin is just half of it for a person with diabetes."