How to support and be supported through mental health challenges

• Have you ever been through a situation in life when you felt overwhelmed and struggled to cope with it? Did you struggle to eat, sleep and/or take care of yourself? Did you put on/lose weight? Did your health, relationships and/or work suffer because of what you were going through and no one else understood your situation?

• Are you going through a situation like that now?

• Do you know anyone who has been or currently is experiencing it?

Chances are each one of us will say “Yes” to one or more of the above questions.

Mental health – these words are sometimes frowned upon, sometimes ignored, sometimes shown total disregard for. However, it can mean a lot of different things. Ranging from depression, anxiety, panic attacks to dementia and Alzheimer’s – all fall under mental health. In this article, we will take a look at depression and anxiety – two of the most common mental health issues that many of us have already experienced or will experience in life.

Life is full of its inherent challenges. However, some challenges can feel insurmountable for an individual at certain points of time in life. It could be due to a bereavement, end of a relationship, losing a job, losing money, work stress, health issues or a host of other causes. I for one, have been through each of the situations listed above. And I have struggled. My experiences over the decades have taught me to learn how to cope with emotional struggles better.

For years, I did not publicly talk about these things – because I felt no one will understand and I will be judged. But since then, I have come across many people who have also struggled in silence thinking the same way! When I opened up to them about my experiences, they also opened up to me. Knowing how hard it can be for many to open up about these challenges, I have decided to be vocal and raise awareness among others.

It is a fact that more men struggle in silence because of some invisibly imposed twisted social norm. Men feel they have to just “grin and bear it”. Since childhood, we are not encouraged to express emotions openly. In that respect, women are emotionally better equipped – they share, they cry on each others shoulders and lighten their burden.

Then there is the issue about young people suffering from depression and anxiety more than ever before. Increasing online socialising and less of real world interaction could be blamed as one of the main culprits stoking that flame. Add to that many months of seclusion owing to the pandemic and being cut off from their friends and physical interactions – these are the reasons for an all time record high number of youngsters struggling with mental health challenges.

Official Statistics

Official government data from an Opinions and Lifestyle (OPN) Survey on Depression and Anxiety conducted in 2021 by the the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows the stark reality of this. In this survey, which saw more than 52 million people aged over 16 years participate online and via phone, the numbers were concerning. More than 1 in 7 adults were shown to have experienced moderate to severe symptoms of depression and the statistics were eerily similar for anxiety. The percentage is highest among young people aged between 16 to 29 years where more than 1 in 5 have experienced depression and more than 1 in 4 have experienced anxiety!

In other Western countries, numbers are probably similar. In developing nations however, where such statistics are not generally available to the public, the estimates are that even more people are struggling with mental health disorders. However, in countries and cultures where people live in close-knit family and community structures, the numbers are supposed to be comparatively lower. This goes to show the healing effects of sharing one’s emotions with supportive people.

Alternate Interventions

There is now growing awareness of the benefits of alternative therapeutical interventions over purely medical means for issues like depression. Recently, in England, the National Health Service (NHS) created new guidelines for people going through mild depression that they should be first offered behavioural therapy or group exercise rather than medication.

First step of change is awareness

Remember, mental health issues are not a matter of stigma. We all go through emotional challenges in our lives. The only difference is that some are more resourceful in dealing with it and have support systems they can tap in to and some are less fortunate in those aspects.

Even if you have not experienced any mental health issues, chances are someone you know has. So, bereft of judgement, try to be empathetic that someone may need support and help. The most important thing is that most of the times, as there is very little outward or verbal expressions of these issues, most people do not realise the overwhelmingly increasing number of people who are struggling to cope with normal day to day life.

First port of call

If anyone feels they are going through a mental health issue, they should contact a professional who can help them navigate through their upheavals. If you know anyone going through mental health issues, you should lovingly and without judgement, encourage that person to seek professional help. However, for most, the first port of call for help are friends or family. We turn to those, whose advice we value and who we feel would be able to support us from a place of love and caring rather than a place of judgement. When we do not have adequate resources to deal with inner storms, even a few words of compassion or encouragement can do wonders to blow away the dark clouds of turmoil.

It is not a simple solution

Even with all the exposure in the media these days about the importance of mental health, why is this issue getting out of hand? Is it because of the associated impression that opening up about mental health issues may result in attaching stigma to oneself? Is it because of not wanting to seem insufficient in some way? Or is it just being unable to express the need for help? Whatever it is, it is not a simple solution and there needs to be a lot more awareness and people who have suffered need to speak up to encourage more people to open up. I sincerely believe it and hence this post.

There is so much that can be said and done over this issue of mental health that a single post on it cannot even scratch the surface of the issue and what needs to be done and what is possible. There are also many other linkages as mental health issues may arise from the lack of several physical and nutritional factors. Let us have a look at some of those.

Link between depression and lack of proper nutrition

An often overlooked and mostly ignored fact is the link between depression and the of lack of proper nutrition. Good nutrition provides the body with optimum energy and helps regulate sleep and focus levels, but it is a lot more than that really. It is a simple fact that the healthier we are, there is more drive to get on with life and have positive focus on what is important. The old adage “Health is Wealth” is indeed true as happiness is wealth! I had noticed that when I was going through depression, my diet suffered and on the way to recovery, I had changed my diet to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables and along with the other things I was doing, in time, my mood lifted. So my suggestion is if you are not aware of the link between nutrition and mental health, do your own research and then you will see that is an area of life that you cannot ignore as that is inextricably linked with your mental health as well.

Link between physical movement and happiness

It is a known fact that exercising modulates levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin thereby increasing levels of happiness. People who are active are known to be less prone to anxiety and depression as well. It has been known and observed that people going through mental health challenges have little physical movement and deeper they go into the downward spiral, the less they venture outside, let alone exercise. I remember the days and nights I used to spend curled up in bed, not wanting to go outside, even to buy groceries. Then slowly and gradually as I worked on getting better, my outings increased and I could feel the difference. I would urge and encourage anyone to spend regular time with a physical practice – be it just walking, cycling, jogging, swimming, yoga, pilates, calisthenics, dancing – you take your pick – but stick to it. It will change your mood, brighten your outlook and help you sleep better.

Healing effects of nature and animals

Being in nature also has a healing effect on the mind and body. There are programmes where people with long term mental health issues were encouraged to tend to plants in the garden and the time spent in nature along with the act of tender caring lifted their mental state. But this process takes time. If you have a garden or even some houseplants, spending more time with them will take the focus away from the incessant mind-chatter and give moments of much needed clarity. To help someone going through a challenging time, give them a gift of houseplants that needs little tending to and they will thank you later.

Similarly, pets – particularly dogs are known to have a healing effect on people struggling with mental health. There are projects underway in the UK and abroad where dogs help people cope with depression and anxiety.

Our responsibility

We can all do our bit to help others who need it and also be open to seek out help when we need it ourselves. The main theme is being open! Being open to the possibilities of a better life and being open to learning. That is possible in a safe and open space that can only be created when there is no stigma involved over mental health issues. Thankfully, we are moving in the right direction and nowadays there is a lot more acceptance to speak about this issues openly – be that in the workplace or in a social setting. Here is hoping that one day soon, mental health issues will be openly discussed without any fear of being judged by anyone. I think it is long overdue.

Disclaimer: I do not give advise – any writing in this blog is my opinion and should not be taken as your reality.