Mental Health

What is mental health?

Do you even think about your mental health? During the Covid-19 Pandemic, mental health has been a topic of discussion. So what exactly is mental health? Mental health refers to the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual. It includes coping with stress, productivity, and the ability to contribute to his or her community. The way we think, feel and act are all affected by our mental health. Daily living, relationships, physical health, stress, and the decisions we make are affected by Mental Health. Mental health plays a crucial role in every stage of life, from childhood to adulthood. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is “more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.”

Have you ever heard of poor mental health or mental illness? Well, if you have, you might think they mean the same thing. The terms are used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. An individual can undergo poor mental health and still not be diagnosed with a mental illness. The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that around 1 in every 5 adults in the United States, experience mental health every year. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2017, an estimated 11.2 million adults, or about 4.5% of adults in the United States, had a critical mental condition.

Mental health refers to physical health as well. Mental and physical health are equally important parts of our overall health. Mental illness, such as depression or anxiety, increases the chances of risk for several types of physical condition problems, including long-lasting consequences such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. In the same way, chronic conditions can elevate the risk for mental illness. Poor mental health can affect your ability to make the right decisions and fight off chronic diseases. Neglecting your mental health can lead to more critical health complications such as heart disease and high blood pressure. So, taking care of your psychological and physical health should be one of your top priorities.

Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity and effectiveness in activities like school and work. It can help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Being mindful of your mental and physical health and taking time out of your day to self-care is essential. Practicing self-care can make you feel good about yourself and your life. Conveying to others that you value yourself has an impact on your community.

Factors that Contribute to a person’s mental health

Mental Health has become a popular subject. Understandably, many questions arise, the likes of which might be “Why? How? Where?”. Well, to answer these, we have to dig deep to find the roots.

Food

We all know that nutrition is important in maintaining one's health, right? As a result, there is unquestionably a link between your mental health and nutrition. This isn't just my opinion; research backs it up as well. Several observational studies have found a link between the overall quality of one's diet and the risk of mental illnesses such as depression. A review of 21 studies from different countries, for example, discovered that a healthy diet (high intakes of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, low-fat dairy, and antioxidants, as well as low intakes of animal foods) significantly reduced the risk of depression. In addition, ongoing research has revealed a strong link between gut health and brain function. Healthy bacteria in the gut, for example, produce approximately 90% of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which affects mood. As a result, it is not a far-fetched notion to believe that the foods you consume may have an impact on your mental health.

Exercise

Exercise along with your diet plays a substantial role in maintaining your overall mental wellness. Exercise has proven to reduce the risk of anxiety, social withdrawal, and depression, even if done for only 15 minutes a day. Additionally, exercising has displayed a positive impact on mood, self-esteem, and cognitive function. Through these effects, you can see that implementing exercise regularly into your daily schedule is not only beneficial but also necessary for managing both your physical and mental health. As you train your body, you are also nurturing and stabilizing your mind.

Social Media

Social media causes a significant amount of stress and can wreak havoc for teenagers, whether they realize it or not. Scrolling deeper into Instagram, swiping left to right on Snapchat, and spending an endless amount of time on TikTok. Should I post this photo? What about this one? Or that one? Loved ones fade away into the dark while the only thing that's vital anymore is the rectangle in your hand. Thoughts gradually begin to consume you as eye bags worsen and energy deteriorates. Just a few more hours, a few more minutes, and these countless sayings never stop. The maximum amount on your phone was just supposed to be 2 hours, but you ended up exceeding the limit every day. When you are spending more time on gadgets and technology, you have to remember that health is a must! If you can't do both, take some time off the technology. Go outside in nature and take a deep breath. Sometimes you might feel overwhelmed but when you leave everything even if it's for a few minutes, your mind can relax a bit.

Sleep

Do you get enough rest? Are you spending your night turning and tossing to fall asleep? An average person should sleep for at least 8 hours a day. Sleep and mental health are connected, especially when it comes to the ability to focus. Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling exhausted and irritable, but the long-term consequences impact your health more than you think! Research shows a link between sleep and unfavorable health consequences like depression. Poor sleep can affect your mindset and lead to mood swings of irritability and anger, making it harder to cope with stress. It's essential to get that good night's sleep, or you might find yourself feeling short-tempered and frustrated. An analysis of 21 different studies found that people who experience insomnia have a two-fold risk of developing depression over those who do not have problems sleeping. The relationship between sleep and anxiety appears to go hand in hand as they experience sleep disturbances. Sleep problems are a risk factor for mental illness like anxiety disorders. Studies show that between 25% and 55% of children who have ADHD also experience sleep disturbances.If you are having trouble sleeping, maybe time to look into your Mental Health. Make sure to catch some Zs.

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Social Disadvantages

Mental health problems can affect all varieties of people, as it does not discriminate. However, life experiences may put someone at higher risk of developing a mental health disorder. For example, teens living in a household that has a socio-economic disadvantage. Furthermore, a teen dealing with substance abuse, or having parents that already have mental health problems. As for adults, these would include those who have been homeless, who have a history of violence or abuse, those who are or were refugees, and isolated older people. Sexual orientation has a significant toll on mental health. In a study conducted in the United Kingdom, LGB adults, specifically older and younger, have a higher predominance of low mental health when compared to heterosexual people. For transgender adults, 40% have attempted to commit suicide. The rate for homeless LGBTQ+ teens is around one in seven who ran away or has been kicked out from their home and experienced at least one night of homelessness, which attributes to decreasing mental health, let alone the disprovable of their parents. As for gender, males are around four times more likely to die from suicide, while females have a higher rate of attempting suicide. Other characteristics that affect your mental state include disabilities and access to mental support.

Mental Health Disorders

Mental health presents itself in many different ways, whether it is noticeable or disguised within a person. The top three common mental health disorders consist of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in teenagers. These disorders affect each individual differently, and so it is necessary to understand what they are to combat them.When it comes to anxiety, it is more than just feeling temporarily uneasy. There are many types of anxiety disorders. It can be a general anxiety disorder, specific phobias, separation anxiety, panic disorders, selective mutism - Whatever form it may be, the common thread tends to be the symptoms:

❋ Nervousness, restlessness, tension

❋ Frequent panic & constant worry

❋ Hyperventilation

❋ Sweating and/or trembling

❋ Fatigue

❋ Trouble with concentration

❋ Shortness of breath

❋ Feeling out of control

Many specific symptoms can come with anxiety, but they tend to fall under these branches. Many do not naturally have anxiety, but it may come from inherited traits. Other mental health disorders, such as depression, can even contribute. As well as that, anxiety can also be developed over time. For instance, traumatic experiences tend to be the leading cause as to why people have anxiety disorders. The severity of anxiety varies for many, but it is treatable. Over time, anxiety can go away on its own but one must receive help when needed. When one thinks of anxiety, one often turns to depression. Depression is a mental health disorder that is commonly heard about, but do we understand what it is? Similar to anxiety, there are many variations of depression such as:

❋ Major depression

❋ Persistent Depressive Disorder

❋ Bipolar disorder

❋ Seasonal Affective Disorder

❋ Psychotic Depression

❋ Permpartum (Postpartum) Depression

❋ Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

❋ Situational Depression

Depression is a mood disorder. It is typically perceived as only sadness, but other emotions and factors such as emptiness, irritability, fatigue, physical problems, the inability to enjoy activities, and much more come into play. Social interaction may decrease significantly and even self-worth. Depression affects everyone differently, but it is treatable. It tends to be caused by genetics, biological factors (hormones), psychological factors, surrounding environments, medication, or even life changes. This disorder can affect daily thought processes and actions. To be diagnosed, symptoms must be reoccurring for two weeks. Of course, not everyone will experience every symptom, but any of the following listed qualify. Regardless of what caused a person’s depression, intense sadness, loss, or anger tend to be the result, whether it be in the world or self-deprecation. Depression can take significant tolls on people and their well-being, in which it is important to receive help if needed or to even provide help to someone you may know. With depression and anxiety, many may turn their heads to eating disorders. Unfortunately, these mental health disorders can go hand-in-hand at times. The third most common mental health disorder consists of eating disorders. A big misconception about eating disorders is they are classified by a person’s lifestyle. It is the complete opposite. Eating disorders are involved with the association between eating habits and one’s thoughts or behaviors. People typically display signs of an eating disorder by becoming obsessed with food, their weight, and how they look. People could also eat more than recommended as a comfort mechanism or a mental habit. Common eating disorders include:

❋ Anorexia

❋ Nervosa

❋ Bulimia

❋ Binge-eating disorder

Eating disorders allow people to become overly thin or in other cases, prone to consuming large amounts of food. People dealing with eating disorders may have intense food restrictions, which could lead to low blood pressure, multi-organ failure,, anemia, and more.

Other types of eating disorders could lead to severe dehydration, gastrointestinal issues, eating when you are not hungry, or even eating in secret. This mental health disorder can affect people of all ages, but it commonly occurs during the teen years or early adulthood. However, eating disorders can plague anyone at any point in life. The rates of eating disorders tend to affect women more than men due to factors such as societal standards or body image. Hence, eating disorders tend to be caused by genetics, biological factors, social factors, and behavioral factors. Eating disorders are treatable, and they will not affect a person forever with the proper help. Most of the time, outsiders may not see these disorders occurring because a person could seem physically unaffected, but there is no doubt that these are mental battles that many go through. It's critical to take care of your mind and your body.

What to do to improve your mental health !

What can you do to improve your mental health? Your mental health plays a significant role in your life, and it's important to know how to keep it stable and how to improve it. You should always be taking care of yourself regardless if you have a disorder or not. Here are some ways you can try to improve your mental health. First, try to take care of your physical health. This includes getting enough sleep, having healthy eating habits, and being physically active. You could also try to do something that you love doing. Whether it's playing an instrument or playing games, these things that you enjoy doing will help boost your self-esteem and relieve some of that stress you might have. Secondly, make sure that you're taking breaks in between and not overworking yourself. It could be a five-minute break or a half-hour break from cleaning or work, take however long you might need to get rid of that tension. Third, go and ask for help if you need it. Sometimes we might get too overwhelmed which's okay because local services will always help us when needed. Your family and friends may also be there for you to listen or even lend a helping hand. Fourth, feel free to speak your mind. If ever feeling troubled, maybe try talking to someone or even to a wall. Using these methods will help ease some of your stress and improve your mental health.

Organizations & Hotlines

Some many organizations and resources are available with the click of a finger. Here are some:

Mental Health America

Mental Health America is a community-based with locations all over America. Its mission is to promote mental health as part of wellness. They provide prevention services, integrated care, screenings, support, and more to address the needs of those living with mental illness. Furthermore, educational resources and information regarding mental health.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

Anxiety and Depression Association of America work to prevent, treat, and cure anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. It aids people in finding treatment, resources, and support. They work on reducing stigmas surrounding anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders.

PTSD Alliance

The PTSD Alliance works to advocate and increase awareness towards PTSD and those suffering from it. It spreads awareness by educating the public and those potentially at risk of developing PTSD. It gives prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment.

National Eating Disorder Association

National Eating Disorder Association is the largest nonprofit organization that is meant to support individuals and families affected by eating disorders. It provides programs and services for those who may and are struggling with eating disorders as well as raises awareness, builds communities, and funds research regarding eating disorders.

If you feel like you have symptoms of mental illness make sure to talk to your doctor. Due to Covid-19, many people are in search of better mental health, if you need to talk but don’t have a place to go to our website, and click, “ A place to vent”.

Hotlines: SAMHSA’s National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357) Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis counseling. We’re here for you. National Suicide Prevention hotline: 800-273-8255

Writers: Catherine Osorio, Kelly Herrera Villavicencio, Ayushi Patel, Obaid Syed, Camille Garcia, Tina Chen, Zaara Parikh

Editors : Saanvi Chougule , Lhawrencelie Balatbat, Catherine Osorio, Kelly Herrera Villavicencio, Jeffery Chen, Flora zhang, and Yena Chang.

Graphics by: Jaspinder Kaur, Joenna Li, Luniva Joshi, Catherine Osorio , Mireya Landaverde

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References:

“About ADAA.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, https://adaa.org/about-adaa

“About Us.” Mental Health America, https://mhanational.org/about

“About Us.” National Eating Disorders Association, 21 Feb. 2018, www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/about-us.

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www.healthdirect.gov.au/exercise-and-mental-health

“How to Look after Your Mental Health.” Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Foundation, 10 Aug. 2020, www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-mental-health

“Learn More About Mental Health” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Jan. 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm

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MedlinePlus. “How to Improve Mental Health.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 31 Mar. 2021, medlineplus.gov/howtoimprovementalhealth.html

“Mental Health Disorder Statistics.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder-statistics.

MentalHealth. “How to Look after Your Mental Health.” Mental Health Foundation, 10 Aug. 2020, www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-mental-health

M. W. (n.d.). Mental Health Statistics. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/mental-health-statistics/.

Semlyen, Joanna, et al. “Sexual Orientation and Symptoms of Common Mental Disorder or Low Wellbeing: Combined Meta-Analysis of 12 UK Population Health Surveys.” BMC Psychiatry, BioMed Central, 24 Mar. 2016, https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-0767-z.

Sharma, Ashish, et al. “Exercise for Mental Health.” Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc., 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/

“Suicide and Violence Prevention Among Gay and Bisexual Men.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Feb. 2016, www.cdc.gov/msmhealth/suicide-violence-prevention.htm.

Tanya J. Peterson NCC. “30 Top Mental Health Organizations & Charities.” Edited by Dena Westphalen Pharm. D., Choosing Therapy, 22 Apr. 2020, www.choosingtherapy.com/top-mental-health-organizations/.

The Lancet. “Exercise linked to improved mental health, but more may not always be better.” Science Daily. August 8, 2018 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180808193656.htm