The Importance of Mental Health for Your Overall Health

Here’s an activity for you – Sit silently in a room full of people and observe your surroundings and the people in it.

Based on the environment, you are most likely to notice people running in havoc, stressed out, even a bit unhappy. Having a bad, rough day has sadly become the routine for most of us. 

All of us have felt the blues at some point in our lives. We have felt disoriented, drained of energy and overly exhausted at the end of a long day.

As it is rightly said, life is full of ups and downs. However, most of us have been impacted heavily by the downs that leave a mark on our mental health. 

Mental health issues, in today’s society, are not uncommon. Each individual is struggling with some form of challenge with their psychological health.

While some bit of the onus lies on our sedentary lifestyles like lack of exercise, unhealthy eating habits, more screen time, poor sleeping patterns, smoking, and high levels of stress, there are additional factors that contribute to poor mental health status. 

We cannot afford to pause the functioning of our society and our households. Nonetheless, it is equally important for us to navigate through these challenges and find a path where our mental health is optimum.

Thankfully, we have access to spiritual leaders like Sister Shivani to pave the way for the same. 

On the occasion of World Health Day, we would like to bring your attention to the various mental health challenges we face and their relation to your overall, general health.

The team at the CK Birla Hospital would also like to invite you to a spiritual learning event with Sister Shivani on 10th April 2022 at the CK Birla Hospital, Punjabi Bagh, West Delhi. 

Mental Health in India

In the Indian context, we still witness a lack of awareness and a lot of hesitancy with respect to mental health issues. On top of these challenges, there is also a heavy stigma around this issue.

People are not open to discussing mental health problems and mostly dismiss them as having a bad day. However, we should note that nearly 56 million Indians suffer some form of mental health condition each year. 

Such high incidence calls for the growing recognition of these problems that would allow us to address them. The government of India brought into action the Mental health act 1987 to help regulate access to mental health services in India.

However, the primary responsibility of acknowledging and seeking help lies in the individual and their family. 

About Mental Health Issues

Mental health is defined as the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual. It is the state of your mind that helps you to think, feel and act rationally. 

Your cognitive and behavioural responses to day-to-day life events reflect the state of your mental health. 

There is a diverse range of mental health issues that can affect men and women across all age groups. Some common conditions include:

• Depression 
• Anxiety 
• Panic disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Eating disorders
• Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Personality disorder 

Why Is Mental Health Important? 

Mental health awareness is of supreme significance for your general health. The strength of your mind helps in determining your physical wellness also. It is because poor mental health can increase your risk of contracting a range of chronic illnesses. 

Poor mental health can negatively affect your eating habits. A lot of people experience a change in their eating habits. Some people tend to lose their appetite while others may begin to eat more. Both these patterns can either cause malnutrition or obesity affecting your general wellness. 

Mental health conditions can cause you to make poor lifestyle choices that can further translate into hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, asthma, cardiovascular diseases and more. 

What Can You Do to Maintain Good Mental Health?

It is important to understand your triggers and symptoms. Every mental health condition has different types of symptoms. You should seek the help of a verified counsellor/therapist/healthcare provider for your diagnosis and treatment. 

Besides clinical treatment, you can take several measures to help promote mental wellness and control/manage your symptoms. These include:

• Having productive and healthy relationships 
• Coping everyday stress levels 
• Eating a nutrient-dense diet 
• Staying hydrated 
• Maintaining good levels of hygiene 
• Staying physically active 
• Journalling 
• Maintaining a mood log 
• Meditating 
• Indulging in a hobby that offers you peace and happiness 
• Expressing your emotions 

Unlocking the Treasures of Mind by Sister Shivani 

At the CK Birla Hospital, we are aware of the connection between physical and mental health. Our healthcare delivery is aimed at providing a comprehensive focus on holistic health.

We have a designated care team approach for our patients where we offer the care, attention and expertise of multiple experts instead of a single caregiver for well-rounded advice and treatment. 

Based on this ideology, we timely organise health awareness events on varied issues. This Sunday, 10th April 2022, we are organising a spiritual learning event on ‘Unlocking the treasures of the mind’. We welcome you to this special event led by the renowned spiritual teacher Brahma Kumari Shivani, popularly known as Sister Shivani. 

Know more about the event here!