Key points
- Health includes physical, mental and social well-being.
- Mental health issues include stress, anxiety and depression.
- There are lots of causes of mental health issues and many things we can all do to look after our mental health.
Health
Being healthy means having a positive state of physical, mental and social Being comfortable, healthy and happy.. It is not just being free from diseases or injuries. Our health is linked to how we are physically, mentally and emotionally.
For many years when people talked about their 'health' mental health was not part of the conversation as few people understood its importance. Recently more and more people understand that mental and physical health are both extremely important. We are all used to taking care of our own physical health by being A state of cleanliness, being clean., eating healthily and exercising. However, some people are still less used to taking care of their mental health.
Mental health issues affect around 25% of people each year. As with all health issues, it is really important to seek help when needed.
There is a wide range of mental health issues. Examples include stress, anxiety and depression, together with less common ones such as An anxiety disorder with repeated unwelcome thoughts and repetitive actions that follow to try to minimise the anxiety. and A mental health problem developed after experiencing a traumatic event..
Hormone responses
When something stressful or frightening happens, the body's nervous system releases cortisol and adrenaline. This prepares the body for fight (defending yourself), flight (running away) or freeze (preparing to protect yourself).
Video
Anxiety, apprehension, worry. These are perfectly normal responses to stress, but over prolonged periods they can harm our mental health.
Early humans needed to react quickly to danger, so if you heard a sabre tooth tiger growl, your brain would stimulate your nervous system, which would release hormones to prepare your body for fight, flight or freeze, including adrenaline and cortisol, the stress hormone.
Your heart and breathing rate would go up, your pupils would dilate and you might even need the loo.
Nowadays, things like exams, money worries or meeting new people can activate the same fight, flight or freeze response with all the same physical reactions.
Staying in that state for too long can wear us down. It can become hard to concentrate or sleep and can even cause high blood pressure.
But you can combat this with healthy snacks, relaxing activities before bed and exercise, which makes your body produce dopamine the happy hormone.
And deep abdominal breathing can help you come down from fight, flight or freeze to cool, calm and collected.
Can you answer these questions based on the video?
1. What type of substances does your body produce to prepare you for fight, flight or freeze?
2. What can help you come down from fight, flight, or freeze, to cool, calm and collected?
- Hormones
- Deep abdominal breathing
Stress, anxiety and depression
Stress, anxiety and depression are common mental health issues. They have a range of symptoms, which can be mild or severe.
Stress
Feeling stressed is a natural reaction that can help people get things done or be more motivated. For example, knowing the science test is on Monday may cause a student to feel stressed, but it will also motivate them to revise on the weekend.
When stress is constant or unmanageable it can cause the following symptoms:
- Physical symptoms such as aches, dizziness or stomach problems.
- Changes in behaviour such as being snappy, forgetful, difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
- Increased worrying, feeling overwhelmed, difficulty sleeping or eating.
Anxiety
Anxiousness is the feeling of unease, worry or fear. Most people feel anxious about some things, for example a visit to the dentist.
But anxiety occurs when these feelings are more constant. The symptoms include:
- Feeling restless or worried.
- Having trouble concentrating or sleeping.
- Dizziness or a more noticeable heartbeat.
Depression
Feeling unhappy, sad or upset are emotions which everyone feels at certain points. Depression can include these feelings but it also has a wide range of symptoms which include:
- Lasting feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness, feeling very tearful, tired and sleeping badly.
- Losing interest in the things you usually enjoy.
- Loss of appetite.
- Aches and pains.
If you or someone you are close to are experiencing the symptoms of a mental health condition it can be hard to know what to do.
Causes of mental health issues
There is a wide range of causes of mental health issues, which often overlap. They include:
- Bullying or other abuse.
- Losing someone close to you.
- Isolation or loneliness.
- Discrimination.
- A severely upsetting experience. or Being uncared for.
- Physical health problems.
- Drug and alcohol addiction.
Improving mental health
The mental health charity Mind suggests ways to improve mental health. These include:
- Staying aware of our mental health.
- Nourishing our social life to feel more connected to other people.
- Trying peer support with other people with similar experiences.
- Making time for enjoyable activities.
- Looking after our physical health.
- Contacting an organisation for specialist support.
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