World Mental Health Day: How to Take Care of Your Mental Health at Work (Employers and Employees)
Every workplace comes with its own share of stress and struggles which can affect your mental well-being. As an employee or employer, the pressure of work demands can cause you or your employees to feel stressed, anxious and even experience burnout.
So, in this article, our focus shall be on how you can prioritize mental health at your workplace.
World Mental Health Day: Mental Health at Work
Today is the World Mental Health day and the theme of this year is, "It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace."
This theme is aimed at drawing attention to how work can have a significant impact on the mental well-being of employees and employers.
Many of us spend more time on work than we spend in our homes or other places. It is therefore very important to know how we can work in a way that does not impact or affect our mental health.
Also, According to WHO, one in 4 individuals will experience mental issues at a point in their lives. This means any of your employees can face mental health issues ranging from mild issues like anxiety to more serious mental health challenges like depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, etc., at any time.
Examples of situations that might impact your mental health at work includes:
- Unhealthy competitions/rivalry.
- Poor working conditions.
- Discrimination and marginalization at work based on color, class, gender, physical appearance, etc.
- Sexual harassment.
- Toxic work environments.
- Inflexible work hours.
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community- WHO
What are the Effects of not Prioritizing Your Mental Health at Work?
Mental Health is a very important conversation that must be valued at work. Refusing to prioritize your mental health or your employees' can have negative effects on their work, health, etc. Some of them include:
Reduced Work Performance
A toxic workplace where your mental health is not valued can be very discouraging and affect your work performance and results.
Frustration and Burnout
Working continuously without taking breaks and prioritizing your mental health can lead to frustration and burnout.
Breakdown of Relationships and Families
When your mental health is not valued in your workplace, the frustrations and stress from your work can spill over to your family and loved ones
Presenteeism and Resignation
You might find it difficult to cope in a toxic work environment where your mental health is not valued. This can cause you to quit or exhibit signs of presenteeism i.e., not working at your best.
Health Problems
A workplace where your mental health is not valued can also affect your physical well-being. Health problems like high blood pressure are one of results of being in work environment where mental well-being is not a priority.
64% of Nigerian employees are at risk of burnout - The Guardian
4 Things that Happens When You Prioritize Your Mental Health at Work
- Increased productivity: When you are treated well and your mental health is valued, you work more efficiently.
- More Job Satisfaction: A workplace culture where mental health is prioritized creates employees and employers who genuinely want the company to grow and succeed.
- Attract Top Talents: Top talents want to work in an organization where their mental health is valued. if you prioritize mental health at your work as an employer, you attract qualified and talented individuals.
- Better Health: Your physical health benefits when you are in a good condition mentally. Health issues like hypertension, stroke etc., reduces significantly.
Working too much could lead to high blood pressure- American Heart Association News
How Can You Take Care of Your Mental Health as an Employee?
- Take regular breaks: You are not prioritizing your mental health when you are constantly working without breaks. Working late hours and skipping rest would only have terrible effects in your health.
Therefore, you must learn to take breaks constantly. You can stop or try to reduce your work during weekends. Even at work, you can take breaks like walking to buy your lunch, talking to your co-worker, standing up from your work station, etc.
- Set boundaries between work and your personal life: This is very important. There is a time to work and a time to rest. Don't bring work in when you're supposed to be connecting with your family.
During weekends or leave, hang out with your loved ones. Don't work all the time especially outside your work hours.
- Ask for help: One thing that usually causes stress at work is when you try to do everything alone especially when it is beyond you. If there is a task that is taking all of your time and you can't handle it well, ask for help.
Talk to your boss and co-workers. Don't keep it in.
- Talk about your feelings and struggles at work: If you're going through something at work like bullying, harassment, etc., speak up. Tell your family, boss co-workers etc.
If you feel stressed or unable to handle the pressures from your work, speak to someone. Better still, go to a therapist. You are not weak when you decide to ask for help or talk about your feelings and challenges.
- Take good care of yourself: This is something your employers cannot do for you. You need to make time for yourself. Practice self-care like healthy eating, regular exercise, socializing, etc.
Take time for yourself. Have a life outside work.
How can Employers Prioritize the Mental Health of their Employees?
To create a workplace where mental health is valued, employers have a significant role to play. Some of them are:
- Provide wellness plans and programs targeted towards mental health: As an employer, you can provide mental health services and resources to your employees. Examples of such mental health services includes subsidized therapy sessions, group reflections, meditation, etc.
- Organize regular mental health seminars and trainings: You should try to organize regular programs and seminars for your employees to encourage and teach them how to handle work pressures without getting burnout.
We can help you with this. We provide mental health trainings to organizations that teach both employees and employers better ways to prioritize their mental health.
- Create an open and non-toxic work environment: This can only be done when employers take the first step. Set an example where your employees can easily talk to you about their worries and problems. This openness will spread towards the grassroots level at your work.
To create a non-toxic environment, ensure that unhealthy competitions, backbiting, bullying etc., are dealt with severely to set an example to others.
- Create policies that frown at discrimination and harassment: To have a workplace atmosphere where discrimination and harassment are frowned out, it starts from you. The way company leaders act determines how everyone else will act.
Create and publicize strict policies with serious punishments for anyone who discriminates or harasses their co-workers.
- Create a culture of recognition and appreciation in your company: Always recognize and appreciate the efforts of the people who work for you and with you.
You can organize events like employee appreciation week and give awards and gifts. To get more ideas, you can check out some of our employees wellness products at Mycarebuddy.
- Encourage work-life balance: To do this, give regular breaks to your employees to help them relax and connect with their family. Constant working overtime will lead to stress and burnout in the long run.
Take care of your employees and they will take care of your business- Richard Branson
Learn How to take Care of your Mental Health in your Workplace
To celebrate the World Mental Health day, Mycarebuddy would be hosting a mental health session where you can learn how to prioritize mental health at work either as an employer or employee.
It holds at 5pm on our telegram community and you can join us here
Conclusion
Choosing to take care of your mental health at your work will increase your performance and create a thriving workplace.
To learn more about prioritizing your mental health not at just at work but in your personal life, join our mental health community today.
What is Yoga: 6 Major Benefits of Yoga on Your Mental Health
Many people see Yoga as just an exercise to help you become more flexible, build strength and improve your physical health.
However, beyond these physical benefits, Yoga can also play a positive role on your mental well-being.
Therefore, in this article, we will consider what Yoga entails and some of the benefits that Yoga can have on your mental health.
What is Yoga?
The term ‘Yoga' comes from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means ‘union’ or ‘bind’. It is a practice that originated from India.
Yoga combines physical poses, meditation techniques and breathing exercises which benefits both the mind and the body.
These physical movements or poses in Yoga helps to improve your body flexibility. On the other hand, the meditation and breathing exercises in Yoga improve your brain and mental health. This is why Yoga is called a mind-body exercise i.e both your mind and your body benefits.
It is also a good physical activity that can help in reducing blood pressure, back pain, etc.
Yoga is recognized as one of the most popular physical practices in the world today. A 2024 survey revealed that in the US alone, 35 million people practice yoga regularly.
Yoga sessions/classes are usually led by yoga trainers or teachers whether in a group or individual yoga session.
What to Expect in a Yoga Session?
Yoga is s a combination of different types of activities. They include:
- Yoga Poses or Movements: These are physical movements that helps you build strength and flexibility. Some Yoga poses are:
- Planks,
- Chair pose,
- Mountain pose,
- Triangle pose, etc.
There are several yoga poses that can be found online which you can practice even at home.
- Breathing Exercises/ Yogic Breathing - This is an important part of Yoga where you practice breathing techniques which matches your physical movements.
- Yoga Meditation: Here, meditation is paired alongside physical yoga practices. It involves focusing on a particular object, mantra or activity with the aim of clearing your mind.
These meditations are usually done at the end of a yoga session.
ALSO READ: 10 Amazing Benefits of Meditation on Your Mental and Physical Health
What to Bring When Attending a Yoga Class.
Whether you are taking a public or private yoga class or even doing it in your home, there are certain items you must prepare especially if you are a beginner. Some of them are
- A yoga mat,
- A water bottle filled with warm water,
- Comfortable and loose clothes,
- Towels or face wipes, etc.
6 Major Benefits of Yoga on Your Mental Health
- Yoga reduces depression: Participating in a Yoga session is a recognized way to reduce depression. According to research, Yoga can be a mental health treatment just like therapy.
- It reduces anxiety: Doing Yoga can make you feel less anxious. Yoga is a focused-based activity which combines physical movements, breathing techniques and meditation etc.
When you find yourself anxious or constantly worrying, participating in a yoga session can calm your mind and help you let go of your anxieties.
- It boosts your mood: Practicing Yoga can improve your mood and make you happy. When you practice yoga, your body releases chemicals like Dopamine, Serotonin which can boost your mood and make you feel lighter and happier.
- Yoga can help you relieve stress: When you find it hard to cope with the demands of work and life, taking a yoga class is a self-care practice you should consider.
The calm and positive environment of yoga classes combined with several yoga poses will help you calm your mind and reduce the tension in your body.
- Yoga strengthens your brain muscles: When you practice yoga, your mental capacity improves. Whether its your memory or thinking skills, Yoga has a positive effect.
It sharpens your mind and helps you think clearly. Studies have shown that people who do yoga regularly have a sharper mind and improved memory compared to people who don’t.
So, Yoga is not just an activity that improves your physical flexibility but also your mind.
- Yoga helps you sleep better: Like any other exercise, doing yoga regularly can help you sleep better and reduce insomnia.
According to Healthline, taking Yoga classes can improve your sleep quality and quantity.
Register for Our Yoga Class in Lagos
Starting a yoga habit is a good way to take care of your mental and physical health at the same time.
To help you take the first step on building a yoga habit, register here for our upcoming soiree where several self-care practices including yoga would be organized.
This event will take place on 5th October 2024. It will hold between the hours of 4pm-6pm at the Happiness Center, 320 Akin Ogunlewe street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Register here to attend.
10 Amazing Benefits of Meditation on Your Mental and Physical Health
When you are feeling stressed or just need a break from your daily routine, you should consider meditating.
Meditation helps you relax and unwind from a long day. It can also reduce tension from your body and help you calm your mind.
There are so many benefits of meditation on your physical and mental health and we will consider 10 of those benefits in this article.
Let’s begin.
What is the Meaning of Meditation?
In recent years, meditation has become a major practice highly recommended by a lot of health professionals and organizations.
It is the practice of focusing on your thoughts and feelings in the present moment. Healthline defines it as the habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.
Meditation involves focusing your mind on a single action, thought, object or sound.
Despite the many benefits of meditation, it is a cost-free activity. Meditation can be done anywhere. You can do it indoors or outdoors. You can also do it anytime either in the day or before going to bed.
Meditation can also be done alone or as a group. What matters is that you do it in a quiet environment.
Types of Meditation
There are several types of meditation but the most popular meditation techniques are:
- Guided Meditation/Visualization: Here, you focus on a mental image or thing. This process can also be led by a teacher.
- Mantra Meditation: In this type of meditation, your mind is focused on a particular word or phrase.
- Mindfulness Meditation: This is one of the most common types of meditation. This type of meditation is when you focus on the present i.e you become more aware of the present. It is a mindful from of meditating.
How Meditation Works
As mentioned earlier, during meditation, you focus on one thing alone and rid your mind of all distracting thoughts.
There are a lot of meditation techniques but it is best that you consider simpler techniques at the beginning.
Here are the steps for a simple meditation session:
Step 1
Set a time limit for your meditation session. If you're just starting out, consider meditating between 5 minutes to 10 minutes.
Step 2
Sit or stand in a quiet environment. It is best to keep your eyes closed.
Step 3
Focus your attention on your breathing or body sensations. Try to empty and calm your mind
Step 4
Do this continuously. Whenever you get distracted or start thinking about something, try to draw your attention back.
Note: Your mind might wander at the beginning but as you try to meditate daily, you will get better and be less distracted.
ALSO READ : Mental Health Groups/Communities: How Can They Guide Through Life's Journey
10 Amazing Benefits that Meditation has on Your Mental and Physical Health
- Meditation helps you control your emotions: When meditating, you focus all your attention on the present moment and let go of negative emotions, worries etc.
According to a study, you feel less anger and stress when you meditate.
- Meditation helps you manage and reduce mental health issues like anxiety. When you meditate, you let go of your anxieties and worry less.
- Meditation improves your memory: Meditating regularly can increase your memory capacity and help you focus more. Furthermore, it helps to combat age-related memory loss.
- It helps you sleep better: Meditation can be very useful in enjoying a quality sleep. Meditating before bedtime helps you release tension from your body and reduce your stress levels. This reduces insomnia and helps you sleep quickly and much better.
- Meditation reduces stress: Stress is one of the major reasons why people meditate. It can help you to unburden the stress from your daily work and regain balance.
Through meditation, you get to focus on what truly matters and let go of stressful thoughts and worries either from your work, school etc.
- It increases your self-awareness: Meditation involves trying to focus on your thoughts and feelings in the present moment. It is a self-practice just like journaling that can help you understand yourself better, and gain more knowledge about your habits and thoughts.
When you meditate, you notice your thoughts about yourself and become more mindful of how you think of yourself.
- Meditation increases your attention span.: Currently, we are in a time of information overload and our attention span are very low. But with meditation, you would be able to keep your attention on certain things for a longer period of time. A study showed that meditating for 13mins daily can increase your attention span and memory capacity.
- Meditation increases your self-compassion: When you meditate daily, you are able to reflect on yourself, habits and your actions. This helps you to be more accepting of yourself and people around you.
Studies have shown that meditation can increase people's compassion towards themselves and others.
- Meditation reduces heart problems: Heart issues like high blood pressure can be decreased through meditation. Meditation reduces stress and relaxes your nerve signals, your blood pressure and heart rate is also lowered
- Meditation helps you to reduce negative emotions. As you meditate, your attention is set on a particular thought or action and this helps you empty your mind. With meditation, you can let go of negative emotions and embrace positive ones.
Come Meditate with Us
Mycarebuddy in collaboration with the Happiness center will be hosting a meditation and yoga session along with other self-care activities on 5th October 2024. It will hold between the hours of 4pm-6pm at the Happiness Center, 320 Akin Ogunlewe street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Register here and Join us for an evening of Meditation and Relaxation.
Conclusion
Meditation can be the self-care practice your mental and physical health requires. To release tension from your daily activities and reduce stress, consider practicing meditation.
World Suicide Prevention Day 2024: Recognizing Signs of Suicide, Causes and Taking Action in Nigeria
World Suicide Prevention Day is observed all over the world on the 10th of September. It is a day dedicated to increasing awareness about suicide and promoting the importance of suicide prevention in the society.
Today is September 10 and this year's theme is Changing the Narrative on Suicide with the call to action - Start the Conversation.
This theme is aimed at encouraging more conversations about suicide and raising awareness about the importance of reducing it. On this day, we must have a conversation on the need to change how we think of suicide and shift from a culture of silence to one of understanding and support.
The call to action for this year's theme is Start the Conversation. This means we need to have more discussions around suicide in our society and break the barrier of silence and stigma around it.
So, in this article, you will learn about suicide in Nigeria, the myths around it, its signs and causes. You will also learn how to start the conversation around suicide and other suicide preventative measures.
Suicide in Nigeria
Suicide is when someone dies by self-harm. Wikipedia defines it as the act of taking one's own life. It is when someone harms his/herself with the intent to die e.g., jumping from a high place, taking dangerous substances like sniper, drugs, etc
Suicide is not specific to any age group, class, position. For example, in April, it was reported that a Deputy Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Nigeria took his own life. This goes to show that anyone can commit suicide regardless of position or class.
According to the WHO, there are more than 700,000 deaths by suicide globally every year. In Africa, Nigeria has one of the highest suicide rates.
There are several cases of persons committing suicide either due to depression, financial problems, breakups etc. In 2022, the Punch reported up to 79 cases of suicide and this number has dramatically increased over the years.
What Are the Warning Signs of Suicide?
There are no clear cut signs to tell if someone is considering suicide. However, there are certain warning signs that might give an indication such as
- Talking or thinking about death constantly.
- Making final preparations like saying goodbye to loved ones, writing a will, researching on suicide methods online, etc.
- Buying harmful substances like drugs, Sniper, etc.
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness or feelings of being trapped. e.g When someone constantly says' I am tired’. This might not be a reference for how they feel physically but how they feel regarding a situation.
- Constant mood swings.
- Isolation and withdrawal from friends and loved ones.
- Posting cryptic messages on their social media about death, hopelessness etc.
- Taking reckless or self-harming risks like drunk driving or speed driving, etc.
NOTE: If you find that someone shows any of the signs above, you should try to reach out to them. It should also be noted that these signs vary for different persons.
Why would someone consider suicide?
A person could have suicidal thoughts or commit suicide for various reasons like:
- Physical abuse like bullying.
- Sexual abuse and emotional abuse.
- Debt or financial failures.
- Relationship breakdown like divorce, heartbreaks, etc.
- Mental health conditions like PTSD, depression, Substance Use Disorder, etc.
- Unemployment and poverty.
- Diagnosis of a terminal or incurable disease.
- Cultural or religious beliefs.
- Grief or death of a loved one.
- Alcohol or substance abuse.
- Academic pressure.
ALSO READ: 10 major benefits of joining an online mental health community
Suicide Prevention Measures in Nigeria
People consider suicide because they feel it is an end to a hopeless situation. However, no situation is hopeless. Here are a few ways on how we can reduce the risk of suicide in our society-
1. Start a Conversation
In line with the theme for this year, having discussions about suicide is one of the ways we can reduce the risk and stigma associated with it.
Having open conversations about suicide can help people who are feeling suicidal come forward and talk about it instead of resorting to self-harm.
Encourage people around you to talk about their struggles and what they are going through. If you notice any warning signs, reach out and offer a listening ear. This could go a long way in reducing risks of suicide in such persons.
Pay attention to the needs and behaviors of your loved ones. For example, if you notice anyone posting cryptic messages on their social media, reach out to them.
Also, do not be judgmental while having these conversations. Let your support come from a place of understanding and empathy.
You can also encourage them to reach out to mental health providers like therapists, counsellors etc. If they are feeling shy or scared of being judged, there are online mental health providers that they can reach out to and receive confidential care.
An example is Mycarebuddy. We offer quality mental health services to individuals, families, groups etc., and you can reach out to us.
You can also refer them to helplines that they can call or text and receive support.
No one is above feeling hopeless and having suicidal thoughts. So, try to be more understanding.
2. Mental Health Awareness and Education
There needs to be more sensitization of the public about mental health and mental wellness. Many Nigerians still perceive mental health issues as something to be ashamed about and this needs to stop.
The best way to do this is to increase awareness efforts on the discussions of mental health and mental health issues. These awareness campaigns must be done online and offline with stakeholders in the entertainment, cultural, religious, social scenes leading the charge.
3. Increased Mental Health Services
In Nigeria, mental health services are either inaccessible or unavailable. Many persons especially in the rural areas do not even know where mental health providers can be found.
Therefore, the government, NGOs, private organizations need to work together to expand mental health services in Nigeria.
Other Suicide Prevention Measures Include-
- Organizing more skill acquisition programs to reduce poverty and economic hardships in the country.
2.. Sensitizing the public on financial issues like loans, etc.
- Publicizing the existence of helplines for people who are feeling suicidal.
- Establishment of mental health support groups and communities where individuals can be educated on mental health, suicide, etc.
Mycarebuddy can Help
Mycarebuddy is a mental health organization in Nigeria that offers mental health services like therapy, trainings, mental health resources, etc.
You can reach out to us here if you or any of your loved one is having suicidal thoughts or just going through a hard time.
You can also join our mental health community and receive support, resources all aimed at supporting your mental health.
Conclusion
Suicide is preventable not inevitable. Everyone including the government, churches, mosques, families have a role to play in reducing and preventing the incidence of suicide in Nigeria.
So, as we observe the World Suicide Prevention Day, let us commit to raising awareness, supporting mental health initiatives, and promoting open conversations to reduce the risk of suicide and other mental health issues in our country.
10 Major Benefits of Joining an Online Mental Health Community
Online mental health communities are online gatherings where people come together to share experiences impacting their mental health and receive emotional support and guidance, perspectives and practical resources.
They are usually hosted on social media platforms like Facebook groups, Discord, WhatsApp, Telegram. etc.
Joining an online mental health community can be very beneficial to your mental health and general wellness.
So, in this blog, we will examine 10 of the major benefits you enjoy when you join an online mental health community.
10 Major Benefits of Joining an Online Mental Health Community
Joining an online mental health community will help you:
- Develop better and healthier coping strategies.
- Reduce your stress and anxiety.
- Share your honest experiences and feelings without fear of judgement.
- Receive practical self-care tips and advice.
- Reduce loneliness and isolation.
- Increase your hope and optimism in the future.
- Gives you access to accurate and personalized mental health information and advice.
- Help you develop a sense of belonging and companionship.
- Boost your confidence and self-esteem.
- Help you offer support to others around you.
Explanations-
- Develop better and healthier coping strategies: When you join a mental health community, you will learn better and healthier ways to cope with life's challenges.
From members’ shared experiences, you will learn how they managed and overcome situations that affected their mental health.
E.g., When facing a negative situation, many people resort to drinking or smoking to numb themselves from what they are feeling.
However, when you are a part of a mental health community, you learn better ways to manage situations like journaling, therapy, meditation etc.
- Reduces stress and anxiety: As the saying goes “a problem shared is a problem solved.”
A major feature of belonging to a mental health community is the opportunity to share your experiences.
When you do this, you receive empathy, support, which can help alleviate your stress and calm you. Furthermore, members share stress management tips that helped them to overcome their own struggles.
You also receive feedback from others on your own specific issues. This can reduce your stress levels and make you feel less anxious.
3.Express your honest feelings without fear of being judged: As a member of a mental health community, you become part of a safe space where you can freely share your experiences, emotions, struggles without fear of being stigmatized or judged.
Rather, you receive support, resources and comfort to help you navigate those situations. By joining a mental health community, you can get things off your chest and feel less isolated.
- Receive practical self-care tips and advice: In a mental health community, members share personalized advice and tips that helped them overcome a situation or handle a mental health issue like depression, burnout, etc
You also get advice on how to set boundaries, handle a breakup or navigate a marital challenge etc.
For example, a woman experiencing postpartum depression will have her feelings validated and receive motivation and encouragement by hearing others share their similar experiences.
- Reduces loneliness and isolation: One major effect of having a mental health issue is loneliness and social isolation.
You feel alone and end up distancing yourself from others because you feel they don’t understand what you're going through or because you are afraid you might be judged.
However, if you are a part of a mental health community, you realize other people share the same experiences as yourself. You also get to express your emotions without being afraid of judgement.
This ultimately makes you feel less lonely and you are less likely to isolate yourself.
- Increase your hope and optimism in the future: Belonging to a mental health community helps you realize that you are not alone. You realize that others have faced the same situation as yourself and were able to cope with it.
This will boost your mood and help you hope for a better outcome.
Also, when you share your experiences, you get support and encouragement from other members of the community which motivates and encourage you.
- Access to accurate and personalized mental health information and advice: In a mental health community, you are given access to mental health resources like articles, videos etc.
You also get the opportunity to get direct guidance from mental health professionals and expert.
In the Mycarebuddy mental health community, we share invitations to webinars and masterclasses where seasoned mental health professionals come to teach, share accurate mental health information and answer your questions.
- Develop a sense of belonging and companionship: As a member of a mental health community, you connect with like-minded individuals with similar experiences. You get to share your own stories while learning from others.
You also become a part of a supportive network where you are valued and this creates a sense of belonging and companionship between you and other members with similar experiences.
- Boosts your confidence and self-esteem: When you are part of a mental health community, you are not only receiving support from others, you are also supporting others.
You get to share your own advice, tips and stories for other members with similar experiences to learn from. This helps you feel more confident in yourself and happier.
- Helps you offer support to others around you: Being part of a mental health community helps you understand how to help your family, partners, kids, friends who might be going through similar issues discussed in the community.
You learn how to empathize and offer support and encouragement to them. You can also share resources from your mental health community to people around you who might need them.
Take a Step Towards an Emotionally Fulfilling Life
The Mycarebuddy community was created with the aim of helping you receive support, resources that would help you take care of your mental health and live a more fulfilling life.
Click here to join our family today and become a part of a community created to support and encourage you in your life's journey.
Mental Health Support Groups/Communities: How They Can Guide You Through Life's Journey.
As you go through life, you will face a lot of challenges and situations that would impact your mental health and overall well-being.
Whether as an individual, couple, family, employer or employee, you need a support group that would guide you and offer a safe space where you can share your feelings and emotions without fear of being judged and receive advice, resources and encouragement from like-minded individuals.
In this article, you will learn about mental health support groups/communities and how joining a mental health community will help you in your life journey.
What are Mental Health Support Groups/Communities?
These are spaces and communities where individuals come together to offer each other support, share experiences, and provide encouragement, guidance and resources with the aim of taking care of their mental health.
It is a safe space or environment where you can share your thoughts, emotions, struggles about your mental health and receive comfort, resources and encouragement from people who understand you and can empathize with you.
In a mental health community, people come together to share experiences and learn how to cope with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc., and situations that might impact their mental health e.g., loss of loved ones, parenting challenges, family conflicts, traumatic experiences etc.
In a mental health community, you get resources, advice, expert guidance to help you take care of your mental health and overall well-being.
Unfortunately, mental health is still an issue that carries stigma which can discourage you from speaking out. However, in a mental health community, you get a space where you can share your experiences freely without judgement.
Mental health communities could be online or in-person. Online mental health communities are also usually hosted on platforms like Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Facebook etc.
How Can Joining a Mental Health Community Guide You in Your Life’s Journey.
Choosing to join a mental health community can have very positive short-term and long-term impacts on your mental health and your life as a whole. Here are a few ways joining a mental health community will help you in your life's journey-
1. Practical Advice and Resources
Whether in your personal life or at work, you will face situations that would discourage, confuse or even make you feel depressed e.g., loss of loved ones.
Being a part of a mental health community will ensure you receive practical and actionable support and resources like videos, articles, expert advice, opinions from people who have faced similar situations.
You will get all the necessary information and guidance that would help you handle those situations at any point.
For example, if you are feeling burnout from work or experience work anxiety, you can express how you feel in your mental health group and receive practical advice and support to help you navigate such a situation.
2. Emotional Support
Joining a mental health community ensures you receive emotional support whenever you need it.
In mental health communities, people share their experiences, its impact as well as how they are managing it. Such shared experiences help you know and understand that you are not alone.
So when depressing situations occur, you understand that others have being there, survived and that you can too.
For example, if you are experiencing grief from losing a loved one, hearing stories from others who have faced similar situation as yourself, can be very comforting and help you feel less emotionally drained.
3. Social Connection and Reduction of Isolation
Everyone experiences loneliness at one point in life whether you're an introvert or extrovert. Loneliness makes you feel alone and think you are the only one facing a specific situation.
It can also lead to an increase in self-harming thoughts.
However, when you join a mental health community, you hear people's experiences and can also share your own stories. All these will help you in combatting the negative effects of loneliness.
Also, from mental health communities, you can develop valuable friendships and develop a sense of belonging.
4. Increased Mental Health Awareness and Education
According to the WHO, one in four people will face a mental health challenge at one point in their life. This goes to show how important it is for you to belong to a mental health community.
Not only can you access resources that would help you take care of your mental health, you will also learn a lot about mental well-being.
You will also learn to empathize and support your family or friends who might have a mental health challenge.
In the Mycarebuddy community, you will receive invitations to masterclasses and webinars where mental health experts would provide you with relevant and accurate mental health information and guidance.
5. Overcome Life's Challenges
Life is a complex journey full of ups and downs. We are bound to experience challenges either in our personal life or in our work that may throw us off our feet.
Examples of such challenges are loss of loved ones, economic hardships, relationship problems, marital struggles, work stress etc.
Any of these challenges can have a negative impact on our mental health and cause us to develop issues like depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, addiction etc.
However, when you are part of a mental health community, you receive resources, advice from seasoned professionals, shared stories that would help you understand your situation and overcome them.
Join Our Supportive Mental Health Community Today
At Mycarebuddy, your mental health and overall wellness is always our major priority.
We understand how important it is to have a safe and supportive space where you can connect with individuals with your experiences, express your feelings and emotions and receive thoughtful expert guidance and resources.
This is why we have created a one of a kind online mental health community where you can share and access resources related to mental health and general wellness.
Joining the Mycarebuddy community offers you a mix of valuable mental health resources like articles, videos, webinars and masterclasses, expert and professional advice etc.
Join us today and take the first step towards a more resilient and emotionally fulfilling life journey.
Conclusion
Having a mental health issue like depression, anxiety, addiction, burnout can be very difficult to manage especially without support/help.
However, joining a mental health community will be a very major step in managing and overcoming those issues. Choosing to join a mental health community is a sign that you are ready to prioritize your mental health
Our Mycarebuddy community is here to support and cheer for you in your mental health journey.
Click here today and be a part of our family.
Mentally Aware Child
In this digital age, it is essential for the African child to possess digital skills that make them valuable assets in the ever-evolving digital world. With the rise of technology and the importance it plays in society, it is crucial for parents and guardians to ensure that their children have the necessary skills required to thrive in the digital space.
However, it is important also to acknowledge the fact that the African child needs to be mentally aware of the effects and impacts of technology on their physical and emotional well-being. Therefore, creating a balance between acquiring digital skills and being mindful of the impact of technology is crucial.
There are various resources available for parents and guardians to acquire digital skills for their children. One such resource is the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), which provides information on web accessibility and designing websites that are user-friendly for all individuals, including persons with disabilities. Other resources include applications like scratch.edu, oppia, khan academy and techno friends, online courses, digital literacy programs, and educational websites, among others.
In addition to providing children with digital skills, parents and guardians need to be actively involved in their children’s lives to ensure they are aware of the effects of technology on their well-being. There is a need to have open conversations with children about the impact of technology on socialization and developing healthy relationships. Parents should try as much as possible to build stable relationships with their children, and have healthy communication. They should make their children understand why they are taking certain measures like monitoring what they do on the internet in order to avoid misconceptions on the part of the children that their parents are spying on them. Parents and guardians can also set boundaries for technology use and encourage outdoor activities and social interactions.
Furthermore, it is essential to understand the methods that children are raised in the African society to better cater to their needs for digital skills acquisition. In most African societies, children are raised under the collective responsibility of the community, where they learn from their peers and elders. Therefore, it is vital to ensure that digital literacy programs cater to each child’s individual pace and style of learning.
Children with special needs are not left out, it is important that understanding plays an important role in raising them. Empathy plays a major role in ensuring children who have special needs e.g, speech impaired, autistic kids etc feel safe. They want to be understood and be treated to feel normal, therefore whether your are a parent of such a child, a caregiver or even a stranger please as much as possible help them in anyway you can, understand how they want to be loved and attend to their needs when required.
In conclusion, the mentally aware African child in a digital world requires access to appropriate and relevant digital skills, active involvement from parents and guardians, and an understanding of the traditional methods by which they are raised. It is important to achieve a balance between acquiring digital skills and being mindful of the effects of technology on mental well-being. By doing so, the African child will be able to navigate the digital world with confidence and awareness. For consultations on anything relating to the mental health of your ward please do reach out to us at Mycarebuddy.
