Why you need a Mental Health Break

Mental health has only been recently getting attention. Not too long ago, mental health was badly stigmatised, creating an illusion where everyone was happy leading to an even worse mental state for many. Thankfully, mental health has started to get recognition as a fundamental aspect of our wellbeing, along with physical health.

Our minds are a very complex subject, as there isn’t a one size-fits-all manual. Everyone manifests their issues in their own manner, that's why it’s so difficult to explain and change human behaviour.

You’ve probably seen lots of “healthy foods” and dietary products ads, they’re everywhere. The media is trying to push physical well-being as the only key aspect of health, as it is an industry that makes billions every year preying on people’s insecurities and ignorance.

But what if instead of preying on those insecurities we tackle them from the beginning? Even though mental health is a very subjective matter there are some common points that can be a good indicator of our state of mind.

The American Psychiatric Association conducted a study that concluded that fifty percent of mental illnesses start at the age of 14 and three quarters before the age of 24.

Symptoms can’t be ignored, especially in the younger children, as they can be the most affected by them due to their little experience in dealing with these major problems and their limited resources.

So it is our job as parents to try to identify possible patterns that might show indicatives of any kind of mental health issues.

These are the most common indicators in children as described by the American Psychiatric Association:

• Changes in school performance
• Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance fighting to avoid bed or school
• Hyperactive behaviour
• Frequent nightmares
• Frequent disobedience or aggression
• Frequent temper tantrums

But mental health problems do not only occur in the youngest ones, they can be present in people of any age, that’s why they also have a list of the most common symptoms that manifest in adults:

• Sleep or appetite changes — Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care
• Mood changes — Rapid or dramatic shifts in emotions or feeling of depression
• Withdrawal — Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
• Drop in functioning — An unusual drop in functioning, at school, work or social activities, such as quitting sports, failing in school or difficulty performing familiar tasks
• Problems thinking — Problems with concentration, memory or logical thought and speech that are hard to explain
• Increased sensitivity — Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells or touch; avoidance of over-stimulating situations
• Apathy — Loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity
• Feeling disconnected — A vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one’s surroundings; a sense of unreality
• Illogical thinking — Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal powers to understand meanings or influence events; illogical or “magical” thinking typical of childhood in an adult
• Nervousness — Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling
• Unusual behaviour – Odd, uncharacteristic, or peculiar behaviour

I’m pretty sure that while going through the list you recognised at least a couple of them, at some point of your life you have probably suffered some of them.

But before you keep on reading I just want you to think when was the last day you spent doing something that you liked, without stressing out over unnecessary things.

Today’s pace is extremely fast, working full-steam for 8+ hours is exhausting to our minds, even if we don’t want to admit it, and that’s shooting ourselves in the foot.

I’m certain you haven’t had a Netflix & Chill day in so long, and the first thing that came to your mind was “but I don’t have that much time” well, feasible enough, then just spend an afternoon doing nothing, relaxing and sleeping. You can thank me later.

But if watching a TV series is not your cup of tea, you can always try finding new hobbies, there’s a lot to be explored in life. If that’s still not enough to convince you to take a break, exercising will surely do the trick.

Exercise has been shown by numerous scientific studies that helps improve mental health and mood, and even enhance memory and cognition.

Exercising can be hard especially if you’re used to living a sedentary life but it’s well worth it. When stressing your body through physical activity you cause a decrease in the stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine.

There’s a theory which is yet to be demonstrated although you have surely heard of it that exercising triggers a release of dopamine and serotonin, mood controlling hormones.

But one thing is certain, physical activity plays a crucial role in people with anxiety, and I’ve also experienced it myself. When stressing your body, you’re essentially mimicking some of the situations that can occur when you suffer from anxiety, helping you develop responses to it.

The American Psychiatric Association recommends exercising regularly as it leads to a sense of accomplishment. You can complement that by starting a self-care routine. Those small things can make an enormous difference. Our physical health is extremely tied to our mental well-being, so any healthy habits like eating a nutritious meal and socialising can result in an improvement in quality of life.

So you might be wondering why all of the above? Pretty simple, everyone deserves to be happy and healthy, and physical and psychological well-being are two key factors in achieving those objectives.

You can always get a head start by taking specific natural supplements that help combat those symptoms mentioned above, but finding a product that helps you find that balance between a good physical and mental health can get pretty hard and scary.

The market is flooded with chemical-filled medication, that’s why here at HealthyBuzz we recommend using Coyne Healthcare’s – Felix/Affron or Felix Advanced, a 100 percent genetically certified, non-GMO, non-irradiated saffron extract supplement.

Saffron contains the carotenoids crocin and crocetin which, like other carotenoids, are powerful antioxidants. Apart from these antioxidants, saffron also comprises safranal. Primarily responsible for the spice’s distinctive smell, this molecule is also used as an active principle in a number of therapeutic preparations.

Saffron extract may help with mood, stress, anxiety, sleep, cognition, vigour and vitality, as well as relaxation, mental and physical balance and maintaining a positive, feel-good mood.

Still, dedicating time to yourself and supplementing with top-of-the-line supplements might not be enough to solve everything, in that case you should contact the emergency line by calling 999 or clicking the link below, you can find multiple resources in case you need to talk to someone anonymously.

https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/get-support/

And remember, there’s always a solution to any mental health problem, you can get help by starting a medication plan prescribed by a professional, counselling, social support or education.

Your mental health is key both for you and your loved ones, that’s why it should never be ignored.