Your mental health matters

Lily, Marketing Officer

‘Don’t worry about it’

‘Stop stressing’

‘It could be worse’

Sound familiar? Sometimes when you are in the fog of a mental health decline it can feel really lonely, and like no one understands. You don’t want to be a bother or be seen as a downer, so you put on a brave face and wade on through.

But, if recent years and social media have brought anything good for us, it is the exposure of letting us know that actually, you are not alone, and people can certainly relate. While each situation is unique, the feelings of being lost and hopeless are felt by many, and probably at some point by someone you know.

We sometimes try to hide these feelings, maybe because we’re ashamed or don’t know how to start a conversation about them. But burying our emotions long-term can cause them to simmer away until they boil over or completely evaporate, leaving us little energy or oomph to give in other areas of our lives.

This is why it is so important to know, with absolute certainty, that you are not alone. There are lots of services ready to help you (find some links below) and don’t let mental health cloud your judgment that no one cares, because they do.

Some signs to look out for include:

Feeling persistently overwhelmed
Feeling numb
Feeling fatigued
Feeling sad
Feeling anxious
Being socially withdrawn
Having regularly disturbed sleep
Changes in appetite, which could mean eating less than or more than normal

These are just some signs to look out for in yourself and others, and while everyone has their ‘off days’, if these emotions persistently impact our lives, it is important to reach out.

Emotions are healthy. Our bodies are telling us that something in our lives needs to change because it’s impacting our mental wellbeing. Long-term emotional dysregulation can lead to physical health problems too, so don’t hide away in silence. Maybe you were taught to always fight on, don’t complain, or ‘man up’. But those are false beliefs, installed into us by old-fashioned generational echoes, which are now less relevant. Remember, if we feel it, we can heal it.

The point is, this Mental Health Awareness Week at Deafblind UK we are shouting from the rooftops about the importance of self-care, and putting yourself first. Pause from the noise of life, overcome self-doubt, and reach out!