Hello everyone,
Firstly I would like to start this blog by saying a massive thank you to the overwhelmingly positive response I have had since making this page, I honestly wasn’t expecting to receive such lovely comments and for everyone to say how much they are looking forward to reading my future posts (No pressure!!…). It really has highlighted and confirmed the need and want for more people to talk about the ‘taboo’ topic for many that is mental health and I am glad to be taking the small steps necessary to create lasting change.
This week I was inspired by a post I read on social media about the impact we have on others (which I have posted at the top of this page) and it really got me thinking, do we realise the impact that we can have on others in our daily lives? I’m sure many of us don’t really take the time to think about the interactions and conversations we have had with people throughout the day – but if we did, would we be happy with how we engaged with that certain person? Were we really engaged at all? Did we give good advice, or did we unknowingly turn the conversation around to be about ourselves? Did we hold the door open for a stranger? Or thank the person serving us in Tesco? Whether we did any of these things or not, what impact does that have on other people?
For example, when I think about the many customers I have to serve in work on a daily basis, it is always the ones that were understanding, or made conversation or simply said thank you for your help that leaves a lasting impression on my day. I am am left thinking about how nice they were and it gives me the motivation to continue with what might be a tiring or stressful day, it might reaffirm I am actually good at my job when I have been doubting myself all day, giving me that little bit of positivity that I needed to hear. Now relate this to your own daily routines and think about the people whom you come across and might have an impact on, however small this may be. I’m not saying we should all tip-toe around being careful about what we say, or become super sensitive or overly nice to everyone we meet but would it really be a bad thing to be more mindful to those around us?
Think of how meaningful a small positive interaction may be to someone struggling with their own self-worth and/or mental health. People with mental health issues do not walk around with big signs on their back stating so. They are people we think we know well, say hi to or walk by every day or the person who works in our local shop who always seems really cheery! Next time you ask someone how they are and they give the generic answer of ‘I’m fine’ despite every fiber in their body suggesting they are not fine, why not instead of ignoring this, be brave and re-address this in a gentle way. Sometimes people just need a gentle probe and the feeling of someone genuinely caring, to open up and tell you how they really feel.
On that note, I did a poll on my social media account asking if we felt comfortable or not about talking to someone about our mental health and the reasons for this. The results from this were pleasantly surprising and revealed that over 90% of you said that YES you would and/or have spoken to someone about your mental health. Common answers as to why people felt able to communicate their mental health included the following: having a strong support system, a weight is lifted off your shoulders, recognising the negative effects of not talking about it, it can help others and your own healing process, and it helps with feeling less alone. To sum these answers up, as cliche as it sounds – a problem shared really is a problem halved. In contrast, of the 10% that answered NO you would not/have not opened up about your mental health with others, the most common answer given was the fear of being judged.
Although this only represents a small population, I feel it is really important for both sides of the conversation to be highlighted and hopefully both can take something away from it. For those that answered YES, I hope from this you can recognise that not everyone may feel as comfortable as you do in speaking about their mental health and to therefore be as open-minded and non-judgmental to those around you and to keep the conversation going. For those that answered NO, I hope that you can take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone in feeling this way and instead, feel more encouraged to begin to speak to those around you about your mental health, seeing that so many people are willing to listen and be involved in an open discussion about it. Some answers revealed that they had no other choice but to tell someone about their mental health as it had gotten so bad, they could not hide it anymore. For most, we can agree on the sense of relief that we feel when we tell someone something that has been on our minds for a long time – treat speaking about your mental health in the same way. Early intervention is key. Don’t suffer for longer than you have to.
I hope you have found this post somewhat helpful or insightful. I feel we all have something to learn from each other and I feel thankful that I am able to share some of the things I am continuously learning from others.
Have a great week and I look forward to hearing some feedback 😊
The Mind Matters x
Comments