10 October is World Mental Health Day 2023. This year’s theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right’ aims to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a universal human right.
Mental health is something we all have. It can impact your physical health, well-being, how you connect with others, and your livelihood. Good mental health is vital to live a happy and healthy life. So, it’s important to take time to nurture positive mental health.
In this blog, we look at some UK mental health statistics, understand what mental health is and share 5 tips to support your positive mental health. Remember to be kind to your mind and that small things and changes can make a big difference.
UK mental health statistics
Mental health often gains public interest when it is causing problems. Consequently, it is often associated with depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses.
Prevalence statistics show that approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year1. What’s more, in England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week2.
Although the number of people with mental health problems has not changed significantly in recent years, it appears that how we cope with mental health problems is getting worse. This is shown with an increasing number of people who self-harm or have suicidal thoughts2. Mental health conditions are also affecting an increasing number of adolescents and young people.
What is mental health?
Mental health includes your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is how you think and feel and affects how you act, the choices you make, and your relationships with others.
Your mental health is on a spectrum that can range from good to poor. If you have good mental health, you can think positively, feel confident, act calmly and cope well with normal daily stresses and challenges. However, if your mental health is poor, you might find it difficult to cope with your thoughts, feelings and actions. You may move up and down the scale anytime.
5 positive mental health tips
Practising good mental health habits is important to maintain positive mental health. It can also support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness.
Even if you’re currently feeling okay, just like your physical health, mental health is something you need to continue to work at to keep yourself well.
Here are our 5 tips to support your positive mental health
1. Relax and quiet your mind
With busy lives, you need to make time to relax and de-stress. This could be having a bath, going for a walk, playing with your pet, listening to music, or relaxing in front of the TV. You might try breathing exercises, meditating or mindfulness where you pay attention to what is going on inside and outside yourself, moment by moment. Relaxation can help you to feel calm and improve your mental health and outlook on life.
2. Understand your feelings and focus on positivity
Learning to understand and manage your feelings whilst being non-judgemental and patient with yourself can help you air them for discussion and sharing rather than bottling them up and brushing them under the carpet. Sometimes you can develop unhelpful thought or behaviour patterns. Identifying any negative and non-beneficial thoughts can help you to think about things differently and more positively. Reframing unhelpful thoughts can improve your mental health and well-being.
3. Care for your body
Taking care of your physical body can have a real positive impact on your mental health. This includes:
- Eating a healthy and nutritious diet – can affect your mood and energy levels.
- Keep active – exercise can boost your mental health and help keep depression and anxiety at bay. Small amounts of exercise add up so fit it in around your day. Get outdoors when you can as spending time in nature can do wonders for your well-being.
- Sleep well – getting enough sleep and having a good sleep routine makes a big difference to how you feel and cope with daily life.
- Stay hydrated – drinking plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day.
- Avoid recreational drugs such as smoking and vaping, and reduce the amount of alcohol and caffeine you drink. This can positively affect your mood. Don’t use drugs to help you to cope with problems as they will do more harm than good.
4. Do something for yourself
Try to find time to do activities that you enjoy and make you feel happy. This might be scheduling time for your favourite hobby, learning something new, taking yourself on a relaxing ‘solo date’, enjoying your garden or time in nature, or simply reading a book or baking.
5. Stay connected
Keep in contact with friends and family online, by phone or in person. Talk about how you are feeling and arrange to spend quality time with loved ones. This can help prevent you from feeling lonely, provide emotional support and practical help, create healthy relationships, and improve your mental health and well-being.
When to seek professional help
These self-care tips can help you maintain positive mental health. However, as was mentioned earlier, you may move up and down the mental health spectrum.
If you feel that you are suffering from poor mental health then reach out for professional support. It’s okay to ask for help so that you can get the care you need to help you heal. Getting help sooner rather than later, if you recognise or suspect that you have a mental health problem, generally makes it easier to recover rather than if you hit an all-time low.
In the first instance, people often see their GP or a counsellor for professional mental health support. At Ramsay Health Care we have trained and experienced counsellors, psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists to help you.
You can book a convenient and confidential appointment with one of our mental health professionals for expert and empathetic support without waiting. Simply contact us or call your local Ramsay Hospital.
References 1 McManus, S., Meltzer, H., Brugha, T. S., Bebbington, P. E., & Jenkins, R. (2009). Adult psychiatric morbidity in England, 2007: results of a household survey. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care. 2 McManus S, Bebbington P, Jenkins R, Brugha T. (eds.) (2016). Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult psychiatric morbidity survey 2014. Leeds: NHS digital.