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Young people’s mental health has been completely ignored as if they were immune to everything. Worldwide, every 2 seconds, someone attempts suicide, and every 40 seconds, someone succeeds, which represents about 2000 suicides per day, but, according to WHO, these data are not close to reality because between 10 and 30% of them are not counted, and only 60 countries provide reliable data.
Also, according to the WHO, there are about 600,000 suicides of young people between 14 and 28 years of age every year, and 50% of them are directly related to bullying.
The pandemic problem has further aggravated the situation while preventing access to the normally scarce mental health services. For all these reasons, we must demand better care in this area from our governments, with more professionals hired in the public health services, guaranteeing access to people of all economic levels.
And while this is being achieved, we can also do our part to take care of ourselves and enjoy good mental health. Here’s how:
- Time for ourselves
It’s not all about studying for a university degree, going to class, and clubbing. It is also good to dedicate some time for ourselves, cultivate a hobby, learn something we like, draw, and read? Plus, many tools make it easier for us to study, like essay writing service websites, translators, online libraries, etc.
When we take time for ourselves, we take care of ourselves and facilitate that inner dialogue that tells us who we are and what we want.
- Regular exercise
Moving the body is important for the mind. Not only because we will improve our physical shape and our self-esteem but also because we will be healthier in general and feel happier thanks to the hormones that the brain secretes when we exercise, such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.
- Sleep matters
Sleep is very important for our mental health and our mood and, therefore, we need to rest a minimum of 8 hours a day. In fact, too little or too little sleep can cause long-term depression. And it is not enough just to sleep 8 hours at any time; we must establish regular sleep schedules to feel the benefits.
- Eating well
Although it may not seem so, eating right is essential for our mental health. A lack of certain nutrients can contribute to certain mental disorders. A balanced diet will improve our concentration, reduce stress and give us energy.
- Social animals
Humans are social animals, and relating to others is extremely important (something that the pandemic has made very difficult). But it is not enough to relate to others: if we want to take care of our mental health, we must cultivate healthy relationships that bring us well-being and grow as people.
- Order and routines
Maintaining order around us and fixed routines also tidies up our minds. It also teaches us to prioritize, be clear about the objectives we are following, and not accumulate work or take on more than we can, increasing our stress and anxiety levels.
- Positive mind
We must learn to condition ourselves to have positive thoughts for our mental health. It is not about being a happy walking slogan but about seeing the bright side of things and analyzing the bumps as an opportunity for learning and self-knowledge.
- Emotion management
Learning to manage our emotions will make our lives much more accessible and positively impact our mental health. Knowing how to accept, understand and communicate our feelings will help us not to keep our worries to ourselves, and then they will “grow into a ball,” and we will find ourselves with a bigger problem. We must know how to share and relativize both the bad and the good.
- Give thanks to yourself
Life is complicated at any age, and no one will be spared from suffering dramatic or difficult situations. The trick to overcoming adversity is to understand these difficulties as “screens to pass to keep playing” and be aware daily of the other side of the coin, that is, of all the wonderful things that life offers. If we feel grateful for them and remember them now and then, it will be tough for us to be invaded by recurring negative feelings.
- Recognize the problems and seek help
The mind is part of the body, and, like the body, it can get sick. It is not something rare. It is not something embarrassing; in fact, it is normal that, throughout our lives, all people experience some episode related to mental health, and there is no need to hide it or be ashamed. It is the correct thing to do to seek support. Just as we go to the doctor when we have angina, we should do the same when we feel bad emotionally. That is the way to recover and go on with our lives.
