“Many are mad but few are roaming,” is a popular phrase that has its root in Nigeria.
How a person thinks, feels and acts determines if that person is mentally healthy or otherwise.
Mental health addresses the psychological, emotional and social well-being of a person.
As human beings, we naturally want to have associations and build friendships and this is normal.
The associations we form have a big impact on our state of mind.
Building positive associations contribute to our mental health, while negative associations may cause:
Anxiety disorders:
Being anxious is normal when you want to do a task for the first time is normal but being anxious continually is abnormal. Anxiety is a continuous feeling of fear and uneasiness. Anxiety disorder could occur in the form of phobias or panic attacks.
Eating disorders :
Bulimia nervosa, binge-eating and Anorexia nervosa are the three types of eating disorders. Bulimia nervosa leads to obesity, binge-eating may cause underweight or overweight, while Anorexia nervosa can lead to death.
Post-traumatic stress disorder :
Also known as PTSD usually occurs after a traumatic event. The traumatic event could be rape or any form of sexual assault, physical violence, natural disasters or accidents.
Psychotic disorders :
Psychotic disorders express a state of hallucination or delusions. Hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that is absent. Delusions are false beliefs, such as thinking that the wall is talking to you.
Personality disorders:
This focuses on the way people behave toward others. People who experience personality disorders have problems associating with others and may be seen as weird.
Mood disorders:
Mood disorders centre on emotions. It is basically an emotional imbalance.
The lifestyle that supports mental health problems.
Eating late at night or not eating at all.
Smoking and taking hard drugs like cocaine, Indian hemp and the likes.
Not having a healthy amount of sleep or not sleeping at all
Taking excessive alcohol
Some mental health problems are genetic, that is, they are passed from parents to their children. Some are developed over time. The following are ways to address mental health problems:
•Eat the right quantity of healthy food at the right time.
•Healthy eating includes having all seven classes of food on one plate and at the right time. The most important meal of the day is breakfast.
•Eating breakfast will help your mind to stay alert. It is advisable to eat heavy food for lunch and light food at night.
•Taking hard drugs like cocaine
Cocaine stops the normal cycle of dopamine release and removal in the body.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a huge role in how we feel when we do something we are excited about.
Cocaine unnecessarily speeds up the level of excitement which is against the normal order of the body.
Unhealthy sleeping habit
Poor sleep habit features in all forms of mental health problems, especially depression.
Sleeping helps you boost your immune system, improves your memory and helps you have a healthy heart.
In conclusion, the value you place on your mental health determines the quality of your life. It is necessary to pay attention to your mental health to live a healthy life.
Post Credit: Pharm.Abiola Grace
