New year, new outlook on mental health?
Well folks, 2023 is here. While I don’t love the hype and sensationalisation of New Year resolutions or entirely reinventing yourself for the month of January… I do see the appeal in taking the fresh start as an opportunity to renew our focus on the things that matter.
And in my opinion, that means taking some steps individually and collectively to reframe our relationship with mental health, and finally put mental wellbeing on the table for good.
So… where do we begin?
Immediately, the number one thing I hope everyone does this year is go to therapy.
Now, if you're already linked in with a therapist, go you! I hope you continue to see them and benefit from your sessions.
If you’re yet to seek therapy in your life, I really hope you do consider giving it a go - even if it takes a few tries to find the right person.
Seeking therapy doesn't mean there's something "wrong" with you, it means you're prioritising yourself. As I’ve said before (and will happily say again), going to therapy has been one of the most profound acts of self-care I've ever done, and I hope you find someone to support you through life, too.
Let’s get trained in Mental Health First Aid this year.
It’s pretty likely that you and most people you know are already trained in First Aid and CPR - so why is it so uncommon for people to be trained in Mental Health First Aid?
Mental health problems are just as serious and life-threatening as physical health problems. And while we have come a long way in recognising the existence and general impact of mental health issues - awareness alone simply isn’t enough.
Mental Health First Aid training educates and equips you to provide immediate and life-saving support to any individual experiencing a mental health crisis. A powerful step we can all take to support mental health and help put mental wellbeing on the table.
Prioritising self care in 2023 is key for supporting our individual wellbeing.
Sure, I know the concept of self care can sound a bit vague - but self care as a concept doesn’t need to mean yoga retreats and hours upon hours of meditation (unless you’re into that). At its core, self care is about intentionally doing things that fill your cup.
Your version of self care can be anything that makes YOU feel good, an act of service for yourself. In 2023, we are scheduling time for self care, because we can only help others when we actively help ourselves, too.
Take action to continuously upskill and educate yourself.
Seriously, when it comes to understanding mental health - there’s a lot of ground to cover, maybe that’s why it takes many years to become qualified as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or any other mental health professional. Now, I’m not saying you need to do years and years of rigorous study to support mental health, but I just want to highlight that learning more about mental health and illness should be an ongoing journey for us.
You might like to dive into some online, on-demand courses created by yours truly that have been designed specifically for this purpose. By continually upskilling and educating ourselves about mental health, illness and crises, we are playing an active role in not only supporting our own wellbeing, but that of our communities too!
These are just four simple steps we can all take to continue to cultivate a healthy relationship and understanding of mental health, both as individuals and the collective.
How will you help rewrite the narrative around mental health in 2023?