Mental health
The term mental health refers to psychological well-being. This includes the way we feel about ourselves, the quality of our relationships with others, and our ability to cope with difficulties. Good mental health is much more than simply the absence of illness or problems; it includes:
● feelings of satisfaction, laughter and enjoyment
● experiencing both pleasant and unpleasant emotions and using strategies to manage them
● the ability to cope with stress and recover from difficulties
● a sense of meaning and purpose in activities and relationships
● flexibility in learning new things and adapting to change
● a balance between work and leisure, rest and activity
● confidence.
Taking care of our mental health means that we have to take into account all the elements that are needed to lead a fulfilling life. This includes engaging in meaningful activities and building healthy relationships. Noticing and accepting your feelings, and choosing to act according to your values, also play an important role. Changes, disappointments and losses are an integral part of life. They inevitably carry feelings of sadness, anxiety, stress and tension. By working on ourselves, we build psychological resilience, which means that we can recover from difficulties, traumas and stresses. Effective coping strategies will differ from person to person; the goal is to find the strategies and tools that work best for us.
Sometimes problems are too big or too difficult for a person to solve by themselves (by using their own coping methods). Sometimes there are simply too many problems, so a person cannot overcome them all, or those problems become too much of a burden at that moment. In such situations, it is necessary to seek support. Sometimes support from family and friends, through conversation and advice, is enough. However, it may sometimes feel as though nothing helps. This is a sign that usual ways of coping are not sufficient and that professional psychological help is needed.
If you are a student, you can seek professional psychological help at the Psychological Counselling service of the University Counselling Centre. You can also find other services on our webpage. Our advice is: ask, search – there are always solutions; you just have to reach for them. Where there is a will, there is a way!