Commemorating Mental Health Week in Australia

Mental Health Week in Australia has just passed (4-10 October 2015).

Attending few of events related to Mental Health Week made me think more lately how people perceive mental healthiness as something taboo.

I remember few months ago when I published in my blog that I deal with general anxiety problem, my boyfriend at that time came to me saying that I should not let public know about that. I should act strong.

But you know what letting people know my weakness does not necessarily mean I am week.

By sharing my stories online, I want people who experience the same thing with me know that they are not alone.  That having issue with mental healthiness is something that many people deal with.

Sharing my stories shows that I am strong somehow. Because I dare to admit that I have a problem and not feel embarrass to seek out help because it could happen to anyone.  In fact, many people who deal with the same issues don’t seek for help because unlike physical illness, mental illness still has a stereotype. According to a report, in each year, approximately one in every five Australians will experience a mental illness. However, it is ludicrous to know that most people just stay silence for serious things they are going through.

 

Source: http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/docs/Factsandfiguresaboutmentalhealthandmooddisorders.pdf

Mine was not something severe. I think it was something to deal with external stressors. I did withdraw myself from many activities during my tough time. People might not notice because from outside I look perfectly fine but my mind inside was so hazy.  So how do I deal with the issues?

1. Talk

I let my family and few of friends I trust know my issues. They might be the fixer but telling people your struggle leave a sense of relieve

2. Yoga

This helps a lot, really. There is a magic in Yoga technique that has been practised for thousand of years that somehow improve your mental wellbeing

3. Meditation

I think the practise has significantly improved my mental wellbeing. I practise breathing meditation that I learn when I was living in Nepal for a short time. I also do mindfulness, which is a really great technic to improve my quality of life.

Recent mindfulness journal I bought from my trip in Sydney.

I wish in the future the society could treat mental illness the same way they treat physical illness such as flu or fever.

I hope you all have a great day anyway.

Love,

Olivia

Ps. I listen to this song when I feel down, it makes me feel better all the time when I hear it.