Let’s talk about Mental Health

The month of October brings to the fore a much-thought about topic, but not much of a talked-about topic – mental health. During October, the objective of not only educating the public about mental health is important, but also to reduce the stigma and discrimination that a person with a temporary or chronic mental illness is often subjected to.

AN ESTIMATED 400 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE SUFFER FROM MENTAL OR NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS OR FROM PSYCHOSOCIAL PROBLEMS.

These also include disorders related to alcohol and drug abuse.

Like physical disorders mental and brain disorders vary in severity. There are those that are:

– Transient (like an acute stress disorder)
– Periodic (like bipolar disorder, characterised by periods of exaggerated elation followed by periods of depression)
– Long lasting and progressive (like Alzheimer’s disease)
– Other conditions include:
• Schizophrenia
• Dementia,
• Depressive disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Panic disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

So, when we talk about health, we can’t just focus on heart health, or liver health, or brain health – what about “whole health”. You have to see the whole person and make use of the tools and resources that benefit minds and bodies together.

A 23-minute interview with Oprah shows that people from all walks of life can experience something that many of us might think only affect a certain race, age, social or economic profile.