Recognized by the World Health Organization every year, October 10th marks World Mental Health Day! Its main objective? To raise awareness for the importance of mental health issues and mental wellbeing across the world while also supporting efforts to expand support globally. In the US alone, approximately 52.9 million adults live with some form of mental illness. There are infinite ways you can help bring about change to accomplish the mission of World Mental Health Day but for the sake of this post, we’ll stick with a few that you can implement now.
1. Raise awareness about mental health and wellbeing
This bit of advice is especially important if you come from a background that stigmatizes mental health and wellbeing. In raising awareness about these important matters, you make it easier for others to get the help they need. By sharing information about mental health and uplifting those that need help, you’ll be able to make a difference.
2. Connect with loved ones
Connecting with friends, family, and loved one is a great way to improve your mental health and the mental health of those around you. Spending time together allows for deeper connections and beautiful memories to be made. Having these strong bonds is essential to bettering your mental health as having people in your life that you can depend on becomes all the more important when you’re struggling.
3. Do random acts of kindness
Throughout your day, doing little things to be kind to others is another fantastic way to bring greater awareness to mental health. The acts themselves don’t have to be elaborate and ornate, just enough to bring a smile to someone’s face. Maybe it’s in the form of complimenting someone’s outfit or holding the door for a stranger when you’re out. Whatever act you choose, make sure it’s something you can do with kindness.
4. Treat yourself!
Our last piece of advice (and a favorite one at that!) is to treat yourself. Taking the time out of your day to take care of yourself is the best way to honor your mental health and wellbeing. By building up greater appreciation for yourself, you’ll be able to care for yourself. Some examples of things you could do include buying/making your favorite meal, investing time into a skincare routine, watching a movie, or taking a walk. Whatever t suits your needs, take time to treat yourself every now and then to help uplift your spirits.
By raising awareness and taking action to improve your mental health and the mental health of those around you, you can ensure you’re making the most of this World Mental Health Day! For more information on how you can better your mental wellbeing, visit our other blog posts!