mental health

 why mental health?

aren't I supposed to be doing the 4 pillars of  health?

well, actually, I still am.

photo by Matthew Ball on Unsplash

mental health, and emotional health, go hand in hand as one of the four supports of our life

and they impact so much of our being.

as a healer, yoga teacher and clairvoyant, I always say that not one of us escapes mental/emotional difficulties in a lifetime

This has been such a hard year for so many. I wonder if anyone came out unscathed. Who would have thought that a virus could bring the world to it's knees, so to speak. So for told untold millions, or is it billions? of humanity, the past twelve months have been anywhere from difficult to horrendous due to the virus.

And other things happen in life, too, that cause great angst. Who of us has not experienced this? Few, I suspect.

I've been seeing so much of mental and emotional angst. 

Our foundations, our pillars, they are for sustaining us and our loved ones. When we are having emotional and mental distress - for they both go hand in hand - this pillar needs support. Often, this support comes from within oneself. Othertimes, no, we need support from others.

disclaimer:

I'm not a psychologist, nor a counsellor or similar. I'm just someone who has lived a life and learnt lessons. From my own life and that of others'. Nor am I into judging others.

And this isn't about major life happenings which are beyond our control. Nor about genetic mental health problems. Nor diagnosed mental disorders.

our body often sends us messages when something is not right:

When I was younger, right up to joining an ashram, I listened to my emotional feelings. And my body reactions. Even strange things like my spine "giving way" and me feeling as though I couldn't stand upright. My best friend had gotten involved with a man who wasn't nice and was - you guessed it - he was spineless. My body was trying to tell me this.

Unfortunately, the ashram culture that I was involved in many years ago, was very suppressive and controlling. Like a cult. And our emotions? We were belittled and bullied for having them. I stopped listening to my emotional and bodily reactions, which had previously served me so well. 

Unfortunately, I also found out that bullying is everywhere, in many forms, in society.

But these days I am like a hawk: keeping an eye out for this, trying never letting that sort of behaviour back into my life. Nevertheless, yes, it still happens unexpectedly.

And, I know that the effects of mental and emotional abuse are insidious. They chip at our self worth, so that it gradually decreases. 

So, why am I saying all of this? Well, we all have triggers in our life that cause us emotional distress. Obviously, being bullied is one of mine. 

So, when I talk about listening to our emotions, what do I mean? Well, it's not about getting upset just because you want your own way. Or for getting attention. No, not at all. They are both silly stuff.

I often feel that learning to listening to our body, is a major step in taking responsibility for oneself. A lesson that I had to learn, by the way.

It's: 

• getting a funny indescribable feeling in similar situations, that something isn't quite right
• your stomach ties in knots around certain people or situations - that's a really big reaction which is screaming to us that something is wrong
• feeling insecure and unworthy around certain people
• feeling as though you have to "walk on eggshells" so to speak, and not say or do "the wrong thing" that causes someone to get angry at you
• a feeling of dread
• crying all of the time; vomitting; shaking; diarrhoea
• panic attacks
• binge eating

These are just some of the ways. There will be many more. 

it helps to move away from stressful people. For our own psychological health:

And it is so sad when someone who is in a situation that is caused by bullying, feels that they need medication because they have some of the above symptoms. Maybe they don't need the medication (and maybe they do). When we get rid of the bullies, and we do have to be strong and resolute to do this, we can then start restoring ourselves. But honestly, it can take a while in some instances. 

Just saying. From personal experience. And from being with other people suffering. And as a healer and clairvoyant. Sometimes the big box of tissues when I'm giving a sad reading - the box is for me!! 

 and finally, why am I banging on about psychological health? 

• a healthy level of mental/emotional health makes us more resilient. More able to cope with life's "bad stuff"
• how we are, teaches our children and grandchildren, how to be
• we just are happier when we have this pillar nice and strong

I honestly am interested in what other people think, or feel, about all of this. Life has certainly taught me that this pillar does get rocked around in life

you might also like these light hearted posts about happiness:

* learning how to be happy

* this one is about people who are happy

* the okayness of human emotions