Mental Health Awareness 2022: Loneliness

Mental Health Awareness 2022 – By Siew Chan

It is Mental Health awareness week this week and the theme for this year is loneliness.

As human beings, we are hard wired for connection with others. It is therefore well-documented that loneliness and a lack of social connection can place a huge impact on our mental health and overall wellbeing.

In fact, the World Health Organisation recently stated that the Covid 19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide. One major explanation that the WHO gives for the increase is the unprecedented stress caused by the social isolation resulting from the pandemic restrictions. Linked to this were constraints on people’s ability to work, seek support from loved ones and engage in their communities.

Aside from the pandemic, loneliness, fear, suffering for oneself and for loved ones, grief after bereavement and financial worries have also all been cited as stressors leading to anxiety and depression. Among health workers, exhaustion has also been a major trigger for suicidal thinking.

What is mental health?

According to the World Health Organization, Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

So, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. According to the CDC, mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps us determine how we handle stress, how we relate to others, and whether or not we make healthy choices.

The role of Chiropractic in our mental health…

Chiropractic care is a holistic approach to health with a particular focus on the relationship between the spine and nervous system.

Correction of spinal dysfunction with chiropractic adjustments is known to improve the function of the nervous system by enhancing the communication between the brain and body as the nervous system is contained within the spinal column.

The nervous system plays a role in nearly every aspect of our health and well-being. It guides everyday activities such as waking up; autonomic activities such as breathing; and cognitive processes such as thought, memory, and emotional responses.

Chiropractors see how stress can manifest physically.  Of course, a Chiropractor cannot always remove the source of stress however by improving the function of the spine and body it can allow you to function at your full potential. The aim is to help increase the body’s capacity to deal with the effects of stress.

Self-Care tips to Boost your Mental Health

Through practising our top self- care tips, you can tackle loneliness and improve your mental health.

  • Connect with other people and talk about your feelings regularly
  • Exercise with family and friends regularly
  • Join and volunteer in your local community groups
  • Get outside and enjoy nature as much as possible
  • Try to slow down your thoughts through regular meditation through an app such as Headspace or Smiling Mind

 

The most important thing is to reach out and ask for help and support when you need it.

 

References

  1. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/
  2. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week?fbclid=IwAR3oGyfpT6QnerINMdGpSGjHXOUBqqJXMO-En2xYtoou-l4EVEmaA1SlFAY
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
  4. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/neuro/conditioninfo/functions

 

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