Blog

Deb Gleeson - 02 July 2017

How to strengthen your mental health and wellbeing

Protective factors for Mental Health

In our blogs we have talked a lot about Mental Health issues and how to assist a person experiencing mental Illness….but how do you build up protection for yourself and your family and friends against mental illness?

One of the most effective protective strategies for mental health and wellbeing is RESILIENCE.

Resilience is the ability to 'bounce back' from stressful or challenging experiences. It involves being able to adapt to changes and approach negative events, sources of stress and traumatic events as constructively as possible.

How do you build your own resilience and help your children build theirs?

1. Have the courage to be imperfect. Striving to be perfect can affect your mental health. Instead look at yourself as perfectly imperfect.
2. Practice Gratitude, every night before you go to sleep think of three things you are grateful for.
3. Take time for yourself. Look after yourself and take time to do things you enjoy.
4. Be active and involved. Join in community activities and make sure you do some form of physical activity daily.
5. Spend time with others who accept and love you for who you are.
6. Practice laughter daily. Laugh out loud. Find activities that make you happy.
7. Invite your neighbour over for a cup of tea. Remember strangers are friends you haven't met yet. Practice being generous.
8. Have the courage to do the thing/s you have been putting off.

Children generally find resilience exercises interesting and helpful:

1. No matter what happens you are still good enough.
2. Everyone is different. Don't compare yourself with others. You are the best you.
3. Learn something new every day.
4. Your emotions are OK. If they are very strong ask yourself where is a safe place for me to let these emotions out?
5. Care about yourself and others.

Being resilient doesn't mean that a person doesn't experience difficult life events, but rather that they are better able to cope with them when they do occur. Often resilience is built through the experience of difficult life events. It is not necessarily a fixed trait, but something all people have the potential to develop.

Developing a greater level of resilience won't stop negative or stressful things from occurring, however it can reduce the level of disruption a stressor has on the individual and the time it takes for them to recover from it.

Remember Mental Health is everyone's business