Ihsaan Magazine May 2020 Issue - Living your best Life | Página 30

- our achievements, persons in our lives,
possessions, our dreams, wins and prides,
redirects our brains to shift attention away
from what we do not have and toxic emotions,
towards appreciation and contentment; thus
making it considerably harder to ruminate on
negative experiences. Therefore, making daily
lists of things we are grateful for, or having
a gratitude box where entries are placed for
future review can be very helpful.
crafting, cooking, decorating, building something
or taking photographs.
Movement boosts brain function. Due to
brain-body interconnectedness, movement
can improve mood, self-esteem and cognition,
and reduce stress and negative emotions. The
benefits of exercise on mental and physical
well-being are well-established, but other simple
movements can also be healing. These can
include taking a stroll, jogging, stretching, yoga,
dancing, engaging in sports, doing yard work
and chores at home, using a stress ball etc.
Engaging in social activities is often difficult
with a mental health challenge due to loss of
interest in people and activities, low motivation
and energy, anxiety and fears etc. However, an
extra push to get up and get involved in some
form of social interaction can be immensely
helpful, as it can provide a sense of support
and comfort and valuable connections which
humans as social beings need. Examples may
include talking to a supportive friend or relative
in person or via phone, going to the park, mall
or beach, enrolling in a class, or doing a good
deed for someone such as giving a gift, charity
or counsel.
Spirituality provides many with hope,
purpose and meaning that aid in mental and
emotional endurance. Persons may find solace
in individual and/or congregational prayer,
meditation, listening to religious talks, recitation
or music, and reading holy texts; as they may
be comforted by the presence of a higher
power, find meaning in their experiences, and
encouragement that their perceived burdens are
endurable.
Gratitude has in recent scientific studies
emerged as having positive effects on mental
health. Research has found that acknowledging
and noting things that we are grateful for
While the aforementioned greatly promote
mental well-being, their impact may be limited
for persons with more severe symptomology.
Persons who experience persisting symptoms,
minimal relief and impaired functioning ought
to seek professional intervention. A personal
physician may be able to identify the need for
further assistance and refer for psychological
or psychiatric treatment. Despite increasing
acceptance and public awareness, there is
still a stigma associated with seeking help
from mental health professionals. Persons
may be afraid of how they may be perceived
by others, they may fear or be ashamed of
possible pejorative labels like “crazy” or
“psycho” or they may doubt the efficacy of
treatment. However, a necessary comparison
can be made with a physical illness. If one
experiences recurrent and severe chest pains
or found an abnormal growth on their body,
one may try home remedies, deep breaths,
prayer, over the counter medications etc;
but with no resolution, there will be little
hesitation to consult with a doctor for
treatment who may, in turn, refer the patient
to a specialist for medications, therapies or
other treatment. Mental health intervention
ought to be viewed similarly – with persons
acknowledging that their challenges may not
resolve independently and that it is important
to access additional specialised intervention.
Many persons tend to seek the counsel of
their religious leader, but it should be noted
that professional mental health issues require
the intervention of a qualified clinician.
As such, recommended intervention may
take the form of medical management by a
Psychiatrist to aid in balancing the number
of important brain chemicals that influence
symptom manifestation; and/or psychotherapy
and counselling by a trained Psychologist/
Therapist. The latter may use a range of
techniques to explore past experiences and
the origins of maladaptive thoughts, process
emotions and experiences, help develop new
behavioural patterns, alternative thoughts
and coping strategies; towards the overall goal
of improved psychological health. Specific