OH! Magazine - Australian Version June 2017 | Page 24

( Emotional Fitness )
HOW’S YOUR MENTAL
HEALTH?
HEIDI
DI SANTO
Mental health problems start earlier than you think.
Emotional fitness expert Heidi Di Santo explains.

umans are very resilient. We
have an incredible ability to ignore
what’s really going on inside and push
through. But ‘soldiering on’ can mean
we’re disregarding the early warning
signs when it comes to our mental and
emotional health. This is because mental
health problems start a lot earlier than
you may realise. So the aim of this article
is to raise awareness about what to look
out for.
H
Many people who come to see me do so
because they’re at the end of their tether.
They’ve pushed through until they can
push no more. They walk into my office
feeling deflated and dejected. Their inner
pain has become too much to bear.
They’re ready to learn a different way of
being in this world. When this happens, I
feel excited and sad at the same time.
I’m excited because they’ve finally
reached out for help; but I also feel sad
because they’ve struggled unnecessarily
for so long.
I’m wondering if this could be you? You
see, many people unknowingly take their
mental and emotional health for granted.
They run themselves into the ground,
operating on their reserve fuel tank, and
only reach out for help when things get
really bad!
I’m aware of this scenario because I was
one of these people. I pushed and
pushed until I could no longer push
anymore! I ignored many early warning
signs, instead choosing to mask my
symptoms. At age 25 I ran out of energy
and was forced to take notice of what my
body was trying to tell me. I needed to
change my life. I needed to take a holistic
approach to my mental and emotional
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OH! MAGAZINE ( JUNE 2017 )
health. And that crisis is the reason I do
the work I do today, because I know so
many people need to hear this message
(just like I did)!
It was only in recent times that people
started to make the connection between
physical health and early warning signs
such as high blood pressure, high
cholesterol and diabetes. This knowledge
enabled many people to take a proactive
approach towards their physical health
and wellness.
We should feel empowered because if we
want to take control of our physical
health, we can; we can choose to move
more, and choose to consume more
natural foods and beverages.
In my opinion, it’s only a matter of time
before people make a similar connection
when it comes to mental and emotional
health. You see, there are early warning
signs that I hope you won’t disregard.
These signs can often surface in
unwanted behaviours, emotions and
physical problems.
Unwanted behaviours can be things like
reliance on addictions and distractions
(e.g. gambling, drinking, shopping, TV,
sex). It can come in the form of increased
forgetfulness, social withdrawal, critical
thinking, a need to self-harm or an
inability to turn off your mind and let go.
Unwanted feelings can arise in the form
of overwhelm, stress, anger (followed by
regret), depression and anxiety.
Physical problems can start with a
change in your sleep patterns. You might
wake up at night and not be able to get
back to sleep, or you might suffer from
insomnia and have trouble getting to
sleep in the first place. It can also arise
in the form of sexual problems, reduced
immunity, constant tiredness, digestive
problems and unexplained aches and
pains
(just
to
name
a
few).
All of these things can be your body,
mind and spirit’s way of telling you to
take action, make change, and ultimately
live differently. You can choose to listen
to these things or ignore them.
So are you taking your psychological
health and wellness for granted? Are you
a ticking time bomb running unnecessary
risks when it comes to your mental and
emotional health? If you believe you are,
and you want to learn how to be proactive
with your mental and emotional health,
check out a free three-part video
workshop series called Thrive, which
starts on 16 June 2017. To find out more
visit www.theemotionalfitnessgym.com
NOTE: These videos will be available until
30 June 2017.
YOU CAN CONTACT HEIDI VIA:
Web: heidi.com.au
Facebook: theemotionalfitnessgym
Twitter: HeidiDiSanto1
Instagram: heididisanto