MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH
By Kermit F. Klaerner
This year, Mental Health Month focuses on the mind-body connection. The message: Both mental health and physical health go hand in hand and are crucial for living productive and happy lives.
Stress is one factor that affects both mental and physical health. You can’t always control the amount of stress in your life, but you can control how you handle it. Following are some things to consider: eat right, get regular sleep and exercise, limit alcohol and caffeine, get regular check-ups, stop smoking, take five when you need to, do an activity you enjoy, prioritize your workload, take one thing at a time, learn to say “no,” don’t expect perfection, compromise, go easy on criticism, and talk your problems out. Also, listen to the physical messages your body is sending to you and, if necessary, walk away from the stressful situation until you feel mentally capable of handling it.
Mental health problems also impact on the workplace. More than 90 percent of employees agree that their mental health and personal problems spill over into their professional lives and have a direct impact on their job performance. Research has found that mental health conditions are actually the second leading cause of absenteeism. Your organization may be experiencing more absenteeism, reduced productivity, and inferior work quality from staff members who face emotional stress and time demands. Remember, one in four people report that they have missed work as a result of work-related stress.
Common sources of stress include financial worries, concerns about job security, leaner workforces causing greater workloads, job burnout, demands of work and family combined, troubled relationships, and care-giving for a sick loved one or an aging parent. Chronic stress can affect the body in a number of ways. It weakens the immune system, which can cause fatigue and make individuals more susceptible to colds and flues. It can also trigger a variety of ailments from gum disease to osteoporosis, cause premature aging, and lead to life-threatening illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Children also suffer from stress in their lives. Good mental health allows children to think clearly, develop socially, learn new skills, build self-esteem, and develop a positive attitude and mental outlook. In order to achieve these goals, children must receive unconditional love, have their confidence and self-esteem nurtured, receive encouragement to enjoy periods of play, have organized activities when they parents are not available, have a safe and secure environment, get appropriate guidance (and discipline) when necessary, have regular contact from their parents, experience open lines of communication, and get referral to professional help if a possible problem is detected. Remember, parenting is a full-time job.
For Mental Health Month, be sure and evaluate both your mental and physical health. Treat your body right. Set realistic goals. Set and re-set your priorities. Take one task at a time. And take five when you feel stress building.
MIND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH!
Kermit F. Klaerner is the executive director of the Mental Health Association in Abilene. Mental Health Matters is sponsored by the Mental Health Association, phone (325) 673-2300, e-mail mhaa@bitstreet.com. Need help? Call the Hope Line (325) 677-7773.