Mental health is a pervasive topic, thrown around in casual conversation, plastered across social media, and championed by online gurus, medical professionals, and experts alike. While commonly reduced to internal factors like our behaviors, our brain chemistry, or our habits of thoughts, but mental health is far more complex. This intricate state is shaped by an interplay of individual, social, and structural factors that evolve throughout a person’s life. Recognizing this multifaceted nature is crucial for developing effective strategies to promote and maintain mental well-being.
In recent years, the term ‘social determinants of health’ (SDOH) has gained prominence in medical and public health spheres. Originating from the World Health Organization, SDOH are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They include the conditions in the environments where individuals are born, grow, work, live, and age, highlighting how everyday environmental factors impact well-being. Research consistently demonstrates that social determinants exert a significant impact on mental health outcomes, influencing an individual’s quality of life, daily functioning, and even longevity. These factors are recognized as critical for both preventing the onset and effectively managing existing mental health disorders. The five core domains of social deter-minants of health are: economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, social and community context. This perspective strongly advocates for public health policies that prioritize investment in social programs, equitable policies, and community development, shifting the burden of health from individuals to collective responsibility.
Ideally, governments should strengthen their focus on prioritizing community development initiatives. However, while we advocate for systemic change, we can also explore the social determinants over which we as individuals have personal control.
It’s normal to feel a little down when..
It’s natural to have adverse reactions to disturbances. Conflicts, difficulties, injustice, illness, loss, and upheaval are all situations that should impact emotional wellbeing. In the face of troubles, it’s appropriate for us to sometimes feel a drop in energy, or a sense of despair. Our emotions carry insights into our inner and outer worlds, our role is to understand their meaning and respond with intentional, informed action.
However, it is crucial to differentiate between despair that arises from internal struggles and that which stems from external circumstances. To maintain a watchful eye on your mental health, here are a few key indicators you can monitor:
The Personal: How well are you taking care of you?
Diet: Are you eating well and often enough? Does your diet consist mostly of fast food? A nutritious diet is foundational for both physical and mental energy.
Exercise: Your physical and mental health are deeply connected. Exercise triggers the release of endorphins in your brain acting as a natural “brain refresher.” This can improve your focus, boost your mood, and enhance your productivity.
You don’t need an intense workout; even a brisk 20-minute walk can have benefits.
Sleep: Quality sleep is more crucial than the number of hours spent in bed. Sleep plays a vital role in optimal brain function. As Dr. William Dement famously noted, of the three pillars of health—diet, exercise, and sleep—only sleep is consistently correlated with increased longevity and a reduced prevalence of disease.
The Relational: Who are you surrounded by?
The people we surround ourselves with profoundly impacts our self-esteem and overall well-being. Debi Hope’s quote captures this perfectly: “Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.” It’s a blunt yet powerful reminder that sometimes, the struggle we feel isn’t an internal flaw, but rather a reflection of an unhealthy external environment. Consider these factors:
Your partner: Is your relationship truly working? Do you feel loved, respected, and welcome in your relationship? Or are you feeling alone and isolated?
Your family relations: Is your family a healthy and supportive place to be, or is it weighed down by constant tension and unspoken issues?
Your Friends: Are your friends genuinely supportive and caring? Do you enjoy their company? Or do you find yourself tolerating conflicts and turmoil from people who don’t really have your best interests at heart?
Your colleagues: Is your work environment healthy and emotionally well-regulated?” How well is your workplace managed? How are you treated? Do you look forward to getting to work each day, or do you dread it? It has often been said that “people don’t quit their jobs; they quit their managers.
Even then sometimes you feel a little low…
Sometimes when everything looks good on paper: you are taking care of your personal health, exercising and eating well,surrounded by loving individuals and a supportive environment – yet something still feels off. It’s a common and confusing experience.
When things feel a little off, try this checklist to help you figure out what you need:
1. Take A Break: Sometimes, that “off” feeling is just your body and mind telling you it’s overworked or stuck in a rut. And that’s okay! A break is different for everyone. It could mean allowing yourself to take a nap, devoting a whole day to binge-watching your favorite show, or engaging in movement, exercise, or spending time in nature. What is a break for you?
2. Entertainment: Distractions like games, TV, movies, and social media can give you a nice time out and restore a sense of pleasure. Just keep an eye out on the amount of time you spend on distractions – if you notice yourself using distractions all the time, ask yourself what you’re avoiding.
3. Artistic Expression: Expressing your art or viewing the art of others is a special kind of healing activity. You can get yourself an adult coloring book or even lock your bedroom door and dance to your heart’s content. If you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed, you can even try channeling difficult feelings into your art. It’s about creative release, rather than perfection.
4. Genuine Connection: Reach out to someone who genuinely cares – a friend, grandparent, teacher, or neighbor. You don’t necessarily need to tell them what’s wrong, just being reminded that good people exist and that you are cared for is enough.
5. Nature: Nature has an incredible power to heal and recenter us. Spending time outdoors can significantly boost your well-being. Did you know that in Japan, doctors literally prescribe “forest bathing” (shinrin-yoku) for its health benefits? A walk in a park, sitting by a body of water, or just feeling the sun on your skin can make a huge difference.
6. Anything you love doing: Finally, ask yourself: “What do I enjoy doing?” This could be cooking, working out, listening to music, playing an instrument, gardening, or anything else that brings you joy. If nothing immediately comes to mind, then perhaps figuring out what you love is a great place to start!
What’s one thing from this list that you can do today?
The writer can be contacted at: perinxavari@gmail.com
