3 things everyone needs to know about mental health

Are you or is someone you love suffering from a mental health condition? Some information you need to know.­

Last week I attended a seminar on mental health and mood disorders. As this is an area I focus on in my practice I was very much looking forward to hearing all the latest research and clinical applications. However, walking out the door at the end of the day there was one thing prioritising my thoughts. That one thing is the importance of education. Yes, all aspects of education are important but what I am actually referring to is the education of our community when it comes to mental health.

The three main things I feel need to be emphasised are:

1. How common these conditions are.

2. The huge variety of treatment options available.

3. The detriment of not seeking help when you need it.

Mental health is a huge umbrella under which many disorders are placed. The most common include:

·      Depression

·      Anxiety

·      Substance use disorders

How common are these disorders in Australia?

I myself was astounded to hear that Australia has the second highest rate in the WORLD of antidepressant prescriptions per capita, and this is increasing by about 25% each year.

Between the years 2012-2013 anti-depressant prescriptions increased by 96%.

Nearly half the population (45%) will experience a mental health disorder at some stage in their lives.

Over 25% of Australian adults report high levels of anxiety and/or depression.

35% have a significant level of distress in their lives.

26% have above normal levels of anxiety symptoms.

26% have moderate to extremely severe levels of depression symptoms.

In 2015 the number of Australians living with anxiety was higher than ever before.

Depression is one of the most common conditions in young people and increases during adolescence.

At least one third of young people have had an episode of mental illness by the time they are 25 years old.

Are antidepressants the only treatment option available?

The huge rise in antidepressant prescriptions is most shocking but what is even more concerning is the number of our youth being put on these medications. The medication on its own is only a small part of the concern but my main worry is why so many of our youth need these types of medication. More than that many clinical trials have found these medications to only have moderate superiority to placebo and they do not reduce suicidal tendencies. 

This is why I believe it is essential for people to be aware of the multifaceted approach necessary when it comes to mental health. What I mean by this is that anti-depressant medications are not the only option and that their efficacy can be greatly improved when combined with other treatments. The human body is hugely complex and simply focusing on the brain means we may be missing many other contributing factors when it comes to mental health.

Research has found that several factors can actually change the brain structure making a person more prone to mental illness. Stress is a large contributing factor, which can result in neuronal death and structural changes in the brain.

Some other factors that have been shown to contribute to poor mental health include:

·      Neurotoxic substances

·      Inflammation

·      Poor nutrition

·      Challenging life events

·      Loneliness

This shows how multi factorial mental health treatment should be as it should be addressing all of these factors.

Apart from medication, other essential treatments for boosting mood and enhancing brain function include:

·      Adequate nutrition

·      Physical activity

·      Adequate sleep

·      Meaning and purpose in life

·      Social connections

·      Natural treatments such as herbal medicine, nutritional supplements and flower essences.

Why it is so important you seek help.

If you find yourself struggling with stress or anxiety on a regular basis you should do something about it. What seems like a normal way to be in today’s society may actually be changing your brain structure in a negative way that makes you more pre-dis

posed towards other mental illnesses. This is why it is so important to seek help as soon as possible. The longer you delay it, the more damage that may be occurring within your body, the longer it will take to reverse (to whatever extent is possible), the more reliant you may be on medication and the worse your symptoms will get. Don’t delay seeking help as you think ‘I can cope with this for now’ or ‘ill get help if it gets worse’ as by the time it gets to that stage so much more damage may have occurred. Possibly all you will need are some dietary and lifestyle modifications at the beginning but if you leave it too long, medication or more serious treatments are much more likely to be required. I am particularly passionate about supporting our youth as many of these conditions begin in adolescence. If correct support is given to these teens it reduces the likelihood that they will be reliant on medications and will teach them better coping mechanisms that can be employed for the rest of their lives.

One more thing that I think really needs to be emphasised is that mental illness and especially asking for help is absolutely not a sign of weakness. The more we learn about mental health, the more it is discovered that it is caused by many physiological changes in the body that are often not within the individual’s control. What is a sign of strength is actually having the courage to say to someone I NEED HELP. That is the scary part, that is the part that shows you are bigger than your problems and that it the part that means you are willing to put in the work required to change.

5 ways to build self esteem

I work with so many young people who are suffering from low self-esteem and a lack of confidence. All are amazing individuals with so much potential but they just simply cannot see it within themselves. It takes me back to when I was a teenager at school constantly comparing myself to everyone else and never feeling like I was good enough. Low self-esteem has been one of my biggest challenges in life and when I look back over the last 10 years I can see such a huge difference from the insecure girl I was to where I am now. Not to say there isn’t still room for growth but it just reinforces to me that if you put in the effort to grow as an individual amazing things truly can happen.

Here are 5 tips I give my clients to help boost their confidence levels which have thoroughly aided me with mine over the years.

1.       Take risks! If you stay within your comfort zone you may avoid the anxiety and fear but you will also miss out on the excitement, sense of accomplishment and personal growth that occurs with risk taking (safe risk taking that is). I am not saying go bungee jumping but if there is something you have been avoiding such as talking in front of a group or going up to the boy your like to say hello just go and do it. Really, what is the worst that can happen? He doesn’t say hi back? Either way the boost of confidence you feel after attempting something that terrifies you is indescribable and it just shows you that you can do it again in the future and the world will not end.

2.       Find something that you are good at and enjoy. For me I always enjoyed art so I did many art related extra-curriculum activities which always left me in a really good mood. I would also feel really good about myself when I completed a project. But it doesn’t have to be art, you can join the vocal ensemble at school if you enjoy singing, join a sports team, do some writing or cooking at home. Just find something that brings you joy and go do it!

3.       Do something active daily that will help to raise your energy levels. When you are exhausted you simply cannot find the energy to go do something fun or out of your comfort zone. All you want to do is sit on the couch watching TV. Exercise is one of the best ways to boost your energy levels. If you don’t want to go outside and take a walk or a jog, you can simply run on the spot for 2 minutes a day and it’s as good as going for a 2 minute run (besides the lack of fresh air of course). You can even do this while watch TV so no excuses!

4.       Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people. How are you ever going to feel good about yourself if you are constantly surrounded by people who bring you down? This is one lesson I have had to learn over the years. If after spending time with your friends you leave feeling down rather than happy then maybe they are the wrong type of people for you to be hanging out with. Friends are there to make you feel good about yourself and to have fun with. If this is not happening find some new friends.

5.       Meditate. Doing something that helps you connect to yourself, reduce stress and feel grounded will allow to be the amazing person you are supposed to be. Meditation helps you feel empowered to take on the world and gives you direction in life.