Why is mental health so important?

Leading a healthy life is the first priority of most of our lives. Especially in times like the covid-19 pandemic, health occupies the first and foremost place in every individual’s prayers. Does staying healthy mean only the physical health? The answer will be a big ‘No’. Health is a holistic concept. A person without any illness cannot be termed healthy. In order to be healthy, he/she must be fir both in terms of mental and physical health.

Mental health is something that people take for granted. A person’s thoughts become his actions. When our thoughts are not healthy, so will be our behaviour. In order to breed healthy thoughts, we have to keep our mind open and think in terms of positive and healthy way of solving a problem. A person who is confused or stressed can resort to take decisions hastily and later regret for their decision.

Small actions taken with a stressful mind might have its consequences that cannot be repaired. In order stay sane, keeping our mind healthy is the prime importance. There is a concept called psychosomatic illness. This means a person’s mental state of being might affect his physical health. For example, imagine you have an interview tomorrow and you have prepared to the best of your knowledge.

But you are very nervous that your sleep pattern gets affected. You might not get a proper night’s sleep and that reflects on your interview the next day. You might look tired, be anxious and be confused to answer the questions even when you know the answers. This anxiety or self-doubt is a mental concept that affects your sleep and your regular physical activities. Thus our mental health and our physical health are definitely interrelated. It is not that we cannot feel bad, or we cannot worry about anything.

But what matters is how we handle the situation. It is about how we look at the problem, and how we act upon the problem to reach a solution. The more a person worries about their future, the more they become less hopeful. Thus, believing in one own self and one’s own abilities is very important. When a person is mentally healthy, he will be engaged in self improvement, will be creative and will be actively involved in making his life better.

There will be more room for fun and happiness in the mind of a mentally healthy person. Managing stress effectively, having a positive outlook, having a healthy diet, regular exercise and a heartfelt laugh are some of the proven techniques that lead to optimum mental health. So, let us not only stay physically fit, but also involve ourselves in the journey towards mental fitness.