1 in 5 Australians between the ages of 16-85 will experience a mental disorder in any year. The most common mental illnesses include depression, anxiety and substance misuse. Mental health not only affects adults but it also affects our youth of today.
Being a GP, mental health covers over half of my consults in any given day and the commonest feeling? Feeling alone and isolated.
We are so fortunate that mental health is no longer ‘taboo’ and there is so much help out there from support groups to psychologists and medication. The hardest step is recognising the need to ask for help. This mental health week, I am encouraging those of you who may be affected and haven’t made a connection for help to make a brave step forward. You’re not alone and I’d love to help you on your journey back to good health.
With the weather looking brighter and the days getting longer, what better way to use the weekend than by catching up with friends in the outdoors. Two thirds of us spend, on average, 100 minutes on social media every day. 🤳👩💻 So this weekend, I’m prescribing your eyes a rest from your cell phones and computers and urging you to get outdoors and observe the natural beauty that surrounds us.
Before the week passes us by, make the most of today. Each day is a gift, so be sure to start your day right with a good amount of sleep and a hearty breakfast. Set yourself goals that you want to achieve and allow time for exercise and relaxation. Most importantly try to stay positive, it’s so easy to fall into a spiral of negativity but as we know, this can be self-destructive and you may not achieve anything.
Loneliness is becoming more and more prevalent, in fact one in five Australians feel that they have no-one to talk to or turn to help and one in four of us feel lonely.
Loneliness can have a detrimental affect, it’s a risk factor for depression, anxiety and over eating. Social interaction and dealing with stressful situations can also be harder.
There are several ways we can combat loneliness and it could even begin with starting a new job, hobby or volunteering in your local community.
So let’s have each other’s back and fight loneliness together.
I personally love starting my day with 10 deep breaths by the sea so I’m ready for the day ahead.
Breathing is something that we do subconsciously thousands of times a day. But how many times have you taken a moment to stop and concentrate on your breaths?
Deep breathing helps to utilise all of your lung capacity and so delivering more oxygen to your body helping you feel revitalised. It also helps to re-align your focus and give you clarity, particularly if you are feeling stressed or anxious.
