5 ways to overcome suffering from mental illnesses

1 in 4 people in the UK will be affected by mental health problems, like anxiety, depression, bipolar, or schizophrenia. 

As a society we need to talk more about mental illnesses (MI) and remove the stigma surrounding them. This stigmatisation of MI is the main reason why patients are in denial of their illness.

Every 40 seconds someone takes their own life. Have you ever been surprised when you heard someone committed suicide? “But they always seemed so happy” we often say, not knowing the unseen pain or hopelessness felt by someone. Suicide is shocking, devastating and leaves people wishing they had seen the signs, or reached out more often.

As humans we need to provide support and influence the way MI is categorised and dealt with by the authorities and the medical system.

It is our responsibility to support those suffering, and give them the freedom to say “I’m not ok, I need help”.

Let's take our yoga practice off the mat, by showing unity, acceptance and love, even with others we don't know. Embrace conversations around mental health and listen to their answer, allow them to talk and give an honest opinion.

Remember we are all of the same value, we are all of the same power and we can change the world.

If there is someone in your life who you think needs help reach out and start the conversation. If you need to talk do reach out to a loved one, it could even be your yoga or meditation teacher.

Why not take some time out to focus on mental health? We know how good it is to focus on our physical health, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Give 10 mins of your day to calm your mind using relaxation or meditation. 10 mins is less than 1% of your day that you allocate to your most important asset, your mind.

Starting a mindfulness practice isn’t always easy, so if 10 mins a day is too much we suggest you take baby steps to allow for the habit to be long-term. Start by waking up 3 minutes early 3 times a week and focus on your breathing with your eyes closed. Increase this to 4 then 5 times a week, and then start to increase the amount of time. Whatever you can fit into your schedule and isn’t stressful for you to do.

You will start to feel the benefits of this calm, quiet time and it will become a priority for your health. Not sure where to start? Get in touch with me.