Interesting article on mental health

Interesting to read an article on the BBC website today regarding how the mental health of our nation is deteriorating and what we can do individually to help it.

Like a lot of people, I get down about things. Some of them are serious and some of them are really daft. I get down about being out of work for long periods, long winters and short days, spending too much time on my own, our nation’s fixation with dumb-down TV and celebrity culture, and I don’t like the number of wonderfully sited bookshops that have been closed down in Liverpool only to reopen as pubs. That makes me really angry! These things depress me by varying degrees.

I can really relate to some of the 10 points made in the article and I find it reassuring that I have taken to doing some of these things naturally without considering their effects and without being told that I should do them for such and such a purpose. I suppose some of it is built in and common sense.

I like the comments in the article on gardening. I get a lot of enjoyment out of gardening and I realise that a lot of it is due to the fact that I’m caring for something that needs my attention. Something is dependent on me to keep it alive and healthy and that responsibility, however daft it sounds, means something. It’s by no means a substitute for having kids but I guess it’s a similar feeling.

Taking time to do things properly is also something I really value. My Mum always says “If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly”. Applying oneself to a task or hobby and seeing it through to a worthwhile conclusion gives a great sense of satisfaction and pride. And that’s got to be good for one’s self esteem and personal development.

There’s more to being healthy than just looking after what is on the outside and having a good diet. We can’t see how fit our brain is but if we could maybe we’d be spending as much time exercising it and stimulating it as we do to other parts of our self.