Sometimes we forget to think about ourselves, but looking after our mental health is every bit as important as our physical health. It is ok not to feel ok. You are not alone and we are here to support you.
We ALL have mental health. Mental health impacts how we think, feel and behave. It affects how we handle our day to day stresses, all of our relationships, and the choices we make.
Their are many factors that can contribute to our mental health, from our life experience to our family history. If you have another illness such as HIV, diabetes or high blood pressure, this also increases your chance of experiencing difficulties with your mental health. BAME Communities also have specific other factors that influence mental health:
Racism and discrimination
Social and economic inequalities
Mental health stigma
It can be hard to seek help, but it is important that you do. At Hwupenyu, we seek to challenge all of the barriers to being mentally healthy.
Facts and Figures
450,000,000 people globally live with mental health conditions
25% of people will experience issues with mental health in their life time
33% of people in Scotland experience a mental health issue in their life time
66% of people do not seek help for mental health problems
5 Steps to Improve Mental Health
Connect - We are social beings, out relationships with others make a difference to how we feel. Isolating yourself can make things very challenging and can leave you feeling unsupported.
Be Active - Just getting outside for a walk or even around the house can make you feel better. If you fancy a challenge, you can start a walking group!
Learn Something New - try something that you have always wanted to do, be it sewing or baking, challenging yourself and achieving goals gives you purpose and direction.
Give to Others - this may seem like a strange one, but if you give someone a smile, they will usually give one back. It's the little things that can make the biggest difference.
Be Mindful - often, we live inside our heads and focus too much on the past and and worry too much about the future. Try live in the present moment and live what is happening for you right now.
Hwupenyu can offer a number of different options to help with these steps, from coming along to our group session (currently online!) to taking part in our workshops.