The Benefits of Mental Wellness.
By Ayrwyn Cousins
Mental Health affects us all. In saying that, it’s easy to get caught up in the negative stigma and emotions surrounding it. In the past, I personally struggled to accept my mental health which caused me to ignore it constantly. Over time, I learned that focusing on your mental health - or rather your mental wellness is vital. I reached out to the right resources, stood my ground against stigma and negative comments, and embraced my mental health as a part of whom I am rather than hiding from it-- and you can too!
So what is Mental Wellness? Mental wellness can be defined simply as ‘good mental health', but to dig deeper; Mental Wellness is thinking, feeling and interacting in ways that help you enjoy life and deal with difficult situations in a productive, and effective manner. Focusing on your personal mental wellness can be helpful for you now and in the future. Many people report feeling less productive when feeling low. This problem can be detrimental to your success rate as a student, however, focusing on your mental wellness can solve this issue. Some benefits of mental wellness are a stronger sense of self-worth, dignity, belonging, self-determination, tolerance, and acceptance of yourself and others. By obtaining a stronger sense of these factors, you will realize your full potential. You will relate to others more efficiently, experience more pleasure and enjoyment, handle stress better, and assess challenges and problems easier. You may set goals and follow your interests, have control and power over your life again, and develop coping skills. All these skills will help you bounce back from negative experiences. Remember that these things take time, but that there is no time limit. Everyone has the ability to improve their mental health, you just have to be willing to try.
The struggles you face when dealing with mental health are complex, frustrating, and harmful and the added stresses of being a student do not make them any easier. In bettering your personal mental wellness, these stresses will become easier to manage and overcome. Remember that you aren’t alone in this struggle. There are many resources through CUE, as well as Alberta that can aid you through this process. Remember to reach out to those around you (friends and family,) and take advantage of all of the activities surrounding mental health through CUE. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.
Enjoy the spooky season everyone! Stay safe!
