What Are Mental Health Issues?

Mental Health Issues are more than just a bad day or a rough week, Mental health issues are more than just a bad day or a rough week; they are an ongoing challenge that affects our everyday lives. They influence how we think, feel, and behave. For someone struggling with mental health issues, even simple, everyday tasks can become overwhelming. Activities like getting out of bed, maintaining personal hygiene, going to work, cleaning, or socialising with friends can feel like insurmountable obstacles.

These issues can manifest in various ways. Here are some common examples:

- Constant worrying

- Racing thoughts

- Difficulty sleeping

- Losing focus or getting lost in thought

- Lack of appetite

- A desire to be alone

**Important Note:** Mental health issues do not look the same for everyone!

They can range from common conditions such as:

- Depression

- Anxiety

To more complex disorders, including:

- Bipolar disorder

- Schizophrenia

- PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

**Keep in Mind:** Mental health issues are real health conditions, just like physical illnesses. They do not reflect laziness, weakness, or self-consciousness. Mental health issues are more common than many people think. In 2021, 13.9% of the global population experienced mental health issues, and Mental disorders accounted for 17.2% of total years lived with a disability worldwide that same year. It is an ongoing challenge that affects our everyday lives, such as how we think, feel and behave in our daily lives. When someone is struggling with mental health issues, it can make easy, everyday tasks overwhelming, for example, getting out of bed, personal hygiene, going to work, cleaning or just going out to see friends or food shopping.

GOOD NEWS

Mental Health Issues can be treated, whether that be therapy, medication or lifestyle changes.

People can and do recover. The key is to recognise when your Mental Health Issues are getting bad again, and to go and ask for help.

Searching for help is a sign of strength, not failure!

You will be ok <3