Today is World Mental Health Day.
Just like physical health, everyone has mental health. Some days we feel mentally healthier than other days, and some ebb and flow is normal and expected
Doing things that help you feel and stay mentally well is prevention: things like using positive self-talk, taking breaks, practicing mindfulness or meditating, socializing to the extent you enjoy, surrounding yourself with healthy relationships, making your environment comfortable and reflective of you, and using coping skills when stressed or overwhelmed. Even if you feel relatively well, you may still want to seek therapy to gain perspective, insight, or to have a trained professional help you gain or fine-tune skills to stay well.
When those unhealthy and unwell feelings persist, you notice your functioning has declined, or areas of your life are being impacted, it's a sign that your mental health has declined and intervention is necessary. A trained therapist can help you identify what's unwell and help you address those areas so you can feel better all while learning the skills to better support your mental health.
End the stigma. Support your mental health. Talk about mental health. Reach out to a therapist if needed.