Welcome to the Unschooling School’s wellbeing page, here we hope to equip you with information about mental health and mental illness. As we are dealing with the impact of COVID-19, it is crucial that both adults and children remember that it is normal to feel stress, worry and out of our depths at times during this pandemic. Here we will provide some information and resources to inform and help our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
The difference between mental health and mental illness
We use the terms mental health and mental illness interchangeably, but they are in fact different. We all have mental health. In our in their lifetime may not experience a mental illness but they will experience struggles and hardships at some point throughout life. Our mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. This further includes our thoughts and feelings, our emotions, how we handle stress and solve problems, how we relate to others and how we make our choices.
Mental Illness is when we become unwell mentally. This then affects the way we feel, think, behave and how we interact with others.
Mental Illness is when we become unwell mentally. This then affects the way we feel, think, behave and how we interact with others.
The mental health continuum is a scale that ranges from both extremes ends of mental health to mental illness. Depending on the circumstances in our lives, we will find ourselves at a different section of the scale. We shift positions on the scale as situations in our lives either improve or deteriorate. We can educate ourselves by reviewing the mental health continuum scale. This will give us a better awareness of the scale and how it works.
|
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression is more than just a feeling. It may feel like a black cloud over our heads that we cannot shift, that the color has left our surroundings and that we no longer find joy in the activities that we used to love. But no matter how sad or bad we feel, there is always HOPE!
Continue reading for information on what depression is, how we would recognize signs, symptoms and tips that can help us on our recovery journey.
All of us can have “off days”, days where we feel its hard to get out of bed. Some days we may feel sluggish, tired or even irritable. Although when feelings of hopelessness and distress get a grip of us and will not go away, we may be experiencing depression. Depression is more than just sadness after hearing bad news, struggles or setbacks of life. Depression effects how we study, work, sleep, eat and our overall enjoyment for life. People describe just trying to get through one day with depression as overwhelming.
Some may describe depression as “just not feeling their usual self”, feeling empty or living in a dark hole. Others experience feelings of anger or despair. However, if depression goes untreated it can become a serious mental health illness. It is especially important to remember that feelings of being hopeless and helpless are symptoms of depression – not the reality of our current situation.
No matter how hopeless we may feel, we can get better. By recognizing the signs and symptoms, identifying the possible cause of our depression and learning tools to cope with our condition. By reading this far we are already taking the steps to feeling better and beginning our journey to recovery.
Continue reading for information on what depression is, how we would recognize signs, symptoms and tips that can help us on our recovery journey.
All of us can have “off days”, days where we feel its hard to get out of bed. Some days we may feel sluggish, tired or even irritable. Although when feelings of hopelessness and distress get a grip of us and will not go away, we may be experiencing depression. Depression is more than just sadness after hearing bad news, struggles or setbacks of life. Depression effects how we study, work, sleep, eat and our overall enjoyment for life. People describe just trying to get through one day with depression as overwhelming.
Some may describe depression as “just not feeling their usual self”, feeling empty or living in a dark hole. Others experience feelings of anger or despair. However, if depression goes untreated it can become a serious mental health illness. It is especially important to remember that feelings of being hopeless and helpless are symptoms of depression – not the reality of our current situation.
No matter how hopeless we may feel, we can get better. By recognizing the signs and symptoms, identifying the possible cause of our depression and learning tools to cope with our condition. By reading this far we are already taking the steps to feeling better and beginning our journey to recovery.
Signs & Symptoms
- Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness – feeling pessimistic about everything, that nothing in life will get better and that there is nothing we can do to change our current situation.
- Weight or appetite changes - Noticing a change in our weight loss or weight gain, a noticeable change of more than 5% of weight in a month.
- Sleep changes – Waking early hours of the morning, insomnia or oversleeping.
- Anger or irritability – Feelings of agitation, restlessness or even becoming violent. Tolerance levels are low, we notice our temper is short and that everything/everyone is getting on our nerves.
- Lack of interest in daily activities – We no longer find enjoyment in hobbies, social activities, work or sex. We no longer have the feelings of pleasure or joy in life.
- Loss of energy – Feeling tired/ fatigued or physically drained. Simple tasks may feel exhausting or take longer to complete.
- Cognitive problems – We struggle to concentrate, make decisions and have problems with our memory.
- Physical health issues – Noticing an increase in physical issues such as headaches, body aches, muscle pain, stomach upset, jaw or teeth pain.
- Self-loathing – Having strong feelings of guilt or worthlessness. We become critical about choices or mistakes we make.
- Impulsivity – Engaging in impulsive decision making that may lead us to chaotic behaviors such as consuming alcohol, drugs or engaging in dangerous activities.
Nurse Kerrie is a dedicated and enthusiastic qualified mental health nurse. She has recently just moved to Canada from Scotland and offered to share some insights, tips, and resources with the Unschooling School organization because she is dedicated to helping people flourish.
Kerrie is passionate about helping people become their best self. She feels it’s essential that everyone, but especially young people, have a better understanding of their mental health. Nurse Kerrie states that being able to recognize the signs of our mental health deteriorating is incredibly important. By educating ourselves, and taking preventative measures to look after our mental health and well-being, we not only reduce future mental health related conditions, but we can also save lives by recognizing signs in someone else. Education and promotion of mental health can also help to reduce the stigmatization that still effects people around the world. If we become more mindful of how our thoughts, actions and behaviours effect our mental health and wellbeing, this will help us to ultimately live a more fulfilled and balanced life. Nurse Kerrie has recently launched her own Instagram page called Wild Hope & Wellness. Her goal is not only to educate, but to inspire and motivate individuals to want to make positive changes for themselves. Please head over to her Instagram page @ Wild Hope & Wellness https://www.instagram.com/p/CPjGb1jrQTV/?utm_medium=copy_link. Kerrie Borland Mental Health Nurse BSc Mental Health Nursing |