Make Mental Health a Family Affair
Families form the basic foundation of our society and the month of May is dedicated to celebrating family each year with International Day of Families on 15 May. According to the United Nations (UN), the Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly back in 1993 with the aim to reflect on the importance attached to family and keeping a community. The day also provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic, and demographic issues affecting families.
A recent publication from “Focus on Family” states that mental health is vital to the way families function. The family environment can play a crucial role in creating positive mental health for each family member, especially children. Their research also found that good mental health and family support can go hand in hand and that the majority of their patients with serious mental illnesses relied on their family as the primary source of strength. When problems with your family arise or your relationships with your loved ones are rocky, it could make your mental health problems worse.
In contrast, when your family supports you, your mental health could show vast improvements. Therefore, it is important to nurture mental health as a family, because by creating close family bonds and relationships, you foster a family environment where it is ok to talk about mental health issues and further understand those who have mental health issues.
By being able to speak about mental health as a family you are building family confidence in both yourself and children to freely express what is happening in their thought bubbles, (e.g. How they are truly feeling). It also helps eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health.
CONTACT OUR KAELO LIFESTYLE CONSULTANTS FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO COPE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AS A FAMILY.
Dates to Remember
5 May: Hand Hygiene Day
6 – 12 May: National Burns Awareness Week
15 May: International Day of Families
17 May: World Hypertension Day
31 May: World No Tobacco Day
WAYS TO END MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
