by

Kya Grace

The idea of mental health does not pertain to just the absence of mental disease or infirmity. It depends on whether you can express your emotions and react accordingly to the demands of daily life. A more holistic approach towards mental health is the one which considers the well being of the whole person including mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, social and environmental factors. A mentally healthy person has a sense of control, is able to cope up with the inevitable changes of life, has a positive and realistic aspect towards all the events and is able to express himself emotionally.

Stress affects mental health
Many people face stress, anger, anxiety or depression related issues. Yet if confronted, they refuse to believe that their mental health requires attention. There are a lot of common things that can have an impact on the mental health of a person. Perhaps the most common is the stress people face these days in this fast paced world, whether it is because of stressful work conditions, social exclusion or violent personal relations. There are chances that people are not able to balance all aspects of their lives. They can lose balance while juggling between the roles that they have to play.

Maintaining balance in life
Some people are workaholics and they give more priority to their work rather than their personal life. This can affect their personal and social relations in their society. Ever tried to calm down a person who is in a fit of anger? He would probably retaliate and blame you for his loss of patience. This is a very common plight. Apart from this, there are people who are unable to vent out their emotions and often land into depression. They might have faced an unfortunate event and are unable to rebound from it.

Help yourself
These issues may sound minor to most people but anyone can get trapped in it without even realizing it. You can decrease the amount of mental and emotional wear and tear by changing your perspective towards life in the following ways:
â ¢ Never hold a grudge against anyone; if you have any issues improve your communication with that person and solve it. Vent out your anger if you have to but don't hold on to it for long.

â ¢ Be socially active, maintain supportive relationships, take breaks and enjoy life. Don't let your professional and personal life come in each other's way.
â ¢ Be passionate about something, which would give you a break from the stress of your fast paced life - pick up a hobby for example.

â ¢ It is important to maintain a good physical health. Even a lack of physical exercise can cause dementia and depression. Therefore, exercise, eat right food and get ample amount of sleep.

â ¢ It is good to set you goals high and be competitive in nature but don't be over ambitious. It is also important to be content with yourself in order to enjoy life each day.

â ¢ Manage your finances smartly, as financial problem is the most common factor for stress. Although it is also good to indulge and pamper yourself sometimes.

Know yourself better, understand what makes you really happy, and learn to balance what you can and cannot change about yourself.

Kya Grace is nationally renowned fitness expert and owner of Dangerously Fit Personal Training. If you would like to register for a personal training session, or a free boot campconsultation, visit Bootcamps Sydney.