Self-Care: The Preventative Approach to Mental Well-being
Throughout the whole of this past Mental Health Awareness week, the media has been inundated with useful coverage on mental health conditions, resources and tools available to support those suffering from mental ill-health. A lot of focus has been placed on awareness of related symptoms and how to heal and survive. Mental Health issues tend to be tackled when the symptoms require urgent attention, thereby necessitating a curative approach. However mental well-being is only truly promoted when preventative measures are also adopted.
On the 5th of May, Camila Cabello delivered a heart-felt speech at the Variety’s Power of Women Event. The singer talked about her battle with mental illness, the tools and means she used during her difficult times to survive - and still uses to thrive. As I listened to her speech, the lyrics of her latest hit ‘BAM BAM’ – ‘‘I was barely standin’ but now I’m dancin’ ’’ – certainly came to my mind!
Like Camila Cabello and so many others, I too have had to work hard at regaining and maintaining my mental well-being following ‘traumas’ resulting from extremely difficult times. It is not only a question of surviving, but of thriving beyond the survival. Perhaps awareness should also be about the steps to take to protect us from acute intervention for survival. And there comes the magic word: SELF-CARE.
Self-care does not limit itself to daily hygiene, regular skin care routine, treating oneself to a new outfit, or a supportive chat with one’s best friend. Self-care also needs to include time for regular one-to-one with our own self, to ask our own self how we are feeling, to reach out for the right resources and tools to deal with adverse feelings and take us back to a stage of serenity where we feel the peace in our heart despite all the worries and apprehensions that await us in our day-to-day living. It takes considerable time and effort to devise such mental self-care routine; It is highly person centred and therefore can only come from our own self.
Of course, diagnosed mental illnesses require adequate physiological and therapeutic input. However, based on my own personal experience and on observations of my clients in my professional life, going back to our respective mental self-care routine remains a buoy of safety and comfort which helps us remain in control during stressful times.
I was barely standing…. But now I’m dancing… And I know I’ll always be back on my feet even if I’m knocked down. Bring on Bam Bam!
