My Mind and Me: Mental Health Today
We live in a society where one in four people in 2015 will be faced with a mental health issue.
With figures so high this is the time to start talking about mental health openly.Names Related To Death
By getting it into our daily vocabulary we may create a generation who accepts mental health without stigma,
who sees it with the same weight and importance as physical health.
This is a feat being tackled by many charities across the country the likes of MIND, YoungMinds and ChildLine to name a few.
Of equal importance is raising awareness of the different options that exist for people with mental ill-health
, and not just the extremes in behaviour it can bring which are arduously detailed in television dramas.
I recently took to the streets in Glasgow and asked people what first came to mind when asked what was available
person with mental ill-health. Whilst there were varied responses the most common answers I received were either, ‘I don’t know,’ or medication
. What saddened me was the lack of awareness of the variety of therapies and community groups that are
available and being aware of those opportunities could be the difference in success.
Creativity as a Therapeutic Tool
I believe strongly that therapies should not be specific to problems but people.
Having graduated from University with a BSc Psychology degree I found myself deflated at the outlook of therapy offered to patients.
My Mind and Me: Mental Health Today
I believe strongly that therapies should not be specific to problems but people. I decided to explore what other support is offered to people
with mental ill-health and volunteered at a centre offering creative outlets for adults with mental health issues, Theatre Nemo.
They did so through a commitment to a three-month project where they could explore the feelings associated with mental ill-health through their own creative talents.
Watching the journey that these adults went on, beginning to trust their abilities and discover talents they never knew or had the opportunity before to believe in,
was simply beautiful. These weekly activities provided something different than I had seen in a therapy room;
the process put the power back in the members’ hands by creating the self-belief in their own capability that is essential in life. More so it provided a vent for any tense energy and a structure for their days.
The Benefits of Creativity
Creativity does not need to be rigidly defined solely through the arts. As humans, we display creativity in our daily actions; whether it be through arts, food, literature, writing, fashion, exercise.
These are the daily activities creative therapy targets. Approaching someone for help with a mental health issue
can be a daunting and frankly terrifying prospect- creative outlets can offer a more relatable and approachable therapeutic approach.
My Mind and Me: Mental Health Today
Often this technique has been used with children, who may find talking a hard form of communication.
However, its use and availability for adults has recently flourished as a form that emphasises rather than the final piece, the process of creation for personal expression
Many people in creative professions, from comedy to art to acting, have spoken openly and honestly about their battle with mental health.
The link between creativity and mental health is a well-observed one.
Many people in creative professions, from comedy to art to acting, have spoken openly and honestly about their battle with mental health.
Take Stephen Fry, a much-loved comedian, writer and now president of MIND charity.
His recent BBC series, ‘Stephen Fry; The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive’,
was a frank exploration of his bipolarity, how it made him behave and how often it could fuel his creativity. Speaking to the independent he said of his disorder,
“It’s tormented me all my life with the deepest of depressions while giving me the energy and creativity that perhaps has made my career.”
examples of the link between mental health and art can be seen spanning across history. We are all different, and what will help us will be different too
. The best thing to keep in mind is that if one thing hasn’t worked for you it does not mean you are ‘unhelpable.
There is so much out there,
and whether help is
found in a doctor’s office
in a community group, online or in a class, the only thing that matters is finding something that is right for you.
Five Amazing Pieces Of Business Wisdom From Successful Women
Created by SheKnows Media and BlogHer, a video features four women who are successful in their careers discussing some of the best work advice they’ve received.
While all of the women offer unique pearls of wisdom from their personal experiences, the recurring themes are clear: work hard, be flexible, and stay true to yourself.
The women in the video include managing partner of Greenroom Communications Kim Holderness, CEO of Pipeline Fellowship Natalia Oberti Noguera,
the founder of Digital Undivided Kathryn Finney and the founder of Femsplain, Amber Gordon.
All four women are on this year’s BlogHer
conference expert advisory board,
up of
37 people
who are making an impact in the media world.
BlogHer partners with She Knows media every year to organize the annual conference,
which celebrates amazing women creating powerful content on the Internet.
Here are five awesome pieces of career advice from the fabulous four:
1. “Say yes, then figure it out.”
2. “Always be true to yourself.”
3. “Fortune is in the follow-up.”
4. “Take on the bad and the good as it comes.”
5. “Make sure whatever you’re doing in business is representative of who you are.”
Each of these is very wise pearls that a lot of women not only need to hear but need to ingrain into their subconscious.
Especially in the androcentric business world, women can feel out of place and intimidated.
However, although men might have the advantage of the label, “businessman,”
the women in the video below and so many other female business entrepreneurs are inspiring legions of girls to grow up to be women who are not afraid of pursuing their dreams.
Watch the video above, and tell us, what is the best piece of advice, business or otherwise, that you’ve ever received?
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