Your Feelings Are Valid

Mental health has always been an important factor in life. It holds a crucial role in one’s productivity and life quality. Nevertheless, the majority of people don’t realize its importance due to the stigma around mental health. In order to encourage those who seek help, Mental Health Awareness Month was born.

Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM in short) was first celebrated in the United States of America in the year 1949. Each year, a theme is selected as a highlight of the celebration which is held in May. This year, the theme that is chosen by the Mental Health America organization is “Back to Basics”, in which its goal is to provide information to improve people’s mental health conditions after the last two years of living in the middle of the pandemic. Throughout the month, numerous events and social media campaigns are held to hopefully gain people’s awareness of the significance of mental health.

Now that it is explained what Mental Health Awareness Month is, here are some of the most common mental health problems that people experience in daily life :

• Depression

Depression is a common mental health disorder that causes a loss of interest in activities. This persistent feeling can lead to changes in sleeping habits, appetite, concentration, and eventually thoughts of suicide. The symptoms include loss of interest, mood swings, sadness, hopelessness, insomnia, or lack of concentration. Luckily, this disorder can be medically treated.

• Anxiety disorder

This mental health disorder causes people to feel worried, anxious, or fearful. These feelings are felt strong enough to hinder one’s daily activities, leading to panic attacks, stress, and restlessness. The symptoms include irritability, restlessness, fatigue, sweating, lack of concentration, or insomnia. This disorder can also be treated through counseling or medication.

• Eating disorder

Eating disorder is usually seen as a common and unharmful mental disorder. However, this abnormal eating behavior can negatively impact one’s mental and physical health. This disorder is usually caused by biological and environmental factors, in which cultural idealization contributes a big role in eating disorders. Treatments such as counseling, proper diet, a normal amount of exercise, and medication are proven to be effective for many eating disorders.

• Obsessive-compulsive order

Obsessive-compulsive order, also widely known as OCD, is characterized by one’s excessive obsessions that lead to repetitive behaviors. The most common OCD is fear of germs and the urge to arrange objects in a specific manner. Unfortunately, this disorder can’t be cured. However, treatments such as talk therapy and medication can help reduce the symptoms.

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder, also widely known as PTSD, is a disorder in which people can’t recover from a traumatic event that happened in their past. People with this disorder will experience intense emotional and physical reactions once PTSD is triggered. The symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, hostility, insomnia, emotional detachment, guilt, or loneliness. PTSD can be treated by the use of psychotherapy and medications.

If you notice a friend, loved one, or anyone that suffers from the symptoms above, encourage them to seek a medical professional so that their symptoms won’t get worse. In addition to that, listening to their problems will also be a great help. Always remember that your feelings are valid no matter what.

To access Psychological Services for Mental Health (Sejiwa) for further counseling, dial the National COVID-19 Hotline number - 119.

Written by Aurelia R. P. /X MIPA 2