08 Sep R U Ok today?
Today is R U OK? Day and the foundation that does some awesome work for head health (also know as mental health issues) is boldly asking Australia to step up and make a promise to do more for family, friends and workmates. www.ruok.org.au
So much has been going on in the world of nickywaywrites, so much that I haven’t much, write that is but I have called on the support of family and friends a lot and they have been amazing lately.
Major life events like moving, having a baby, buying a house, making new connections and other big changes mean sometimes you need to ask for help. Take those changes and mix them up with a need to sort everything, do everything and be everywhere, add a large dash of stressing about too much and cook it the oven for a nice dish of overwhelm. Try not to overcook that dish of overwhelm because hey presto now you have a really annoying, slightly scary slice (hopefully not a pieful!) of anxiety. For me exercise, yoga and meditation are all helpful when stress and overwhelm turn to anxiety but so is talking with friends and family and asking for help when you need it.
If that’s not enough for you talk to you GP, find a good counsellor or a psychologist and have a conversation with them if you need to. Most importantly try to keep it all in perspective. Almost everyone will experience head health problems at some stage and this too will pass.
In fact in 2005, head health problems affected around 50% of the population according to an ABS snapshot study. That means as you look around you, every second person is or has experienced head health problems.
That’s where organisations like R U Ok? and Headspace for teens and Lifeline counselling are so important.
R U Ok? is all about you and others talking, opening up a conversation about how you’re feeling, and not being afraid to ask for help if you need it.
When I heard that it was R U Ok? Day I felt like I needed to share something of my own head health story. So many people don’t tell their story. Their story of when they’re in a bad head space because let’s face it, too many people still think head health problems are not a thing. But you know what? it’s by opening up a conversation about head health, anxiety, depression etc, that people will feel comfortable enough to share what they’re dealing with.
Lately I’ve meet some amazing people who have felt comfortable enough to share their journey with anxiety or depression. How it came about, how they overcame it, how sometimes it just gets too much. How they still work at good head health everyday. These are the people who will take the time to be there and listen, the people who will help break down people’s perceptions of bad head health as an unacceptable and non-existent illness.
Like the people I’ve meet lately who are comfortable enough to share their story, anytime it’s needed R U Ok? asks you to do just that.
Ask R U Ok?
But don’t just ask, they would like you to do something about it.
Do these three little things….ask yourself;
- So, who will you reconnect with tomorrow? And the days after that?
- Who will you reach out to tomorrow? And the days after that?
- And who will you assure that there’s no shame in asking for help on any day they say “no”?
Who knows you might be the person who stops the overwhelm from turning into anxiety and puts a person’s head health problems back into perspective.
Do you or someone you know need help with head health issues? Here are some great organisations that offer support.