This month is Mental Health Month, a national event which aims to improve community awareness and interest in mental health and wellbeing.
The theme for 2024 is “it’s time to talk about mental health” and we’ve asked our Mental Health and Wellbeing teams to talk about breaking down stigma, seeking support and the importance of early intervention.
Is your check engine light on? Senior Clinician with our Head to Health team Jessica Cullen talks about the importance of self-care and talking openly about mental health.
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People are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of talking about mental health. Talking about mental health is one of the ways we, as a community, can lessen the shame some people feel due to the stigma that continues to surround this subject.
Getting help isn’t a sign of weakness – it is a sign of strength.
Like physical health, mental health is a part of everyone’s life. Good mental health and wellbeing contributes to feeling, thinking and acting in a way in which you enjoy life.
Someone who is struggling with their mental health and wellbeing can experiences feelings of sadness, difficultly thinking clearly or feel overwhelmed.
Do you ever feel like your body’s check engine light is on and you are still driving it like “nah, I’ll be fine”?
While some people may make comment on your remarkable level of resilience, the reality is that you wouldn’t let this continue with your car without doing something about it. Please don’t let it happen to you either.
Care for yourself like you would someone or something you care about. No car will continue to function with the check engine light on forever. Self-care is giving the world the best of you, not what’s left of you. Self-care is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and essential to maintaining good mental health and wellbeing.
Gateway Health offers professional and confidential counselling and mental health services provided in safe, supportive and non-threatening environments across a range of services. Find out more at https://gatewayhealth.org.au/services/counselling-mental-health/
