BalanceJuneIssue2017 - 37

P E ACE O F MI N D

HOW ARE YOU?

It's amazing how

many people will say
comedian David Baddiel
'me too' when you
told me: 'When you're
admit to struggling
laughing at something,
with your mental
it's stripped naked of its
health. Humour's also
power, to some extent.
a powerful mechanism
for social bonding.
Comedy is often a much
greater way of understanding
something than taking it
very seriously.'
rest
This is exactly what mental health
their body
needs. We should be tackling it, exposing
if they had a
it and empowering ourselves to help our
physical illness.
mental health, rather than succumbing to
I dream that all universities will provide
the strength of mental illness.
freshers' packs with information in them
that actually speaks to students in their
EVERYDAY CHAT
language, and not that of a counsellor from
Until we start talking about what goes on
1975. I want schools to have a buddy system,
in our heads in exactly the same way as
where every pupil has five or 10 cards (or
we talk about what's on Netflix or the latest
trainers, we will never pull it out of the
dark, scary cupboard and into the light. 
The more we can do this, the more we
can access the millions of people who still
feel they have nowhere to go that doesn't
make them frightened or feel like a failure,
and the more we can help them to either
help themselves or get the help they need
from others. This, in turn, could not only
reduce waiting lists, but also save lives. 
My dream is for all businesses to be
required by law to allow their employees
to take up to 12 mental health days a year.
No docked pay. No shame. No fear of
losing a promotion. Just one day a month
where we're allowed to say: 'You know what,
I'm hitting burnout and I need to rest my
mind.' Just as they would be allowed to

pokes, emojis or whatever they would use
most) per term that they can use to either
tell a buddy they're not feeling OK or to
ask a friend if they are OK. If everyone has
them, then there's nothing special or
weird about them.
Like going to the gym with a friend,
looking after our mental wellbeing should
be a shared, accepted and valued part of
all of our lives. We're a long way from this.
If I say I can't hit a deadline because I'm
in a depression, the reaction is likely to be:
'Well, can't you just sort yourself out?' But if
I had broken my arm, there'd be sympathy.
Hopefully, though, as more places to talk,
write, read, listen and speak out emerge to
educate and inform in new ways, society's
attitude towards the mind will finally
catch up with its attitude to the body. B

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK, STOCKSY

BRI NG YO UR M EN TAL HEALT H IN T O TH E 21 ST C E N TU RY

1. G O TO T H E
M IND GY M
Your mind is part
of your body, and
both need care. If
you go to the gym
three times a
week, you should
consider giving
yourself a mental
health workout
three times a
week, too. Daily
meditation
- five minutes of
calm when you
connect with how
you're feeling
- can make a
difference.

2. KNOW YOUR
SY M PTO M S
The key is to
spot changes
in yourself,
for example in
your sleeping
patterns, mood
and appetite
(for everything,
including food,
sex and work).
Have you become
socially withdrawn
or unable to
concentrate?
Being aware
of changes
means you can
help yourself.

3. DI SCOV E R
W HAT WO RKS
FO R YO U
Once you've
spotted a
weakening of
your mental
health, know your
kick-ass cures.
It's rest for some
people, activity
for others. Going
out more, or
staying in for a
few days. What
works for you
might not work
for me. So know
yourself - and
the remedies.

4. OPEN
YOUR EYE S
Too many people
still think that
the way someone
presents
themselves
reflects how
they really
feel. But we all
have hidden
mental health
wobbles. Be
more empathetic
to the humans
around you - and
to yourself. It
will make us all
enjoy better
mental health.

5. D ON' T
TRY TO BE
A HERO
We've all done
it. Pushed on
through. Pulled
our socks up.
Battled on. And
then collapsed.
Don't be a
broken hero
- be a strong,
smart human.
When you need
to stop - do
so, recharge
and come back
stronger. Do it.
You will never
regret it.

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35
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