Mental Health Information
Getting a diagnosis for depression -- or any mental illness -- is no easy task,
but getting validation and treatment can be a great relief.
The hard part for many people is telling family, friends, and other loved ones
about the diagnosis, given the prevalence of stigma and ignorance in regards
to mental illness. It's important that you take the disclosure process seriously,
and protect yourself. The good news is you have control over who you tell. The
following advice will also help you if you're the caregiver, partner, parent,
or friend of someone with a mental illness
Mental Health Tips & Questions
How
can we help ourselves?
We can help ourselves to good mental health in all sorts of ways including:
making
time to do the things we enjoy
taking moderate physical exercise
cutting down on coffee, alcohol, nicotine and other addictive substances
remembering and celebrating the things we like about ourselves
keeping things in perspective
developing and sustaining friendships
listening to and respecting other people, even if we disagree with them
asking for help if we feel distressed or upset
listening to other people who say they feel distressed or upset
taking as much care of ourselves as we do the people we care for