@ASilentObserver

Mental health is so unknown.

Western medicine and beyond still struggles with something even as relatively simple as a broken arm. Hundreds of thousands die on the operating table every year due to preventable human error or misdiagnosis. People die just as much eating veggies and running marathons as they die smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

Enter the brain and it's beyond a whole other story. There's more connections in it then there are atoms in the known Universe. Try map that, Napoleon. Not happening.

So if it's daunting for people to face that void and explore it further without bouts of staying in bed and eating half a baguette dipped in butter, then, ...valid, I say. Valid af.

@communicativePond1728 I get you pond, It can feel challenging to prioritize our mental health because it is complex and difficult to understand. You made a good point that medical professionals and science have yet to fully grasp the workings of the brain. This makes it hard for us to tackle our own mental health. How do you handle feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of it all?

Also, please do share feedback on these weekly prompts. It would be helpful to me

• On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions so far? (10 being most helpful) 
• What specific topics related to general mental health would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?

@ASilentObserver I mean how does anyone not. What someone does to cope depends on many factors and fractals.

@ASilentObserver I find your prompts very helpful ❤ so a 10 ❤ I would like maybe topics on why we feel different emotions/feelings  and what they actually mean, or are, and how to stop/control them.

I don't have any responsibilities as such, so this doesn't really aply to me. But I do always try to make sure anyone who is clearly trying to do to much and is struggling on this site, knows that health comes before anything. I know that's probably an easy thing for me to say, when in fact in reality it's not. But so much pressure on students and workaholics, it's sad to see.

gives you a giant tiny hug ❤ happy almost Easter, if you celebrate ❤❤ and if not, it's a great excuse just to eat chocolate😁❤

@Tinywhisper11 Thank you for the feedback, tiny. It can indeed feel challenging to prioritize our own needs when we have responsibilities that demand so much of us. What would it look like if you were to prioritize your mental health, just like you would any other important responsibility?

Stigma, outward and internalized.
Little time off from the grind of daily life just to survive under neoliberal economic philosophy.
The degradation of human rights, making worrying about our own mental health a luxury.
No relief in sight or hope for the future, rather more instability and the grifters who would take advantage with false promises in order to gain the power to do worse, and those who fall for their grift let them reap devastation on the most vulnerable.

For some, the trauma hasn't ended yet, so working on their mental health is a luxury they can't afford. The bombs haven't stopped yet. The food to stop the famine hasn't reached them. The clean water to drink is being blocked.

The world over, the situation of collapse is one where prioritizing our mental health is simply incompatible with survival, yet required to do the tasks to survive. It's an unwinnable game.

@Zeraphim I hear you. I understand that there are many challenges that can make it difficult to prioritize mental health. It i's important to remember that taking care of yourself is essential, even if it feels incompatible with other responsibilities at times.

Also, please do share feedback on these weekly prompts. It would be helpful to me

• On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions so far? (10 being most helpful) 
• What specific topics related to general mental health would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?

@ASilentObserver

the meaning of mental health still seems to be not very clear today. We tend to focus more on the physical aspects rather than the mental one. We don't understand that all that in our body is connected with brain so to be physically, emotionally, socially fits are have to be mentally fit. We have to give ourselves peace and happiness. We have to relax ourselves time to time while managing other factors altogether. The mindset of what health is today despite being several books and articles out there to help you out are one of the reasons why we tend to not prioritise our mental health. The responsibilities around outweigh its importance.

@comfortablePeace003

I totally agree with you!

Since we cannot measure emotions or how good or bad we feel we don't even know it exists!! 

And because all that matters and is something we can easily measure: Money and properties... this is all we focus on and there is no attention to mental health.

We need a change in mentality...

@Aputik we really do need a change, mental  health will one day hopefully become a priority just as much as physical disabilities. People don't seem to understand how bad things are for us who are suffering silently

@Tinywhisper11

Yesterday I heard a quote from a comedian, with which I completely agree: "we're learning more and more with regards to artificial intelligence while we are still clueless in emotional intelligence" (forgive my translation but I hope you get the idea)

@Aputik

yeah, i mean it's just something i feel that we keep talking about mental health just for the sake of talking and without actually enlightning ourselves with its deep meaning and its significance. today's more than half generation suffers from depression and trauma because they don't really understand how deep it is. we call a person depressed if they are just sad which is wrong. depression is a state of mental health which has been taken for granted today. its just one example of what i am trying to say. 

@comfortablePeace003

I agree, I feel like we're aware that there's something that it's called mental health but we don't go deep enough into it. This should be really well taught from the early ages, I mean... it's a full time job. That's how much dedication we need to invest on. It doesn't matter if there is not drama or traumatic experience associated with it, we all have loads of work to do nowadays and even if we're mentally healthier we need to understand and empathize with the people who aren't. 

@Aputik 

Yeah, i absolutely agree to your point. Because unless and until the meaning is very clear its like we can't even help people in need even if we want to so the point that you mentioned of teaching it from early age is a good idea. 

@comfortablePeace003

Yes, we need to name things and define them before we can start interacting and going into greater depths on the topic. I suppose at the society level, we're are the "defining" stage.

@comfortablePeace003 Great thoughts, Peace. You have some insights into why people may struggle to prioritize their mental health. What do you think are some specific steps that people could take to prioritize their mental health?

Also, please do share feedback on these weekly prompts. It would be helpful to me

• On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions so far? (10 being most helpful) 
• What specific topics related to general mental health would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?

@ASilentObserver

I would rate them a 10. They give me an amazing idea of many minds and many pov's. I can get a greater idea of what others think and how different views can be. I would generally talk about anxiety, self confidence, depression and mostly the topics that are way to prevalent amongst the youth today 

Because we categorise a lot.

@SoulPitstop we certainly do. But I always say health comes first ❤ hugs you tightly ❤

Good.

@SoulPitstop I agree and good point, Soul. What are some of these responsibilities that you feel are more important than your mental health?

Also, please do share feedback on these weekly prompts. It would be helpful to me

• • On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions so far? (10 being most helpful) 
  • What specific topics related to general mental health would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?

Feedback on weekly prompts: I'm not a reviewer, but just darkness.

On a scale of 1–10, it is letting others convey their opinions. But they are not sharing their opinions with the people whom they actually have to convey. Technically, it would create much chaos by reading so many opinions at a time. But I am still appreciative of the volunteers. So, it's a 10.

You asked me, "What are some responsibilities that I feel are more important than my mental health?"

Again, my answer is that we categorize a lot. The moment you use "more important than," it has been categorized. There is no such thing as mental health. It's all the consequences and the retaliation for our actions.

When we start to live with the understanding that whatever is happening is my action once upon, then that's the moment you can understand that your mind is stable and we are mentally connected with our body.

When you think you are not alright, which exactly means that you are not with your body and your mind roams somewhere else. Our job is to understand what makes our mind and body stay together or not. In order to do that, we need to understand that the decisions I make have consequences.

@ASilentObserver

Hi, ASO,

Why do we often struggle to prioritize our mental health over other responsibilities?

Because all costs of life, must be dealt with physically, ie., money, responsibilities, care of loved ones, jobs, but mental health  doesn't seemingly cause anyone else harm.  Being evicted, paying a bill on time, using all our energy to make it to work and do well, using all our energy to survive, comes before taking time and finding more energy to help heal our pain.

@purpleTree4652 it's really sad, that that's a reality for so many people 😞

@purpleTree4652 Thank you for opening up, purple. It is good step that you are trying to find balance between all of these important aspects of life. What would it look like if you were able to prioritize your mental health alongside all of these other responsibilities?

Also, please do share feedback on these weekly prompts. It would be helpful to me

• On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions so far? (10 being most helpful) 
• What specific topics related to general mental health would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?

@ASilentObserver

Right now your question re: what would it look like it too much for me to answer.  You sometimes ask very big questions that are just too much for me to contemplate.

I give your questions an 8, on average.  Sometimes I would rate them higher.  But they don't resolve my PTSD.  They help in their own way.

@purpleTree4652

Sometimes it feels like I need as much time off work as I do at work.  I just need that much time to process life and work and relax before I'm ready to work again.  

@ASilentObserver

I'm interested in mental health topics.  

@ASilentObserver Hello!

"The struggle to prioritize our mental health over other responsibilities is a complex issue influenced by many factors. But also it is essential to recognize the importance of mental well-being and make a conscious effort to prioritize self-care in our daily lives. Let's get started and discuss our thoughts and emotions on this topic."

I feel like my issue is that I feel like I can never do enough for something and that discourages me because I know that I cant be perfect, so I don't study as much or do what I need to do. It is hard to complete my responsibilities and engage with them when I do have some much to do, but at the same time enjoy being stimulated to remain on my toes. I do take breaks and drink water, shower and brush my teeth, listen to music and just relax. It is pretty great! Emotionally, I feel haphazardly because it is hard to be organized and think of everything that needs to be done at certain times. I have made lists and utilize certain apps and services to help, which greatly helps me and my mental health so I do not have to constantly worry about the things i need to do - by putting them on paper it allowed my to transfer those thoughts to another page and form.

I do experience anxiety sometimes and it is hard to overcome that when I have important exams and deadlines, but I am working on it. I am about to graduate and it is hopefully coming together well.

Thank you,

E

@sincerePlane4053 Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, E. It is nice that you have found ways to manage your workload through lists and apps. How do you feel about the balance you've struck so far?

Also, please do share feedback on these weekly prompts. It would be helpful to me

• On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions so far? (10 being most helpful) 
• What specific topics related to general mental health would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?

@ASilentObserver

I think the balance that I have found is okay so far. It is not perfect, but I am working on it. I think it is more about the journey than the end game at this point and I just simply want to do my best.

Also, I have found these discussions to be very helpful - i would rate them on a 9... I would be interested in learning more about motivation techniques, healthy living and wellbeing, as well as self-care tips and coordinating schedules to find a routine.

@ASilentObserver

I think a lot of it is a cultural thing. Especially in Western cultures, life is so fast-paced. We prioritize school, work, and other responsibilities and individual achievements rather than taking care of our mental well-being. There isn't a lot of time to practice self-care. And because this is so ingrained to what is normal and accepted, people don't realize how important it is to take care of our mental health. 

@reginalistener18 That makes a lot of sense. It can be challenging when we have so many responsibilities and expectations. What are some ways that you have found to prioritize your mental health?

Also, please do share feedback on these weekly prompts. It would be helpful to me

1. On a scale of 1-10, how helpful did you find these discussions so far? (10 being most helpful) 
2. What specific topics related to general mental health would you be interested in learning more about or discussing further?

@ASilentObserver

When it comes to prioritizing mental health over our other responsibilities, I feel like this is a challenge for many because we live in a society that is very productivity-based. We measure our worth in terms of how productive we are, as this will help us to achieve our goals of going to a prestigious college or finding the best job that will make us the most money. When we define our worth in these materialistic ways (since all of these goals seem to connect back to money), it causes us to lose sight of our fundamental needs. This leads us to placing our well-being on the back burner, which is detrimental to our mental health. 

In order to combat this, we can take time out of each day to do things that we find enjoyment in. It can be something as simple as reading a book or spending time with family and friends. This allows us to refill our cups while continuing to uphold the responsibilities that we are tasked with on a daily basis. 

@NicoletteF Well said, Nicole. You have a great awareness of the challenges that come with living in a productivity-based society. How do you think we can work towards shifting our priorities so that we place more value on our well-being?

Many definitely do it with our physical health. I don't believe a lot of people stop and really think about their mental health. It isn't something a tangible as physical health even though neglecting mental health aids in neglecting physical health and vice versa. It's a lot of suppression, denial and repression. All of which will cause a lot of problems without the person having a clue why. 

@ThoughtLight That's true, Light. We tend to put other things first because we can see them and touch them. But our mental health is more abstract so it's harder to notice when it needs attention. And sometimes we don't want to acknowledge it because it's painful or scary.

@ASilentObserver then the horribly destructive mechanism of repression steps in. Also, schools and public ads don't really do enough campaigning and awareness of mental health problems. They mostly focus on the more physical bodily issues. 

@ThoughtLight That makes sense, it can feel like there is less awareness around mental health challenges. 

@ASilentObserver

I think we struggle to prioritize our mental health because everyone is just trying to get through their days by doing what they have to do. I know that I personally have so many things that I have to do in one day and I often prioritize these things over my mental health. I think that I always think that I can focus on my mental health once these tasks/activities are over, but new tasks always replace the old ones.