Thankfully (because we are all only human after all), the stigma surrounding mental health has decreased dramatically in a relatively short space of time. But there is still much to understand about the general concept of ‘mental health.’ So what is mental health, exactly?
According to the World Health Organization: “Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders…Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community…Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, there is no health without mental health.”
In essence, mental health is like physical health, it’s something every human being has, and as such, we can take actions to stay in positive mental health. Of course, experiencing poor mental health or having a mental health disorder can be unavoidable and is not a failure. However, we can all take responsibility for mental health maintenance in a way that suits us as individuals. Many turn to yoga, exercise, and diet: which are all effective in their own way.
Exercising creative expression is also another way many people stay mentally well. In our original blog post published via DesignBundles, we explored how people use creativity to improve mental health, reduce stress and cope with unexpected life changes.
We also uncovered:
Some exciting studies highlighting the link between crafting/art-making activities and improved mental health Accounts of first-hand experiences of how people used creativity to cope throughout the 2020 lockdown(s) A sharp increase in our crafting product sales during the 2020 lockdown(s) indicating that more people than ever were using creativity to help them feel better during this time.
Infographic Source: https://designbundles.net/blog/how-to-improve-your-mental-health