Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 will take place from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May 2019. The theme for 2019 is Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies.
Body image issues can affect all of us at any age. During the week we will be publishing new research, considering some of the reasons why our body image can impact the way that we feel, campaigning for change and publishing practical tools.
Since our first Mental Health Awareness Week in 2001, we’ve raised awareness of topics like stress, relationships, loneliness, altruism, sleep, alcohol and friendship. This year, with your support, we want to reach more people than ever!
In aid of Mental Health Awareness Week, this week on the LID Publishing blog, we are taking guidance from some of our wellbeing authors, who give top tips on how to maintain a healthy mind.
Today, we look to Andrew Kinder and Shaun Davis, co-authors of Positive Male Mind: Overcoming Mental Health Problems.
Self-esteem reflects how much you value yourself and how important you think you are, as well as how you relate to other people. When you are struggling with mental health issues, it is highly likely that your self-esteem will be suffering too.
Although it is something that will build up over time and can be impacted by other people – including your partner, parents, siblings and relatives, friends, work associations and manager = there are things you can do to build self-esteem.
- Understand the impact of change: Your self-esteem can be impacted by the way that you react and respond to change. if you can develop a positive outlook on change, and be realistic about the influence you have on an outcome, you can contribute to preserving and protecting your self-esteem.
- Look after your physical and mental health: If your physical and mental health is good, it will help you cope with the stress and pressure that life throws at you. Exercising regularly, eating well, drinking enough water and getting plenty of rest and sleep will ensure that you hold yourself and your wellbeing in high regard.
- Make some time for fun: If you engage in fun and pleasurable pastimes, activities and experiences, you will show yourself that you value your happiness, effectively increasing your sense of self-esteem.
- Invest in your relationships: Think about how much you expect of yourself when it comes to the relationships that are most important to you. What do you expect from other people, and what do you do to make sure that the time, emotion and energy you invest in your relationship has a positive influence on your self-esteem?
- Treat yourself properly: do you celebrate your positive characteristics and achievements, or do you focus on the negatives? Try to avoid people and situations that will negatively impact your self-esteem and ultimately bring you down.
- Take responsibility for your happiness: Accept that you are in control of your own destiny and that you have the power to build self-esteem. Don’t wait for other people to build you up or knock you down – take responsibility for yourself.
You can talk to a trusted friend or a professional about your self-esteem, and what you can do to ensure it’s as strong and resilient as it can be so that it contributes to positive mental health.
Positive Male Mind
Mental health problems affect both men and women, in fact, every one in four of us. However, it has been widely accepted for some time that men are much less likely to seek help from a doctor or mental health specialist, as they traditionally expect themselves to be competitive and successful, tough and self-reliant and can find it difficult to admit that they are feeling fragile and vulnerable.
This book aims to build on the current progressive movement by supporting men and those that care about them – be that a partner, friend, family member or colleague – by providing insight, advice, and tips on what can be done at a very practical level to make men’s mental health much more positive.
About the authors
Dr Shaun Davis is a Global Director of Safety, Health, Wellbeing & Sustainability at Royal Mail. He was appointed as Honorary Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham, School of Medicine in February 2018.
Andrew Kinder is a Chartered Counselling Occupational Psychologist who is the Professional Head of Mental Health Services, Optima Health. He has published widely on workplace counselling, trauma, coaching, and mental health.
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