Health isn’t limited to what’s visible. What’s going on inside a person’s head can also affect their overall health, so preventing issues can lead to a better life for individuals.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mental illness can affect a person’s thinking, feelings, mood or behavior and can be tied to chronic conditions. But the organization draws a line between mental health and mental illness. Poor mental health doesn’t necessarily mean a person has a mental illness, and a person with mental illness might also experience moments mental well-being, according to the CDC.
But being diagnosed with a mental illness shouldn’t be stigmatized. According to the CDC, mental illnesses are among some of the most common conditions nationwide, and more than half of people will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their lifetime. That number sits at one in five people each year, according to the organization.
In 2020, people were encouraged to social distance, which put up barriers between people and their social networks -— not the online ones. While this might have negatively affected many people, it also presents an opportunity to better understand how to combat poor mental health in the 21st century.
According to the American Psychological Association, those who find themselves socially isolated, be it due to COVID-19 or other circumstances, it is common to experience fear, anxiety, depression, boredom, anger and irritability, among other things. Older adults can be some of the most vulnerable, according to the organization.
In order to combat those issues, the APA recommends isolated individuals make an effort to stay connected virtually with others by maintaining connections by phone, messages, video chat and online social networks. While it might seem obvious at first, it is important to take these opportunities to discuss mental health challenges and also reach out to others who might be suffering from similar situations.
“Try not to catastrophize; instead focus on what you can do and accept the things you can’t change,” the organization’s website states.
The APA also recommends those who are isolated to read or listen to reliable sources of information to prevent increased levels of anxiety from constantly reading disconcerting news.
One thing the CDC and APA agree on is that having a pet around can be beneficial to a person’s mental well being if they are able to regularly interact with the pet during periods of social isolation.