Mental Health Foundation releases guide on 11 of the most effective ways to protect our mental health
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Today, the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) have released a guide including 11 of the most effective ways for people to protect their mental health and prevent ‘common mental health problems’.
Written by Bryony Porteous-Sebouhian
What is the background of this new mental health guide?
The free guide from MHF is based on research from a ‘ground-breaking study’ they conducted on what is most effective at preventing common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
The study that formed the foundation of the guide used already existing evidence about ways in which we can protect our mental health as well as expert views, and opinions from members of the public.
Lead researcher of the study and Director at the MHF, Dr Antonis Kousoulis has said:
“Our new guide encourages us to take care of the fundamentals of life – our relationships, our experiences, our bodies and our finances. The evidence shows that this is far more likely to keep us mentally healthy than the gimmicks and miracle cures promoted by some in the ‘wellness’ industry, who prey on our vulnerability.
Although the guide might seem simplistic and reductive in ways, which Kousoulis acknowledges, it’s about making small changes to out lives, they continued:
“The truth is, there are no quick fixes for good mental or physical health. What works is developing healthy habits in our daily lives, that help us to feel OK and able to cope with everything.”
One example of this, they said, is sleep and they pointed out that the guide allows people to understand how they can be getting more out of their sleep, other small changes include learning how to fully understand and manage our feelings as well as regularly planning things in our lives to look forward to.
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What does the guide say?
The guide covers a wide variety of ‘mental health-promoting actions’, with the full list being:
How did members of the public inform the guide?
The MHF made sure to involve members of the public who had either experienced their own, or a family members’ problems with mental health. All participants from the public had the benefit of hindsight, looking to what would have helped most in a preventative way, with their own experiences.
Is it a realistic guide?
The MHF, as well as the guide and the research it is based on acknowledges the unfortunate facts of life that may make it harder for some people to follow some of its suggestions, such as a person’s environment, on this, Dr Kousoulis emphasised the urgent action needed by the government to improve people’s circumstances:
“Enjoying good mental health should be an equally accessible goal for all of us, yet it is often out of reach for many. Government action is needed to create the circumstances that solve problems that are beyond individuals’ reach, and help prevent people having problems with mental health in the first place.”
You can find the Mental Health Foundation’s free guide here .