02/Jan/2020

Mental health issues and depression have become a major issue in recent times. A lot of people are succumbing to it, mainly because they do not give enough importance to it yet. It is such a pressing matter at this moment that the World Health Organization even decided to make it a major health concern around the world. A recent study revealed that close to 80% of the people around the world choose to hide their mental health issues due to a number of reasons. The most common outcome of it is suicide. If you look at the general statistics, the rate of suicides has skyrocketed in an alarming number. This further extrapolates the concern that should be given enough importance as well.

No possible symptoms for mental health issues

The major problem with mental health issues is the fact that there are no evident symptoms for it. When you have any problems related to your physical health, as a cut or burn, you can see and feel it. Thus, you feel the need to go to the doctor immediately. These indications are not very clear for mental health issues. Only the person suffering from it can actually feel and reciprocate it. Moreover, there is a fear of being rejected or ridiculed by society and being labeled as crazy, when they express their concerns.

Therefore, people tend to stay quiet about it, thinking that they can deal with it and it will go away in the due item. That is where the root cause of all the problems lies. No one is immune to it. Even big celebrities and influential people have fallen victim to it. Therefore, it is imperative that something is done to fight against this cause.

With age, a person's brain shrinks and becomes smaller in size. This is directly related to the cognitive ability of the individual. Brain health can get significantly get affected due to this predicament. A few tips to reverse this and uphold mental health are-

• Engage in physical exercise- when you stretch and perform various cardiovascular stimulating exercises, blood and consequently oxygen reaches the different parts of the brain. The hippocampus area is one of the most crucial parts that need to function optimally to preserve the cognitive ability for long. Thus, physical activity is important in this aspect.
• Maintain proper diet- when you eat out a lot, it causes oxidative damage to the tissues of the brain along with the rest of the body, mainly due to the presence of free radicals. Thus, you should ensure that your diet is healthy and proper.
• Be wary of medical conditions- certain medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes and alcohol and smoking can cause damage to the brain as well. Therefore, it should be avoided as much as possible for preserving your brain health.
• Take adequate rest- rest is of utmost importance to rejuvenate the brain tissues. It also improves the mood and can make all your stress disappear. Thus, cognitive ability is not compromised in any respect.
• Perform mental exercise- just like physical exercise, mental exercises like puzzles and quizzes can help in this matter as well.
• Be social- this has been the norm since time immemorial. Social interaction and maintaining a circle can actually benefit your mental health substantially.

It is time that enough importance is given to brain health as well before it claims more victims to its name.