Mental Health Matters

Mental+Health+Matters

Makailah Meier, Sports contributor

What is depression? Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel,think, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. What is the meaning of Mental health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. What are the different types of Mental health? The first is Depression or bipolar disorder, the second one is anxiety disorder, next one personality disorder, and last is psychotic disorder. What are some of the causes of mental health issues? One of the causes is childhood abuse, trauma, neglect,social isolation/loneliness. Why is it important to focus on your mental health? Maintaining a positive mental health and treating any mental health conditions is crucial to stabilizing constructive behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. Focusing on mental health care can increase productivity, enhance our self-image, and improve relationships. I interviewed Abby Kite with a few questions, my first question was why is it important to focus on mental health? Kite responded with,”Mental health is more important now than probably ever has been.” From an education perspective and working with students, a large number of our students face mental health issues whether that be depression, anxiety, OCD, or ADHD.” With the pandemic and the isolation that occurred, this compounded those issues and concerns.¨ It is important for students to focus on mental health so they can be more prepared for life after high school and the challenges they may face.” My other question was what is something to help with mental health issues? Kites response was, “Several things can help with mental health issues, however, my top 3 strategies I tell my students are to focus on your exercise, diet, and sleep.”It is hard to work on our mind and our thoughts when we aren’t fueling ourselves appropriately and creating those natural endorphins.”