Emotional Health Awareness Day (EHAD)

 

What is Emotional Health Awareness Day? 

Family Links was established on the 24th of February 1997. This Center was created to encourage, teach and guide relationship skills through schools, families, and the wider community they found themselves in. 

Now 25 years after and the first Emotional Health Awareness day(EHAD) also known as Emotional Health Day (EHD) is launched. Marking this event is to invite everyone to sit, think and talk about their emotional health in their place of work, school, family, and also how they can support others by developing awareness. Emotional Health is a vital part of our overall health. 

The EHAD educates us on how to be aware of our emotion(s) and how to cope with them, be it negative or positive. It’s very okay to feel angry, happy, sad or stressed but our coping mechanism in such a situation matter a lot on our action(s) and thought(s). 

WHEN IS EMOTIONAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY? 

Today, the 24h of February 2022 Emotional Health Awareness Day (EHAD) is being held as it marks 25 years the date that Family Links, the Center for Emotional Health was formed. 

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY EMOTIONAL PERSON 

• They are self-aware 

• They know how to manage stress levels 

• They have a good coping mechanism 

• They are emotionally agile 

• They live with purpose 

SIGNS OF AN UNHEALTHY EMOTIONAL PERSON 

• They isolate themselves from others and want to be by themselves. 

• They are always angry towards everything and everyone. They can be furious. 

• Personality change that seems different from whom the person used to be/ behave

 • They feel depressed. 

• Poor self-care in the sense that they no longer maintain personal hygiene etc. 

• Most likely to engage in risky behaviours. 

• There is a sense of hopelessness. 

• Low self-esteem/ worthlessness 

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH 

• Talk about your feelings 

• Take a break. Go on that vacation, shopping 

• Eat healthily. I would say let your plate be rainbow. Eat ROYGBIV 

• Keep yourself hydrated always (Drink water, juice etc.). Also, take fruits and veggies, it’s quite refreshing. 

• Spend time, talk with friends and family 

• Ask for help 

• Have fun, do something that takes your mind off it. It could be writing poetry, songs, drawing/painting or cooking, and event photography. 

HOW DOES MENTAL HEALTH AFFECT US POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY? 

• It affects our daily activity. 

• It influences our decision. It can be a setback for us, and we are unable to make the right decisions which might be life-changing. 

• It can be exhausting and make us give up easily. 

• It can give us a reason to/not move on. 

• It energizes us. We become open to new possibilities. 

• Lets us have an open mind to learning and skill development. We become better at tasks. 

• It gives us the ability to focus and think clearly. 

• We tend to be happy, healthy, and better at what we do/intend to do. 

• It also makes our relationships with others stress-free. We won’t be a burden to them, neither will they feel like we’re doing too much work. 

HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN EMOTIONAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY? 

Times like this, when everyone’s emotional health has been affected by the Pandemic, war, political/ethnic differences, insecurity, assault, kidnapping/ criminal attacks and other life challenging situation and the feeling has been a roller coaster. EHAD feels more crucial than ever. To my knowledge, of all that has been happening, I believe we could mark the day in some of these few ways:

 • Let’s spread love by sharing the day with friends and families. 

• Self-love. I mean talk to yourself, look at yourself, notice you. You have got to believe in yourself, notice yourself and hype yourself because, you should be your biggest, greatest fan, hype man to always remind you of how “great you are. DO something for yourself!! (Take you out, buy you that dream gift) • Make a list of what relaxes/calms you down (It could be going chatting with a friend, going for a walk, etc.) 

• Think about any unresolved issues or difficult feelings. I think it is time to let them go (you can resolve by calling the person you have issues with, expressing how you feel; try not to be abusive, talk to someone; close/loved one, or you could go see a counsellor). 

• Nurture the important relationships in your life today, be it friends, family, colleagues, or partners. 

• Make plans to catch up with friends and loved ones you haven’t seen for a while. You can travel to meet them, go on picnics, Eat out, have a barbeque, or play games to spend memorable moments together.

• Organize fun events with friends, family/ loved ones, or something you find nurturing for yourself. 

• Give listening ears to those around you today 

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #EmotionalHealthDayHowulivingwithPrincessPeeee