According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Health is broadly defined as the complete state of mental, physical, emotional, psychological and social well-being of an individual and not merely in the absence of diseases or infirmities.
This means to say that mental health isn't just about the absence of mental illness but also encompasses to how you manage stress, how you think and behave in your daily life.
Just as we need air every second of our lives, our mental health deserves constant attention because loosing that balance is a big risk; remember, it's just a thin line from sane and insane!
Hard times we're experiencing currently all over the country, financially and otherwise has made it very difficult to go through for a long time without having the need to take care of your mental health and ignoring it for too long can lead to breaking down and then forcefully taking one.
Many life circumstances can make us want to take a break. In my case, it was my school. One of the greatest challenges we encountered as medical student was not just reading, it wasn't also failing the exams neither was it the stress of going to the hospital everyday for your direct learning using the patients, it was dealing with death of patients!
No one lives forever, but witnessing the death of patients you have worked with, maybe you did a minor procedure or patients you saw during clinical ward rounds die even before you could finish the day's rounds and then watching their loved ones roll on the floor covered in the pool of their tears was the greatest challenge most of us faced as medical students, worst more when they die in your palms.
It doesn't matter if I knew them personally or not, it still gets to me so bad that I sometimes would want to throw up. This seems like a torture and for some of us who didn't get over it in school affected our mental health so badly as the scenes keep playing in our head.
As someone who's been witnessing this for more than three years now, it's a given I already have ways I take care of my mental health.
How Do I Care For My Mental Health
- Taking Walks:
Most times when I feel like I'm loosing it and the memories can't leave my head, I take walks.
Just with my headset and nice selection of calm playlist, I take a walk around the school and it takes my mind off everything.
This is not just during walks too but I've come to be someone who can't do without musics, I literally update my playlist everyday in addition to my old beautiful jams too.
- Leaving The School Environment:
Most times, just staying around the school environment is enough to trigger the memories of one of the sad events, when it gradually becomes a routine, I leave everything I'm doing and travel out of campus for the weekend, most times without books so I get to engage in other extracurricular activities and free my mind.
- Discussing With Fellow Doctors:
Most times, when patients die, the first impression you have as the attending doctor is that you didn't do your best.
What if you've done that?, what if you've done the other?, What if you didn't do that?
The endless "what-ifs question" elude your mind that you just see your mental health degenerating.
That is why sometimes when these things happen, after ward rounds, we gather for conferences and review the care we gave to the patient trying to know the area we could have improved....Always discovering that we did the right and best things we could gives me solace most times that I did my best and that it was just meant to be; we aren't gods anyway.
In conclusion, mental health is a very vital component of our life. It requires a holistic approach and sometimes will require the assistance of a professional psychologist.
We need to know the importance of one another's mental health because it's a collective effort, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive mentally, emotionally, psychologically, socially and otherwise.
All Pictures Are Mine
Thanks for reading and have a nice day ahead 👍
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
Mehn so true.
It's funny how medical practitioners are usually plaqued with a lot of mental health issues that mostly goes unaddressed.
From the stressful work schedule to having to read for exams, to interacting with difficult patients, to managing difficult medical cases and eventually losing a patient.
It can take a toll on the health practitioner.
One thing I usually do to keep my sanity is this my mantra.
"Work is work, home is home"
As much as possible, I ensure that whenever I am at work, I give my best in attending to patients and all
But when I'm off work, I shut down completely.
I detach myself from work activities in my mind.
This helps me to enjoy other meaningful activities I do outside of medicine.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts dear Friend and colleague.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
That's a great mantra for real?
I guess I'll give it a try to see if my body will be able to detach entirely from the two, will really be a great addition.
Thanks for coming around and commenting on my post, I appreciate
Do have a great day ahead too my chief
You should try it o.
For peace of mind 😂😂😂
Lol.
Cheers 🥂
Aswr😂😂
I have literally defined my boundaries for work and the straight thing I do is to ensure I do not die for work to live. I give my best and work towards achieving organisational goals, anything short may be quite different.
However, despite.my tight work schedule, I make sure nothing breaks me down mentally, not even my bosses.
That's quite a great way to deal with these things for real
Give your best and guard your mental health too
Thanks for your input sir
You really articulated ways you take care of your mental health which is very good. Keep it friend.
Thanks man
Appreciate your coming around
I understand this feeling and I bet that most doctors feel hard on themselves when they lose their patients, thereby affecting their mental health
We can always try as humans but not in total control of any life
I hope you continue to find measure for coping when your mental health is involved
!PIZAA
Honestly! The singular act of people seeing you as demigod always makes you willing to give your very best and eventually when it doesn't turn out well, it leaves you heartbroken.
Sure, I will
Thanks for coming around, I appreciate
@tipu curate
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 0/54) Liquid rewards.
Thanks a lot
I appreciate your support
Thank you