Mental fitness valuable

MANY people find it hard to cope with the pressures of modern living.
They say every day, a quarter of a million people miss work because of stress, with 75 per cent of all illnesses thought to be stress-related.
And when times are hard, it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
And like what Dr. Uma Ambi, the Principal Advisor of Mental Health Services at the Health department has been stressing, the challenge now for everyone is to have good mental fitness as a valuable investment.
Good Mental Health is vital for our healthy life.
We have to allow our mind to be free and not to get caught up in a situation that bears little importance to your life; Keep life simple and do enjoy the simple things of life.
Mental health is about the way you think and feel and your ability to deal with ups and downs.
There is more to good health than just a physically healthy body. A healthy person should have a healthy mind.
A person with a healthy mind should be able to think clearly, should be able to feel good about himself/herself, feel good about another person, enjoy good relations with others and be able to solve the various problems faced in life.
There should be the feeling of spiritually with oneness and bring happiness to others and in the community we represent.
Well many people in the community talk about mind and body as if they are different and separate.
Just as the physical body can fall ill without notice, so too can the state of mind.
This is called mental illness; it affects the person’s emotions, thought or behaviour, which is not shared by their cultural beliefs, personalities and produce negative effects on other person’s life and their families and community.
On Oct 10, PNG like the rest of the world will mark World Mental Health day.
This is an opportunity for all concerned stakeholder to stress the importance of mental health promotion, prevention awareness and education is essential to inform people about the disorder.
Mental Health is neglected for far too long.
It is sad to say that many of our loved ones are indeed suffering silently with remorse.
Mental health is crucial to the overall well-being of individuals, societies and countries both at micro and macro environments.
Today, in our nation there are many physical, social, cultural and psychological factors that are beginning to emerge.
Mental health promotion, prevention awareness and education is essential to inform people how to identify stress, mental health problems, to know where to seek medical attention and for those in the community to know where to refer those who need social and mental health services.
In Papua New Guinea mental disorders are common.
There are many individuals knowingly or unknowingly, are suffering in deafening silence in all of these.
Access to such support will go some way to reduce the tragedies of trauma, relieve stresses on individuals, communities and protect the lives of people from harming themselves and others in our communities.