What Mental Health means to me: Yusra Ahmed

I’m sure a lot of people have wondered at some point in their lives why they react in a certain

way to a particular event. It may be a harmless comment or action, yet it causes us to feel a

strange mix of feelings because of it. And that’s where the role of understanding mental health comes in.

Understanding mental health allows us to understand ourselves on a deeper level and know

why we have certain feelings or thoughts. My own journey with mental health has been nothing short of extraordinary as it shed light on different aspects of myself, and others, that I initially didn’t understand. I’m certain that understanding mental health will aid everyone find themselves and protect themselves from various mental health problems. Not only will you be helping yourself by doing so, but also be there for the people who need the comfort you offer.

You will save many lives without even realizing it. Mental health means a lot to me and understanding it took me to places I never expected I’d reach, and I believe it’ll do the same for you. We all have aspirations and dreams that we want to achieve, or things that we want to do but after all, we can only do those if we are physically and psychologically fit. Never let anything come before your health. Remember, if a wound is left untreated, it’ll become a scar. Small issues could accumulate to become huge problems that’ll demand more time and effort to overcome later on. Always take care of yourself, because in the long run, that’s what will get you where you want, happily and healthily.

I believe mental health is a non-negotiable factor in our daily lives. Just as we take care of our physical bodies with food and sleep, we should also take care of our mental health by

nourishing our souls and minds. We can always strive to strengthen our mental health by

treating ourselves kindly, engaging in therapeutic activities, and, most importantly, by taking

breaks and relaxing every now and then. By doing simple acts of self-care everyday, we can

develop our emotional intelligence, which will serve us well in all that we do.

Finally, I want to wish you all the best on your mental health journey, and remember that you

always matter!

-Yusra Ahmed