What is Mental Health?

As an organization, we are committed to raising money for the Canadian Mental Health Association. We believe that mental health patients, in general, don’t receive the quality and quantity of care that they desperately deserve.

At Medicine Shoppe Crowfoot, our focus on providing care and resources for mental health patients is one of the most important aspects of the comprehensive health services that we offer. We feel that, because many people don’t understand mental health conditions, patients suffering from mental health conditions are often underserved.

What is Mental Health? 

According to MentalHealth.gov, mental health comprehensively “includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.” The stability of our mental health directly affects how we think, feel, and act on a daily basis.

In addition, the state of our minds can play a significant role in how we handle stress, relate to our peers, and make general life choices. As you may have already guessed, maintaining stable mental health is essential at every life stage, from childhood and adolescence through the waning years of adulthood.

Factors Contributing to Mental Health 

As the saying commonly goes, “Life is a roller coaster.” Throughout the inevitable ups and downs the stability of your mental health will ultimately affect how you think, how you feel in certain situations, and how you act in response to different situations.

Mental health problems can be attributed to a number of factors, including your unique biology, which can otherwise be known as your genetic makeup and individual brain chemistry. Your life experiences, such as any trauma or abuse you suffer, also play a significant role in your mental health. Additionally, a family history of mental health issues can also be an early warning sign of what may be in store for you later in life, if you neglect to take preventative measures now.

Early Precursors to Mental Health Issues 

Diagnosing a specific mental health problem can be one of the most challenging aspects of successfully treating mental health conditions. However, there are a variety of feelings or behaviors that serve as early warning signs of potential mental health risks down the road.

First and foremost, eating and sleeping habits are major factors that can affect mental health. Eating or sleeping either too much, or too little, can be a precursor to more significant mental health problems in the future. Regularly neglecting friends and family, or pulling away from the normal activities that make you happy are also two important signs of potential mental health issues.

Low energy levels, regular numbness or the feeling that nothing matters, unexplained aches and pains, and consistent feelings of helplessness or hopelessness are also signs of deteriorating mental health. On a more extreme note, serious warning signs include hearing voices or believing things that lack truth, experiencing severe mood swings, having consistent thoughts of harming yourself, and much more.

Why is Mental Health Important? 

Studies have shown that positive mental health aids in a number of areas, including helping people realize their full potential, the ability to healthily cope with stress, and a penchant for working productively in a variety of settings.

If you, or someone close to you, is experiencing any of the early warning signs of negative mental health, you shouldn’t hesitate to find someone who you can talk to about your condition. Please don’t be afraid to give the professional pharmacists at Medicine Shoppe Crowfoot a call to seek their advice today!