Mental health checks ensure life in balance

Featured in The Avon Valley Advocate

A LEADING WA mental health expert is urging all West Australians to give themselves a mental health check up ahead of September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day.

Tasha Broomhall is in Northam this week delivering her Blooming and Buoyant stress-management course to a local organisation.

She said World Suicide Prevention Day was the ideal time for people to reflect on how they were faring mentally and emotionally.

“Society isn’t really arming most people early enough in life with practical toolkits to proactively keep themselves mentally healthy and it’s a big worry,” she said.

“With one in five Australian adults already experiencing mental illness every year and the World Health Organisation tipping depression to be the leading cause of disability globally by 2030, more needs to be done in homes, schools and workplaces to help people stay mentally healthy.”

Her recently-released book BLOOM! Mental Health & Wellbeing demystifies mental health and illness, discusses the link between exercise, nutrition and mental health, details strategies to help people manage their individual wellbeing and equips readers with information which can help them reach out to others who may be experiencing mental health issues.

“It’s common to think we have little, if any, control over how well we feel, but we absolutely do and my belief is that, armed with more valuable tips and tricks, we can all discover how to mentally bloom – and bounce back better if we do experience problems,” Ms Broom hall said.

Her 10 tips to help people mentally bloom include giving yourself monthly mental health check-ups to see where you are at, finding four things to do for yourself each week which nurture you and learning proactive stress agility strategies, such as Check it Change it Chuck it.

Another idea was having your breakfast in the sunshine and stop drinking (emotional) poison.

She recommended keeping a wellbeing journal and learning the art of mindfulness.

Develop an advanced directive to help you consciously manage your illness and your wellbeing was another tip, along with learning spot breathing/meditation techniques and lastly, smiling.