October 10, 2024 - World Mental Health Day

October 10, 2024, is World Mental Health Day. This date has been celebrated worldwide since 1992 on the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health.

The goal of World Mental Health Day is to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders.

Nowadays, the occurrence of mental disorders is facilitated by stress: changes in political and economic life, difficulties at work, and in the family.

Mental health care consists of psychological well-being, in which a person can realize their own potential, cope with ordinary life stresses, work productively and fruitfully, and also contribute to public life.

The term "stress" comes from the French word "estresse," which means "oppression" or "suppression." Stress is a state of heightened physical or mental tension that arises under the influence of a particular factor.

Canadian scientist Hans Selye is the creator of the stress theory. He believed that when the body encounters various factors such as pain, cold, fear, danger, rapid running, emotional shock, blood loss, etc., it activates special defense mechanisms against stress, responding to stimuli not only with a protective reaction but also with a uniform physiological process. This process represents a complete mobilization and adaptation to an unexpected situation. It requires significant effort and expenditure of enormous energy from the body. H. Selye proposed a hypothesis according to which the aging of the body occurs as a result of the impact of all the stresses it has encountered throughout its life. Any stress, especially traumatic stress, causes irreversible changes in the body's chemical balance. Accumulating, these changes trigger the aging mechanism. Chronic stress is particularly dangerous for brain cells and the nervous system. H. Selye emphasized that the prevention of psycho-emotional stress is very important for health and longevity.

Types of Stress

Psychology distinguishes the following types of stress: physiological and psychological. Psychological stress is further divided into two types: emotional and informational.

• Physiological stress arises as a result of excessive physical exertion, pain, high or low temperatures.
• Psychological stress is triggered by a sense of threat, resentment, fear, anger, and other negative emotions.
• Emotional stress is approximately the same as psychological stress.
• Informational stress arises from information overload, when a person has to process a large amount of information in a short period of time.

Stressful situations negatively affect not only psychological mechanisms but also the entire body as a whole, leading to a number of problems.

Stress causes the following disorders in the body:

• increases the risk of diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular, and digestive systems;
• reduces immunity and resistance to various diseases;
• causes sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue, nervousness, irritability, and worsens overall well-being;
• triggers muscle spasms and phantom joint pain, headaches;
• causes appetite loss or, conversely, the desire to "eat away" stress by consuming large amounts of food;
• destroys many vitamins and disrupts metabolic processes;
• causes memory impairment and emotional instability;
• contributes to the onset of depression, apathy, and loss of interest in life.

Stress Prevention

Stress, like illness, is easier to prevent than to treat. Therefore, it is important to learn to prevent stress by timely eliminating negative emotions, physical and psychological overexertion.

1.Rest. Regular rest plays a significant role in the normal functioning of the body. Even the busiest person should always find time for rest. It is important to rest not only the body but also the soul. You can take a walk in the fresh air, read an interesting book, watch an engaging movie, chat with friends, play with children or pets. Everyone can find a mass of interesting activities that will relax them and lift their spirits.

2. Adequate Sleep. Healthy sleep is good protection against stress. A well-rested person has higher stress resistance. To ensure sound sleep, one should get into the habit of going to bed at the same time, not staying up late, not eating three hours before bedtime, and not consuming tea, coffee, or alcohol before sleep. Before going to bed, you can take a half-hour walk or at least stand by an open window or on a balcony for a short while. It is advisable to ventilate the bedroom to ensure fresh air. Adequate sleep is good prevention against examination stress, which often affects students during exams.

3. Proper Nutrition. During stress, various disruptions occur in the body. Balanced nutrition saturates it with all the necessary vitamins and micronutrients. This boosts immunity, making the body more resilient and stress-resistant.

4. Sports. Sports activities are an excellent way to overcome stress. Each person can choose the most suitable sport based on their preferences and physical capabilities. Sports can be replaced by dancing. Dancing is particularly beneficial for women, as it not only strengthens the body and develops flexibility but also helps to reveal femininity and boost self-esteem.

5. Massage. Massage has a beneficial effect on the body, helping to relieve fatigue and muscle tension, which in turn promotes emotional relaxation. It is true anti-stress relaxation.

6. Water Procedures. Water has a beneficial effect on the human body and helps to combat stress. Relaxing baths with aromatic oils, regular visits to the swimming pool, and swimming in natural bodies of water are beneficial for physical and mental health and are simple and effective methods of relaxation.

Stay positive! Only positivity will help avoid nervous stress and improve the quality of life.

State Institution "Rassonsky RTCGE", October 2024