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Janiya Neely

Mrs.Ramirez

English 12

08 April 2022

Mental Health Awareness and Why it’s Important

People tend to take care of their physical health before their mental health from time to

time. Why is that? Why can't they put the thing that drives them in whatever direction it does in

life first? Why Is it that mental health is one care that is ignored by society and stubbornness?

Mental health is important because just like your physical health, your mind needs to be taken

care of the same way. It is more than just your brain. It matters. You need to take care of your

emotions, mental necessities, and sanity. If you don't, you will be living a life that could have

been much easier if you invested your time and care into your mental and physical health,

equally.

The way society was formed, there are still many people who do not understand the

fundamentals of mental health. Your mental health is like your physical health with your body’s

well being but only with your brain’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. These

affect how we think, feel, and behave(mentalhealth.gov). Our brain is what drives every action

and feeling in a person. It also helps us determine how we handle stress, connect and relate to

others, and make different choices and decisions(mentalhealth.gov). In other words, it controls

everything in one’s life. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and

adolescence through childhood(mentalhealth.gov). Factors that contribute to creating health

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problems include biological factors, life experiences, and family history of mental health

problems.

That is what answers our question, “Why does our mental health matter?” It is important

to be aware of your mental health status because a strong and healthy brain leads to an easier life.

You find yourself overcoming obstacles that you thought you’d never get over. It matters because

it can affect every aspect of our lives from relationships with our friends and family members to

our productivity at work or school. If we don’t have stability in our social or work life, that can

add loads of stress onto us. Within the talks of mental health, there are mental illnesses that we

need to be aware of as well. Our mental well-being can be diminished by a number of mental

health conditions, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, and

more(centerstone.org). These conditions vary widely in their severity, but at any level can have a

negative impact on our lives. Our mental health can also be negatively affected by certain

situations we face in our lives, from trauma, to emotional abuse, and etc.

Learning how to take care of your mental health is very important. Doing things to ease

your mind such as listening to music, meditation, breathing exercises, positive thinking, and

being aware of your mental health can help you take care of it. Taking care of your mental and

physical health are connected(medlineplus.com). Your mental and physical health are one. They

should both be treated the same. Your perspective affects your mental health a lot more than you

think. If you are pessimistic, your mental health would expectedly be full of negativity. But if

you’re optimistic, you are usually more positive with a growth mindset which is healthier for

your mind. You are what you feed your mind. That is why practicing gratitude everyday, either
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by thinking about what you are grateful for or writing it down in a journal is very

helpful(health.harvard.edu). Taking care of your brain should be top priority.

If you ignore your mental health instead of doing what you need to do in order to take

care of your brain, you have higher chances of your mental challenges becoming bigger than

you. Untreated mental illness can lead to more serious health problems(namica.org). These

untreated mental health conditions can result in unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance

abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarcerator, suicide, and poor quality of life. Putting your

mind first can be tough, but these conditions are worse. Two examples include anxiety and

trauma. Untreated anxiety may escalate to panic attacks, and failing to address trauma can lead to

posttraumatic stress disorder(highfocuscenters.pyramidhealthcarepa.com). The earlier you treat

your mental needs, the sooner and better you get results.

In conclusion, your mental health should always be treated just like any broken ankle,

headache, cold, or flu: treated with the utmost care. Stop putting off the urgent care your brain is

telling you that you need. Stop ignoring the very thing that affects and drives you in your

everyday life. Stop delaying the effort or time that should be spent on making your mind stronger

and healthier. Your social, emotional, and psychological well-being should all be important

enough to put first on your priority list. Being mentally aware makes your life more

understanding to yourself. Using such techniques, mental exercises, and practices will help you

relax, reset, reorganize, and strengthen your mind and will support your stability in life in ways

you wouldn’t have expected beforehand. Don’t be ignorant of what’s going on in your brain.

Take the steps necessary in order to make sure your brain is getting the care it needs. Don’t let

your mental struggles build up into something more serious. It’s important to take care of your
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health all around. Mentally, physically and emotionally. “The only journey is the journey

within” -Rainer Maria Rilke.