Arcadia Ireland

My interest in mental health began back in 2005. Inspired by the resilience and determination of our students I knew it was an area that I wanted to explore more and more. Some 20 years later it is never something that I will take for granted either professionally or personally.

As we say to students year in year out, we all have mental health. If our leg is hurting, we go get it checked out. We might have to rest it for some time and avoid activities that will trigger or cause pain to return. We might have to wait until it is healed enough to play a sport or dance again. The mind and all it's thoughts, fears, emotions, setbacks, anxieties, highs and lows is no different. Sometimes it can all become too much. We are now in a world that is so fast paced even the sharpest brain might struggle to keep up to speed. Add in AI, human suffering, world global events, personal highs and lows and we can often be left with a moment of existential questioning - asking what is this all about! 

Perhaps study abroad allows for a moment of forgetting. I've always felt that. Students can become distracted by their new environment, new friends, new classes, new foods, new places, greener pastures and the excitement of it all. It is easy maybe to forget that all of these distractions are temporary. Somewhere in the culture shock curve, a dip can happen. There might be a realisation that something could have been forgotten and that could be as simple as minding the mind and nurturing mental health. 

Asking the questions of "how am I doing" or "how are you doing" can move mountains. It can allow for a moment of remembering the importance of checking in. It really is simple, we all have mental health. We all need to nurture it. I believe that is a constant work in progress in being mindful about the things that help for optimum mental health. Social interactions, good sleep, good diet, accessing support in whatever form that takes. Chatting with a friend over tea, making a new friend, trying a new sport or activity, being flexible and open to new adventures. Realising limitations. They all matter and they all help. 

Perhaps today think about the things you may have forgotten about and the ways in which you could improve your overall sense of well-being. Think about the sore leg, think about the rest it needs to heal so that it can perform even better in the future. Think about the mileage it can face if given the time it needs to recover. 

"On this World Mental Health Day, let us intensify our efforts to create a world where mental health is valued, protected, and accessible for all, especially in the face of adversity" (World Health Organisation)