Looking after our Mental Health

Hello everyone and welcome to this very special Monday! Yep today is the start of Mental Health Awareness week 2020 here in the UK. And It has been making me think of so many things. But I won’t go on and on.

I’ll start off with my own wee story and my journey with mental health.

So as you may have seen I am writing a show about male suicide and the south asian community. Growing up I was bullied in school quite badly, yet tried to always be upbeat and not let it get me down. But that can be tough. I went through times of being happy and then being sad. I didn’t want to be around. It took drama and acting and being creative that truly helped me to become the person I am today.

I started to make ways that I could look after my mental health. This was in the way of free-writing, going to the theatre or cinema (this wasn’t a regular thing but then I started working as a theatre usher and it helped!) , writing or walking.

And over the years I got more confident and started to think of the spaces I was in and the things I enjoyed and how they helped me.

Whilst in my 4th year at drama school, we had a class with artist Tashi Gore. Within this class, Tashi taught us about a “Structure Process”. This was a tool to help us get a process whilst making our degree shows. But I also saw this tool as a way of creating time for myself.

As the quote from Author Matt Haig says in his book Reasons to Stay Alive :

“Just when you feel you have no time to relax, know that this is the moment you most need to make time to relax.”

During my final year at Drama School I felt I wasn’t relaxing or taking time for myself. I was either studying or creating or working. Then to get a process that helped you structure, it really helped me to put myself first.

Now I have my own structured process and that includes things like:

• Daily Meditation

• Read - Each day at least a minimum of 1 hour

• Do a form of exercise

• Take a random trip once a month.

With the ongoing coronavirus though, somethings have changed or been altered.

So why don’t you try making your own wee structured process? Give yourself a wee break?

With the launch of Mental Health Awareness Week, I wanted to share some places that I have seen great work happen or articles I have read. But this is by no means the only places, there is so so much incredible work happening out there and you should go delve yourself! :D

First on my list is the Mental Health Foundation : https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

The website and the organisation give so much support to the world of mental health and have created great resources for all ages and people whilst we are also going through this time of coronavirus. It is a great resource for anyone who would like to learn or support the foundation! A great organisation!

Next is Theatre Nemo: http://www.theatrenemo.org/

This is a great arts organisation who create work for groups to support their mental health. Running workshops both in theatre and music.

The RCS has shared a blog about Mental Health here which is a great read: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/blogs/mental-health-awareness-week-kindness/?fbclid=IwAR1jbqGybf3yZ7T1JUwsveexWcR9t0UXzuXaJZqBlsNlKvDf3igilG84Rc0

I enjoy creating and devising work with different groups of people. I have worked in schools, prisons and hospices whilst I was on my degree. Currently I am looking to work with South Asian men for the Research of my show. I came across this article when reading on Mental Health and the Arts. https://www.commlinks.co.uk/about-us/blog/applied-theatre-men-mental-health/

I enjoy the app Headspace which also helps with meditation and breathing!

There is so much I could write about this topic! It is an area I am passionate about and hope to further learn in as an artist and as an individual.

IN the great theme of the Mental Health Foundation, in these weird times, we can only share and be kind to each other. We can’t read people’s minds and sometimes a smile isn’t a smile, so be kind and in the words of the 12th Doctor from Doctor Who’s final speech:

“Never be cruel, never be cowardly. And never ever eat pears! Remember – hate is always foolish…and love, is always wise.

Always try, to be nice and never fail to be kind.”

Wishing everyone a lovely week and here is to a week and beyond of great work towards better Mental Health for all.

Photo Credit: Mental Health Foundation

apologies for any grammar errors caused by my dyslexia.