Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re highlighting the importance of taking care of your mental health. In this personal account, Tom Hancox, Cpl Life Sciences U.S., Director, shares his strategies and techniques for taking care of his own mental health.
Before I share my approach to managing mental health, I think it’s important to note that everyone is different. My approach to my mental health is a very simplified one, it works for me, but I know it won’t work for every person or scenario. I would always advocate seeking professional help or advice from your GP, a counsellor or a registered charity if you are experiencing mental health challenges.
I’ll start off by saying I’m genuinely thankful I can stay cool in hard times or challenging situations—but it’s something I work at and actively practice in day-to-day life. My hobbies include skydiving and boxing, both are examples of how I choose to push myself physically and mentally, by putting myself in situations where it’s paramount to stay calm. I mention this because taking part in these activities has helped me to build my mental health resilience. If I can stay calm hanging onto the side of a plane or being punched in the face in front of a few thousand people, there are very few day-to-day situations (relationships, finances, work etc) can do to impact on my mental health. Daily challenges could be different for you; it could be the challenge of raising a family, or perhaps it is managing your mental health following the loss of a loved one. Everyone’s challenges are unique, but in my opinion, they differ depending on your perception of the event, more than the event itself.
My approach may not work for everyone and I'm (fortunately) unqualified to discuss the mental challenges around a loss of parents or children. But my general approach is to take a step back, remove emotion, give an honest (that’s key) assessment, and carry out the action required, or move on mentally. I know that can sometimes be easier said than done but removing the emotion from issues is a useful place to start, even temporarily, to allow you to think about the whole picture. I believe the whole picture comes into play when you look at life outside of your work/relationship/finances. It's useful to put perspective on the situation, when you go as deep as remembering you have a limited time on Earth; how much are you going to allow this current situation you’re in to change the next few minutes/hours/years?
For me, there are only those two approaches in ‘crisis’ times; either I can fix this—take action—or I can’t fix this—accept it and consider the benefits it could bring. Many people I know are happy to talk about their problems, which is positive for mental health, but being able to take the next step and find a resolution to the root cause is much more powerful and beneficial. I feel there are things we can all do to improve our mindset for more positive mental health outcomes. Personally, I use the discipline and stamina needed for boxing and skydiving to enhance all areas of my life. I prefer not to dwell on things or let situations get me down. I’d much rather face them head on and deal with them, so I can move forward. Sometimes as a friend/partner you do just need to listen and it’s a potential fault of mine, but I’m typically the person who wants to give a solution.
The same can be said for preventative measures. To keep my mind balanced, I rely on routine and progression, particularly on the activity/fitness side. I think there’s a hugely misunderstood aspect of fitness regarding the mental side of it. I’ve seen people close to me struggle with serious depression and anxiety and I appreciate progression isn’t always achieving huge life goals. Sometimes, life can seem overwhelming, but progression can be as simple as setting yourself a goal to get up at a set time, then the next week walking to the gym every morning (even if that’s to never workout!). But knowing you’re taking some course of action, even baby steps, towards progression, whatever that looks like for you, adds up to a routine—and for me, that is immensely important. The reverse can be said to have a negative effect from a prevention view. If I’m happy, it’s because I’m moving forward, even in the smallest ways, the opposite can be said if I’m falling back on fitness, finance, memories goals - I say this because I’m happy to lose out on the others, if I’ve built good relationships with people as a result.
In summary, I think the most important thing to note is that everyone is different. I try to simplify problems, either by talking to someone or by looking at it with a much wider angle and repeatedly asking, what is the next step of action?
Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are available to talk to 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by calling 116 123.