• Question: how can mental health affect our day to day activities?

    Asked by anon-237445 to Peter, Mhairi, Madeleine, Catherine, Andrew on 18 Mar 2020.
    • Photo: Mhairi Bowe

      Mhairi Bowe answered on 18 Mar 2020:

      Certainly, how we feel influences our emotions, self-interpretations and our responses and attitudes to others. If we are aware of these influences and we can reflect on them, and better still, talk about them, then it definitely helps reduce their impact.

    • Photo: Catherine Talbot

      Catherine Talbot answered on 19 Mar 2020:

      Having mental health problems can make everyday activities more difficult. People with depression, for example, might feel unmotivated to do activities. They might also feel really tired so stay inside. People with depression might also feel agitated which can affect how they interact with other people. People with social anxiety, might feel really nervous about speaking to people or taking part in activities to the extent that they withdraw from these activities.

    • Photo: Peter Kinderman

      Peter Kinderman answered on 19 Mar 2020:

      I agree with my colleagues – when we’re depressed or anxious (and perhaps even more when we have more serious mental health problems) this can affect our day to day activities.
      And this can, itself, make things worse.
      When we’re anxious or depressed, we sometime stop doing things that are good for our mental health – exercising, meeting friends, having fun, learning – and that can clearly make things worse.
      That’s one of the reasons that we recommend staying active, and taking steps to improve our mental health. See, for instance, the NHS’s ‘Every Mind Matters’: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/

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