Mind yourselves and others around you. Look after your thoughts and feelings. Mental health is a topic that undeniably receives a lot of chat yet simultaneously is greeted with misunderstanding and insensitivity. As we head into Mental Health Week, Trinity has organised a wide variety of enjoyable events as well as workshops to not only raise awareness but to facilitate a change in the conversation.
To begin, one cannot ignore the presence of mental illness in the minds of our population, the youth in particular. As students, we carry burdens on a wide variety of branches and on an even broader scale. The beautiful nature of human beings is that we are all different, no two individuals are the same. Identical situations can beckon an extensive range of responses. How we feel internally may not be reflected on the outset. We must be mindful of one another’s intrinsically unique characters and not be ignorant in our lack of understanding on a topic that is inherently complex. Posing an overwhelming list of questions and offering very few answers, our mind can easily take control, poisoning and distorting the good in our lives.
Happiness should not be a privilege, rather a right. Alas, the realities of life would beg to differ. A disappointingly high number of millennials struggle through life, isolated by their own mind. As one attempts to iron out the despair, it can lead to an unravelling that will last indefinitely. However one must remember; fighting your own battles isn’t always the remedy. We cannot always fend for ourselves. Although it may seem as though the war has already been lost, there is always time. Always time for change, to seek help, to confide in a loved one or just cry on a friend’s shoulder. Suffering in silence merely adds fuel to the fire. On Tuesday, there’s a chance to take a few moments to yourself for reflection or a chat at the Sit n’ Knit. There’s also a workshop on burning out and self care, advice all students could probably do with.
You never know how someone may be feeling, we tend to be masters at concealing appearances, presenting a false facade of a carefree student. Never underestimate the little things, a simple smile can be contagious. If you feel in need of a reason to smile, why not head over to the Puppy Room on wednesday or go relax at Chill Ville. Or escape the wet, windy weather by watching ‘Babadook’.
If you don’t want to choose between a night out or a movie night, don’t worry Psych has you covered with a screening of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoos’ and a night at Academy after on Thursday. A great way to look after our mental health is exercise so ‘Mind your head!’ for a game of ultimate frisbee! After a long week, the final event is at the Pav where you can get coupons for Pablo Picante restaurants.
We all have reason to be happy, however big or small that might be. Moments of sadness are inevitable, we cannot escape them nor should we try to. Acknowledging pessimism but choosing to focus on the positive is a lot easier than attempting to wade through the despair.
