Wellbeing | Mentally Healthy/Mentally ill - It is not a binary choice

One of the positives (of which there were few) from the Pandemic was a willingness of more people to talk about their mental health.

Up to that point the conversation about mental health was often reserved for those who were struggling. Organisations would report about the constant challenge to get participants to mental health workshops as attending might be seen as a weakness or a cry for help. Thankfully the conversation has moved on with many volunteers stepping forward to be trained as mental health first aiders, with organisations reframing mental health supports as a programmatic attempt to build mental fitness across their workforce, and many overcoming the reluctance of men in particular to participate by rebranding attendance at events as simply being prepared to help a colleague who might be struggling.

However some still see mental health as a binary choice, for them either you are mentally healthy or not. But that is simply not the case.

The truth is we are constantly living on amental health spectrum and the sooner we recognise that fact the more chance we have of responding in the best way possible rather than sleep-walking our way to trouble.