The Lowdown

Let's start with thinking of health as a state of wellness. We can think of wellness as choices, ways of being and activities that provide balance in our lives that improves our whole self; mind, body and wairua. As we evolve and grow and as our environment changes, our state of wellness may require adjustments. It's helpful to think of a state of wellness as flexible to what WE need WHEN we need. This gives us room to explore and try new practices, connecting with different support and resources.

Everyone has mental health. Mental health is a part of your hauora, it’s the wellness of your mind, your thoughts and how you feel. On any given day, the state of your mental health can be really good, okay, a bit up and down, feeling a bit low or really struggling, and it can change quickly and massively based on all the things that happen in life, both big and little. It’s often complicated because everyone’s experience of it is personal and unique.

Our hauora is not individual. It’s a weaving together of our whānau, our whakapapa, our connection to the world around us and our beliefs. This helps us form an identity that connects us to our past, grounds us in our present and lifts us up to the opportunities our future holds.

It means that we’re a part of something bigger than ourselves, and within this we can find people who care and support, stories that uplift us and help us to feel connected and heard, and a sense of belonging and acceptance of who we are.

Your mental health is closely linked to how you think and feel about yourself and others, how you create and manage relationships and friendships and the ways that you’re able to cope with the ups and downs of emotions that you face in your everyday life.

If you’re feeling good, you might say your mental health is all good right now. If you’re feeling down, anxious or confused, you could say your mental health is struggling or just a bit shitty at the moment.

Sometimes your mental health can be impacted by things that you can’t control. These can include sickness, injuries or other impacts to your physical health, systemic inequalities, the way other people act or treat you, hormones or other chemical changes inside your body, and even the time of year, temperature and weather.

Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same.

There are many factors that impact our mental health and shift the balance between feeling good and feeling down or having a hard time as you move through different stages of your life. These challenges may come and go over time, they may be short or might last for many years. Everyone’s experience is unique and different from everybody else and can be heavily impacted by things like your culture, your family and your identity. You might be able to bounce back from a tough experience while someone else may feel weighed down by it for a long time and both of these responses are normal.

The one thing you always need to remember that you’re never alone in what you’re facing. People care about you and want you to be ok, and they may have a better understanding of how you’re feeling than you realise.

Positive mental health is often connected to having a sense of purpose, knowing who we are, being able to do the things that matter to us and feeling connected to others. This is linked to resilience, which is having positive ways to deal with your feelings, recover from things that impact you and enjoy life even when things are hard.

It’s important to know, though, that having positive mental health overall doesn’t mean you’re excluded from experiencing mental distress.

A great resource to assist with this is the 'Five Ways of Wellbeing' from the Mental Health Foundation 

If you’re thinking about harming yourself or are having suicidal thoughts, 

to talk to someone who cares and can support you.

You may hear the words ‘mental health’ being thrown around a lot in conversations, in the news or on social media. The thing is, you might not know what that means exactly. No worries, we’re here to help.

What is Mental Health?

Antidepressants are medications prescribed by doctors to help treat depression. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to build and care for your mental health and well-being through Pasifika approaches? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Grief can be a painful process. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Your mental health is essential to your overall well-being and is just as important as your physical health. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Finding school tough? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to learn to build and care for your hauora through Te Ao Māori approaches? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Who you are and what you think about yourself has a big impact on the way you feel about life. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

It's normal to feel anxious sometimes. But if you're finding it hard to cope, find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown. 

Want to learn more about depression and mental distress? Find support, connect and learn at The Lowdown.

It can be difficult to identify and express thoughts and feelings. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Expression through creativity can have a positive impact on your mental health and well-being. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Bullying in any form can take a huge toll on your mental and physical well-being. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown. 

Coping with stress can be overwhelming especially for a young person. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Friendships can have a big impact on your mental health and well-being, but they're not always easy to create or maintain. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Dealing with loss can be one of life's hardest challenges. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Struggling to manage your anger? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown. 

Culture is not just a word but a sense of being. Need help supporting your mental health? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Supporting others can be very powerful for both parties involved. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Finding it hard to relieve your sadness? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown. 

In today's world, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

If you're having suicidal thoughts, you need to seek help now. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Troubled by constant worries and need tips to help stay calm? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

The relationships we have with our family can have a huge impact on mental health and well-being. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Here's a list of content based around the topic of tough times at The Lowdown.

Your ability to connect with others in a healthy way plays an important part in your mental health and well-being. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Abuse is never OK and there are no excuses for it. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Pressure can come in many forms, but with support we can get through the tough times. Find support, connect and learn at The Lowdown.

Having study trouble? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Life has its ups and it also has its downs. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

The relationships we have with our whānau can have a huge impact on mental health and well-being. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Staying well is vital for your mental health and well-being. Struggling? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

If guilt isn't addressed, it's unlikely to go away. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Spoken Word is a great medium to deal with 'these feelings' you might be having. Find support, connect and learn more on the Lowdown.

Death is a certainty in life, though it doesn't mean you'll ever be prepared to deal with it. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

The topic of stigma around mental health can often lead to feelings of shame. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Struggling with your mental health? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Coping with a breakup can be rough. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Youth often don't get the mental health support they need because they don't know where to start. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Having a supportive community can help make a positive impact on your mental health and well-being. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Relationships often require a lot of work to grow and can be quite complicated at times. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Feeling lost? You are not alone in these feelings. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Starting a new school? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Navigating the dating world? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown

Want to know more about body dysmorphia? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown. 

Work troubles getting you down, or need tips around getting into the workforce? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Need help with body positivity thinking? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Your ability to connect with others plays an important part in mental health and  well-being. If you're struggling with unhealthy relationships, find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Struggling with how you feel about your body weight? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to learn more about eating disorders like anorexia? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Need support relating to drug use or just want to know more about safe choices? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to know more about phobias and anxiety? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Learning about someone else's lived experience might help you gain the information you need. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Disabilities can impact our lives in many ways. Find support, connect and learn at The Lowdown.

Dance is a way to express difficult thoughts and feelings you might be experiencing. Find support, connect and learn more on the Lowdown.

Want to learn more about neurodiversity? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown. 

Is money making you stressed and anxious? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Coping with shock can be a difficult process. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to learn more about orientation? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Need support relating to alcohol use or just want to know more about safe choices? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

The relationships we have with our aiga can have a huge impact on mental health and well-being. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Gender isn't a label, it's a fluid and beautiful piece of our identity. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to learn more about eating disorders like bulimia? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

No matter what you're experiencing in your relation to your sexuality, there is no need to go through it alone. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Pregnancy can be exciting and scary at the same time. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Living with social anxiety may have a tough effect on your life, but it doesn't have to. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to know more about consent and the role it plays in keeping us safe? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

At some stage in your life, you'll have to make important decisions around the topic of sex and that can be daunting. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Want to learn more about gender identities such as transgender? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Has COVID-19 impacted your life? Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

One of the most important aspects of recovery is learning to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

Understanding body image plays an important part in a young person's developing self-esteem. Find support, connect and learn on the Lowdown.

#Antidepressants

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