By Januel Cedrick Ibasco
Januel Cedrick Ibasco is a proud Filipino-Canadian. A current student at the University of Alberta studying a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. Sportsmanship is the big slice of his cake. Highly-spirited when playing golf, volleyball, and basketball. He loves reading, writing, volunteering at church. Looking forward to take up law after his undergraduate degree.
The month of May is a special month that comes around once every year. It is also special because it is the month for Mental Health Awareness. Mental heal this an important subject we should all continue to have self-awareness of. There is a fine line between mental health and mental illness.
Many people often think they mean the same thing, however this is not the case.
Mental health applies to every single individual in the world as we take on each day with our thoughts, feelings, and mental reactions. We often forget that how we feel on the inside is part of our mental health. Mental illness entails one having health conditions involving changes in one’s emotional and thought mannerisms.
There are various types of mental illness including depression, ADD, ADHD, and schizophrenia. The important thing to know about mental illness is that it can affect anyone no matter what their age and gender. This is an important subject that must continually be acknowledged by everyone as it is serious.
So, this month, I want each and everyone of you to take care of yourself, and by this, I mean to take time off if you are stressed, treat yourself if you feel that is what you need, and spend time with your family and friends. Do anything that can help you improve your mental health as it is one of the most important aspects of an individual.
Lastly, we should all try to help others no matter how big or small the gesture is. This month is about uniting together and if someone you know is going through a rough patch, this is the best time to reach out and help. We are all going through something, and it is our responsibility to take ownership of our mental health and become stronger as individuals. Always remember that there are people always willing to help one another, but it is also our responsibility to ask for it.