Healthy Body ≠ Healthy Mind
Another misconception. Yes, it can help but solely possessing a healthy body doesn’t set precedent for a healthy mind. The mind is more complicated.
‘Telling yourself that everything is alright when it’s really not is as counter-productive as trying to drive a car with the handbrake engaged. Hiding from your insecurities makes you more susceptible to vulnerability — not less so.’
I’ve heard the expression too many times.
‘Healthy body equals a healthy mind.’
It works in theory. If you consider the Earth to be flat and life to be a simple construct.
In that case, yes — the statement stands.
If you’re in the real world, you’ll understand the delicacy of the mind.
This blog doesn’t represent an area of plea to look at my mental health.
I’m strong. Stronger than ever before.
Physically, I’m probably not scientifically ‘healthy’, so the sentiment of the statement doesn’t apply to me.
I have a safe, secure and agile mind. Mostly, as a result, of complicated experiences and harsh conclusions as to the nature of our world.
I once had an unhealthy body and equally an unhealthy mind.
I was confused. I was demanding. I yearned attention. I fought to make it to the top. I deprecated my ability. I struggled to accept compliments and wasn’t happy with any success.
I found fault with everything. I saw no light at the end of the tunnel.
You know the worst thing?
It was normal — I didn’t even know how much I was destroying my character and reducing my years on the clock.
Why do I think that a healthy body ≠ a healthy mind?
To put it in elementary terms:
You fall from a tree, break your arm, treated in hospital and make a recovery — revolutionary medical technology will make it like it never happened.
Your friend watches you fall from a tree after they shook it, they hear the crack, their brain recognises the audible noise and converts it to a feeling of guilt, your friend watches you cry — watches you wail — and struggles to watch you recover.
While you may have suffered the most short-term pain, your friend will revel in the long-lasting effect.
It’s probably why delinquents sentenced to jail time are most likely to re-offend without the appropriate rehabilitation procedures.
Makes sense, no?
Their minds continue to be debilitated by their crime.
They have no recognition of right or wrong — they are replaying their offence, waiting for the gavel to strike down and their sentence to start over again.
The mind is affected by basic and minor sensory movements.
Inconsequential things to one person may mean the world to another.
That’s also why not everyone gets along. A small criterion of one’s personality doesn’t agree with the way that others perceive the world.
The mind is complex. That is scientifically understood.
The implications of an undernourished and cared-for mind are also understood.
What is not understood as well — the mechanism to admit a problem.
Hussain Manawer, mentioned in a previous blog, spoke out against his struggle with depression.
Known as taboo is South Asian culture, mental health amongst men is an issue gone unresolved.
The patriarchy of society prevents men from gaining support, assistance and care.
Men are strong-minded. Men don’t have mental health issues.
Wrong.
Hussain is an example of that, and that’s just one of the millions affected.
Telling yourself that you have a healthy body won’t make the problems disappear.
The impressions that won’t wipe clean your memory.
Learning that living with mental health issues and no help to nurture them will only result in your demise.
A point of no return.
It’s not an ultimatum, but the rhetoric needs to change.
A healthy body ≠ a healthy mind.