Our mental health ebbs and flows like the oceans

October is World Mental Health Month; the United Nations believes our mental health is important enough to dedicate a whole month to it. The moment you mention mental health, people feel uneasy or have preconceived misconceptions. The UN wants to combat this, and it sees it as an opportunity to have conversations about mental health. I wholeheartedly agree. We should discuss this topic in Namibia, not just in October, but every month. However, having a dedicated month is a good starting point. I am certainly not a mental healthcare provider; this is just how I approach my mental health.



When I think about mental health and how it affects people, I like to think of our mental health as an ocean. Our mental health is constantly in flux, much like our oceans. There is an ebb and flow to the oceans because of the tide and the moon. The lunar aspect has always been connected to mental health in some way. Often not in a positive manner. Just look at the words for lunatic and lunacy. People for centuries believed that the moon impacted some people's mental health. Those theories have, of course, been debunked. This does, however, not change the comparison I like to make between oceans and mental health.



Our oceans are vast and connected, impacting each other through their currents, weather patterns, climate and the ebb and flow of their tides. Our mental health has vast depths – we as humans experience periods of tranquillity and calmness. This peace and serenity can be disturbed by outside forces that impact our mental health; they can trigger waves of grief, happiness, angst, anger or depression. Storms on the ocean can be ferocious, cause massive container ships to be tossed around like matchsticks, and require the crew to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm. Once the storm has passed, the ocean is often as smooth as a snooker table, and one would never know the havoc the storm caused just a few hours before.



We can compare our mental health to the oceans and the seas. We usually go with the flow; our mental health is in balance, and there seems to be no great disturbance in the tidal pattern of our mental health. However, sometimes a storm appears, the tide changes, and our mental health is off balance. The disturbance inside our brain's equilibrium can feel like an endless raging storm.



Having the tools to batten down the hatches inside your mind is essential. You need a support system that helps you through the eye of the storm and leads you to safety, where peace, calmness and tranquillity once again rule your mind.



This is easier said than done. It means asking for assistance or knowing who to turn to when your mind is in this state. It requires trust in those around you. Companies should have trained wellness professionals to recognise and deal with mental health issues. Just as an employer gives time off for physical health issues, mental health issues should be given the same consideration.



The oceans are a force of nature and must be given the respect they deserve; otherwise, they will cause unimaginable damage in one moment and be smooth and serene the next. If we don't address and treat our mental health with the respect it deserves, we will cause lasting damage to ourselves and possibly those around us. The ebb and flow of oceans mirrors the ebb and flow of our mental health.



Let's keep that in mind this October and find the 'Sea of Tranquillity' within us with the help of those around us.

*Written by Dr John Steytler in his personal capacity to mark the start of World Mental Health Month.