Mental Health Awareness Week begins today with a focus on five ways to improve well-being.
The theme “Five Ways, Five Days” asks New Zealanders to “take note” (me aro tonu), give (tukua), “be active” (me kori tonu), “connect” (me whakawhanaunga) and to “keep learning”. ‘ (me ako tonu).
Each year, one in five people suffer from mental illness and/or addiction.
Astley Nathan (Ngāpuhi, Waikato Tainui, Ngāti Whātua), a member of the Mental Health Foundation’s Māori engagement team, says ways to improve people’s mental wellbeing are “based on science, but not sorcerers.”
“(For example), paying attention to your surroundings, to the things that make you feel good, go out for a walk and you see a flower, and then you say, ‘That’s a beautiful flower.’ It keeps you in the present moment.
“We don’t want to think about the past and regret it. We don’t want to worry about anxiety thinking about the future. We want to be here in the present moment.
Simple steps to improve well-being
This is a toolkit based on Te Whare Tapa Whā, a model developed by Tā Mason Durie, to simplify actions to improve wellbeing and not take “extravagant” actions.
“These are easy steps, that’s the most important thing. People think you have to do extravagant things like go meditate for 48 hours or something. In fact, you can do something for five minutes a day and it can significantly improve your well-being,” says Nathan.
Workplaces and schools across the country have embraced the theme of what the five paths mean to them, collectively and individually.
“It’s not about creating or raising money or making anything – it’s about bringing it back to you, bringing it back to the individual, bringing it back to the five ways that can work and work (for you).
“There’s been a big focus on wellbeing at work, so it’s great to see people joining in, with big smiles.”
If you need help or are concerned about someone who may need help, contact Lifeline, 0800 543 354 or the Suicide Crisis helpline 0508 tautoko.
