Staying active, mentally, physically or socially – and preferably all three even a little, are the basic building blocks for mental health. Being active in these ways keeps us alert, energetic and in touch with others.

We hear a lot about what we can do to prevent physical illnesses, but we need to hear more about what we can do to prevent mental illnesses and problems.

The more physically healthy we are, the better we are able to resist physical illnesses and diseases. In the same way, the more mentally healthy we are, the better we are able to cope with life’s problems and avoid problems like severe depression.

People seem to intuitively know what to do to remain mentally healthy, but we need to make people more conscious of the fact that they need to deliberately do things to keep their mental health (or keep mentally healthy)

The stronger our mental health, the more resistant we are to everyday stresses and emotional upsets that can lead to depression and anxiety –  that in turn, can lead to alcohol and drug abuse, family strife, lost productivity at work, withdrawal from friends and general unhappiness.

Simply being active – physically, mentally or socially is good for our mental health and happiness. Take a walk; read a book; visit or telephone a friend.

Communities where there are employment opportunities for all, job security, cooperation between neighbours and a sense of trust and mutual respect are communities that foster individuals’ mental health.

The way you treat other people has important implications for their mental health. Be positive, encouraging and supportive whether it’s your children, your employees, your students or sporting team members – or your friends. They’ll feel better about themselves and the payoff is that they’ll be more likely to cooperate with each other and with you.

‘People helping people’ was an old advertising slogan for a building society. It’s also a way of building strong communities and mentally healthy people. Helping someone else makes the helper feel good about themselves. It’s these sorts of feelings that help us cope better with problems and stress.

The more connected people feel to others or organisations, the stronger their sense of self and their mental health. People feel connected if they are actively included in the organisation’s decisions and activities, if they feel they are learning something by participating or their skills are being used properly, and if they get recognised for their input. Parent, bosses, coaches and teachers should always keep in mind that what they do has enormous implications for others’ mental health.

Even if people are depressed, have anxiety problems or feel unloved and unwanted, making an effort to do something, especially if its challenging or meaningful – and that includes doing a crossword puzzle or helping with the housework – can make them feel better and reduce their symptoms – and especially if someone else gives them a hand to do so.

Volunteering to help others – if you have the time – is probably one of the best ways to feel good about yourself and strengthen your own mental health. There seems to be something naturally satisfying about knowing you have made a difference by helping someone else.

Volunteering can give people a purpose in life – which is a great contributor to one’s mental health. Helping out at the school canteen, or the footy club, or through Lions or Rotary, or visiting someone who is housebound, not only makes for a stronger community, but is good for your mental health.

Joining a cause gives people a greater sense of meaning in their life – which contributes a great deal to our mental health. Getting involved in community issues like lobbying council for better facilities for the aged or those with disabilities, or joining an environmental protection group, or  an organisation helping troubled kids, is medicine for the soul. And the community is better off too – which then means individuals in the community are, and so on.

The more we do things in the community for our own mental health, the stronger the community becomes. The stronger the community we live in, the better for our mental health. The two are interrelated.

At the very core of our mental health is a good sense of self; that is, feeling good about ourselves and feeling that other people also respect or like us. That’s why discrimination of any sort is so psychologically debilitating, and why always being criticised and hardly ever praised makes children and adults feel worthless and unloved.

Regardless of how others treat us, we can help ourselves by taking up hobbies or interests where we feel we are challenged and achieving things. The good news is that these achievements don’t have to be big to give us a sense of satisfaction.

We are not really telling people anything new here, although not everyone is consciously aware of all the sorts of that can make them more mentally healthy. The problem is that most people just don’t think about their mental health often enough.

Good mental health is crucial for our physical health too. People who are depressed, lonely or feeling alienated, or excessively angry or frustrated are more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol or drugs, eat less healthy foods, do less exercise and get less sleep. All these things can increase people’s risk of injury and severe physical illnesses like heart disease.

Keeping active, having a sense of belonging and having a purpose in life are all good for our mental health and wellbeing. We not only feel happier, but we can cope better with problems and stress. Act-Belong-Commit. Just try it.