Invest In Your Mental Health Every Day | Lindsay Fleming | TEDxWilmette | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The speaker shares her personal journey of investing in therapy and self-awareness, leading to improved mental health and external achievements.

Key Insights

• 🌟 Investing in mental health can result in improved well-being and external achievements.
• 🎯 Stigma and lack of understanding of mental health can be internal barriers preventing individuals from seeking help.
• 💡 Teenagers can experience poor mental health without meeting criteria for a mental health condition. ⏳ On average, it takes 11 years from the onset of mental illness symptoms to receive appropriate treatment.
• 📝 Self-awareness is crucial in recognizing and managing emotional distress. ⏰ "Take Two" is a daily mental health check-in that helps build self-awareness and make small changes over time.
• ✅ Building self-awareness can lead to liberation and finding personalized approaches to managing mental health.
• 📚 Keeping a notebook or note page in your phone can help facilitate the practice of "Take Two" and promote positive mental health.

Transcript

[Applause] as I started my master's program I knew I had to go back to therapy for personal reasons and because if I was going to ask people to be vulnerable with me I had to practice being vulnerable first so I found a highly recommended therapist and I booked that intake session as I pulled up to her office I gave myself the ultimate pep talk I t... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did therapy help the speaker in her personal and professional life?

Therapy played a crucial role in the speaker's personal and professional growth. It helped her overcome anxiety and self-doubt, leading to improved mental health and achievements such as opening her own practice and gaining a following on social media.

Q: What are some statistics presented in the content about mental health?

The content highlights a mental health crisis, with statistics such as one in three people experiencing an anxiety disorder in their lifetime, increasing suicide rates among young adults, and the majority of lifetime mental illness starting by age 25.

Q: What is the speaker's view on the relationship between mental health and achievements?

The speaker initially acknowledges the importance of not measuring oneself solely based on achievements, but later lists her own achievements. However, she clarifies that investing in mental health resulted in feeling better internally, which ultimately led to external achievements.

Q: How does the speaker define mental health?

The speaker defines mental health as our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects our thoughts, feelings, and actions, as well as how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices regarding our health.

Q: What is the "take two" approach mentioned by the speaker?

"Take two" is a self-awareness practice that involves taking two minutes a day to do a mental health check-in. This allows individuals to assess their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, and make plans to address any needs or difficulties they may be experiencing.

Q: How can self-awareness and the "take two" approach improve mental health?

Building self-awareness through the "take two" approach helps individuals avoid and manage emotional distress. It allows them to recognize their needs and make a plan to address them, leading to improved mental health over time.

Q: How did the speaker's TickTock video on self-awareness resonate with viewers?

The video resonated with viewers because it highlighted the idea of finding alternative ways to do things that work for one's unique brain. This liberation from rigid expectations garnered positive feedback and over 5.3 million views.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker shares her experience of going to therapy to practice vulnerability and improve her mental health.

• Therapy helped her grow mentally, overcome anxiety and self-doubt, and achieve more in her personal and professional life.

• She emphasizes the importance of investing in mental health, breaking down barriers, and starting the journey to self-awareness.