The Little Blue Book

10. HAVE REGULAR HEALTH CHECKUPS: Men, in particular, do not see a doctor often enough. But having regular health check-ups is good for your mental health and central to maintaining good physical health. It is well-recognised, and supported by volumes of research, that good physical and mental health are interrelated: one feeds ‘the good’ in the other. But even without the research, we know this: we know that when we’re feeling strong, and active, and with the body ‘on song’, our state of mind follows – that we feel lighter, happier and more resilient. So, look after your health, eat well, sleep well, exercise regularly and get a relationship going with your doctor. If necessary, look around – ask your friends, mates, people you mix with – until you find the right one, a person with whom you feel comfortable and can talk with easily and openly about health matters and how you’re feeling. And if going through a tough period, if you’re carrying negative thoughts and you can’t seem to shake them off, or worried about drugs or alcohol, open up about it and talk to your GP. Most people can recover from mental illness and addiction disorders if given the right treatment and medical supervision, and return to fulfilled, rewarding lives. There would be a lot less depression, anxiety disorder and suicide if we talked to our GPs more often and more openly. (Start with, “I’m feeling a bit out of whack Doc…” and your GP will be able to handle things from there.) Too few of us seek help when we should. So get a relationship going with your GP, and, if ever you feel that you need some help, just make the call. ADA Australia 123 Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 PostScript