f there is the need for people to go to the doctor for check-ups to ensure physical health as much as possible, the same happens when it comes to mental health. It is essential to be aware of what we feel, both frequently and occasionally, in what comes to the most diverse fluctuations of our lives.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the global impact of mental illness is visibly increasing. Five of the top ten leading causes of disability worldwide are mental health problems, which are just as relevant and notorious in low-income countries as they are in rich ones, regardless of people's age, gender and social strata.
Leading an active life, drinking water frequently, eating healthy, maintaining frequent contact with those who are closest to us - all of this is halfway to a healthy mind and body, and all of it seems easy (and enticing!).
But… what about when that project's delivery date is approaching? We were going to the gym today, but maybe we’ll have to schedule it for tomorrow. And what about when we start the day with a reasonable to-do list and are suddenly surrounded by urgencies and priorities? That dinner we booked with friends may have to be postponed... And what about when everything we need to do is “due yesterday"? A goal as simple as filling the glass of water next to us becomes an almost impossible task, and the ingredients we bought for cooking our next meal are still waiting in the fridge while we help ourselves to a piece of fruit, a cereal bar or frozen food - because there is no time for more than that.
Time. On average, a third of our total lifetime is spent working - excluding overtime. It’s imperative that we also have time to invest in methods that help us prioritise our mental health - which goes hand in hand with our physical health -, ensuring that we put it in the foreground.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the global impact of mental illness is visibly increasing. Five of the top ten leading causes of disability worldwide are mental health problems, which are just as relevant and notorious in low-income countries as they are in rich ones, regardless of people's age, gender and social strata.
The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanomn Ghebreyesus, considers that "the pandemic has come to remind us again that mental health is as important as physical health". If, on the one hand, it brought the added flexibility of working from home and a more asynchronous management of our time, on the other hand it brought a distance that, although it should have been only physical, ended up being social too, increasing considerably, in the vast majority of people, the feeling of isolation and emotional loneliness.
It is essential that we set aside time to invest in meditation, physical exercise, classes, reading, appointments with professionals in the field of mental health, that we find ways to work on ourselves, that we find what moves us and makes us happy, calm, healthy, in contact with ourselves. That we find ourselves.
"It’s imperative that society becomes aware of the impact of loneliness on the life of each individual and the whole community", says Rafael Ramos Ribeiro, Assistant Researcher in Social Psychology at ISCTE, Lisbon. "The most recent and thorough literature reviews point out that isolation and the feeling of loneliness can increase the risk of death by 26% and 32%, respectively. As Professor John Cacioppo, a renowned neuroscientist with over 21 years of research on the effects of loneliness, said in 2016: «Solitude is like an iceberg: it goes much deeper than what we can see »".
If taking care of our mental health was fundamental before the pandemic, nowadays it is a pressing need.
It is essential that we set aside time to invest in meditation, physical exercise, classes, reading, appointments with professionals in the field of mental health, that we find ways to work on ourselves, that we find what moves us and makes us happy, calm, healthy, in contact with ourselves. That we find ourselves.
What Coverflex can do for you
At Coverflex we have partnerships that are included in our benefits’ offer with entities in the most diverse fields of expertise, namely in the field of mental health. We want to give companies the opportunity to offer their employees perks and tools so that they can do more than simply not neglecting their mental health: so they can actively invest in it.
Our partners who focus on mental health are Zenklub, Clínica da Mente and Khushiminds. Keep reading to find out a bit more about each of them and how you can take advantage of what they offer with your Coverflex card.
Zenklub
Zenklub is an emotional health platform that gives you access to digital content, diverse tools, and over 500 certified professionals, including psychologists, therapists, psychoanalysts, coaches and mindfulness gurus. You can become a member of Zenklub in order to have access to special perks in online appointments for psychoanalysis and psychology, as well as personalised content for different moments of your life - such as meditation guides, tests and videos -, an emotional well-being diary, a podcast (Zencast), and exclusive benefits.
When using your Coverflex card, you get an 80% discount on the first session. All Zenklub sessions are encrypted and you can have them by video call, voice call or chat. No matter where you are in the world: Zenklub experts offer a global service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Clínica da Mente
The professionals at Clínica da Mente are available in any of their four locations in Portugal - Braga, Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon - or in the comfort of your home, through video calls. The psychotherapy clinic specialises in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders, such as depression, anxiety, panic, insomnia, among many other pathologies in this field.
The certified professionals of Clínica da Mente work with a psychotherapeutic model, which is different from the conventional one, in order to change behaviours, feelings or thoughts that affect mental health: the HBM Psychotherapeutic Model, which uses scientifically validated psychological techniques and is regulated by the Portuguese Society of Psychotherapy HBM. One of the main goals of Clínica da Mente is to make it possible for everyone in the near future to reverse mental disorders without having to resort to medication.
With your Coverflex card, you can enjoy a 10% discount on all sessions or packs at Clínica da Mente.
Khushiminds
Khushiminds is a platform that aims to reduce the impact of mental disorders and invest in their prevention, and promote mental health in communities, creating support groups on various topics.
With a team of certified psychologists specialised in the most diverse emotional and psychological problems, Kushiminds gives you the tools for you to invest in your emotional well-being - with your Coverflex card, the first consultation is free and the following ones have a 25% discount.
Khushiminds also has at your disposal a psychological support line, completely free of charge, that you can turn to in times of crisis, in order to have the help of one of the psychologists that is available at the moment, by phone call, video call, chat or email.
Don't postpone this any longer. Invest in your mental health.
