By Frank Bublitz
Why don’t people have parties by themselves? Because the only type of party you can have by yourself is a pity party. And who wants one of those?
Because May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month
Years ago, however, scientific studies determined that group activities that are “voluntary…social…” and have “…a sharing of knowledge…” have health benefits. A few of these health benefits are a greater sense of belonging that raises self-esteem, a lowering of blood pressure and a reduction in production of the stress hormone Cortisol.
One of the most important parts of group activities that help improve your health is that the are best when voluntary. A script that I wrote for a comedy performance group that was made up of people with mental illness is a humorous example of that fact.
This skit, called Frankly Speaking, was the hit of every show that we produced. In fact, even when a show was improv, the cast involved would asked to play that skit as well. It’s a “Slice of Life” piece presented from the perspective of a man who never told his wife how much he hated certain things she did or purchased for the home.
What made that skit a hit is that everyone could relate to the plight of someone who put up with a loved one’s favorite things with a surface smile but hidden unhappiness. A woman who watches sports because her husband watches ten hours of football every Sunday during the season, or a man who attends opening night of every rom-com ever made to please his better half can relate.
None of us wants to be forced, even by loving coercion, to do things that we don’t want to do.
On the other hand, when we gather to perform and watch a relatable show and do so voluntarily, we often treat the memories of that occasion as a life highlight. Shared and pleasant memories are also good for mental and physical health benefits, as I bet you were already aware.
However, the very fact of doing something that challenges the mind, brings you together with friends or friendly strangers, and you do because you want to has many health benefits. A famous research study compilation, published in Lancet Psychiatry in April 2021 will give you more information on this topic. The URL is: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00149-8/fulltext
So, get some friends together to do something fun, mind-challenging, and done in a group. You will make pleasant memories and do your health some good!
My next articles will address mental health and how fun activities not only change the mind of the person with mental illness but the minds of others as well. We’ll look at the history of the “Traveling Art Show” sponsored annually by the Community Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the St. Clair County “CMH Players”.
