Mental health jewellery is an ideal gift for people with mental health issues because, when worn, it is a constant reminder of future goals, and an acceptance of current difficulties.
See Gifts for Mental Health in our SHOP online:
What is the best gift for mental health?
More often than not, the best gift to give someone struggling with mental health is jewellery – such as a meaningful bracelet, ring, necklace or earrings. This is because wearing mental health jewellery has a very direct and ever-present effect – serving as a powerful reminder of goals, and of the connection and compassion of your community and friends. It has a psychological and emotional impact on the wearer, and the right piece of jewellery can boost confidence and mood. In that sense it is a form of self-care and empowerment that fits in with the four pillars of mental health recovery: Relaxation, Mastery, Downtime, and Control.
So giving jewellery as a mental health gift can have a direct impact on friends and loved-ones, helping them through times of stress and anxiety: It shows that people (you) really care about them. Because of the way this jewellery has been acquired (i.e. as a gift from a friend) it can lead to a heightened sense of self-worth, confidence and self-belief resulting in increased self-esteem which is said to be so important for better mental wellbeing. Anxiety bracelets for example, can help take us out of our own head and bring us back to reality . . a physical reminder to stop over-thinking everything and realise that there is a real world out there with real people and real friends.
What is the most popular jewellery for better mental health?
The most popular jewellery for improved mental health in our STORE is based around gemstones and symbols / talismans. Talismanic jewellery (where a necklace, pendant, ring or bracelet is shaped or embellished with some symbol or crystal) is very popular at the moment. For example: Gemstone and Shambala bracelets, Yin-Yang pendants, and other symbols on jewellery such as the Semicolon, Butterfly or Shell.
The focus of the jewellery for mental health in our STORE is to encourage optimism, positivity and achievement – so it can be ideal to send as a gift to help friends and loved-ones combat any mental health issues. For example, many people believe that gemstones have the power to help someone change the way they feel about themselves – boosting their confidence and easing stress and anxiety. Here are the most popular gems in this respect:
What gemstones are good for mental health?
- Aventurine: Many people think that this is the perfect gemstone to help with mental health: Aventurine is said to let people better cope with life’s stresses and strains. This is because it is thought by some to help reduce stress . . relieving anxiety and calming the emotions to bring about inner peace. For this reason, it was (and probably still is) used by therapists to help people who suffer from the effects of stress (such as high blood pressure). It is also renowned as the gemstone for goal achievement, being called The Gambler’s Stone. So Aventurine jewellery is suitable for any stressful occasion, like starting a new job, sitting an exam, or for moving house, where stress levels can be very high.
It is also green, which is the colour most associated with calmness. So it is said to have the ability to bring emotional healing, promote inner harmony, and help people let go of difficult thoughts and memories.
- Amethyst: This so-called stone of the mind or “calm-stone” has been recognised for thousands of years as a means of calming the nerves, reducing stress and bringing relaxation. Consequently Amethyst is considered the stone for emotional and physical healing. It is believed to help with stress, anxiety, and insomnia by calming the mind and promoting peace and relaxation. In Tibet, Amethyst is dedicated to Buddha, and a gift of Amethyst is said to impart patience, balance, calmness, and peace. It is also purple, which is the colour most associated with protection of the mind.
- Sodalite: Sodalite is known as the stone of peace – said to help calm the mind and ease panic attacks and prevent people from becoming too stressed-out. It is thought that Sodalite stimulates self-confidence and self-expression, and gives us a sense of calm, helping us to release tension and anxiety. It is also said to enhance self-esteem and engender patience and endurance. Some say it gives soothing energies and helps people see the wisdom of adopting a simpler, calmer and less hectic lifestyle. Consequently, Sodalite jewellery makes a great jewellery gift to pass on wishes for better mental health.
- Rose Quartz: Rose Quartz is thought to bring inner peace and harmony – calming aggression and enhancing sensitivity, compassion, patience and forgiveness, whilst increasing self-esteem and self-confidence. It is said to keep us centred during tense situations, calming our troubled thoughts and soothing the mind. Rose Quartz jewellery could be ideal in helping people with feelings of self-doubt, especially for someone who has trouble accepting themselves as they are, or who struggles with feelings of loneliness and perceives themself as un-loved.
- Aquamarine: Traditionally, Aquamarine jewellery has been a symbol of happiness and everlasting youth; but it is also said to be an effective adjunct for anxiety and depression and other stress-related problems. Some people claim that it can help replace anger and negativity with mental peace and clarity, providing the wearer with emotional and mental balance.
- Citrine: Citrine is said to heighten confidence, creativity and stamina. It is also believed by some that Citrine can help manifest goals. For this reason it is also known as the “Success Stone”.
- Tiger’s Eye: Crystals of Tigers Eye are said to help people stay grounded, centred and balanced. And, they say, by shielding the wearer of Tiger’s Eye jewellery from negative energy, people can be protected from things that might impinge badly on their self-confidence. Tigers Eye jewellery is touted as being good for mental clarity, courage, and protection, and is thought to aid in decision-making, and focusing the mind on the important things in life.
- Moonstone: Moonstone is said help people manage their mental health, helping them focus with clarity and calmness during stressful times. In the Middle Ages in Europe, this “dream stone” was said to help people fall into a deep sleep of calmness and relaxation.
- Jade: Jade is renowned as a health-promoting gemstone being associated in the Far East with longevity. Green Jade in particular is popular because it is believed to impart clarity and rationality, and boost energy while at the same time being calming. If you are focusing on an important event and want to keep a clear mind, you can wear a jade pendant, ring or bracelet, for it is said to contribute to clear thought and sharp rationality. And the colour Green is believed to be good for mental wellbeing.
Which colour is best for mental health?
GREEN: Things that are green are said to promote good and better mental health. Apart from symbolising renewal and new life in nature, the colour green also implies recovery, healing, and personal growth and is used in many mental health campaigns and logos. But overall, it is Green that is the colour most associated with calmness. (Ship’s crews’ cabins are invariably painted in this colour because it has been scientifically shown to have a calming effect on the mind – which can be helpful for people who spend a long time (months) confined in a relatively small space.) The ribbon associated with Mental Health Awareness Month is green. And, the most common green gemstone is Aventurine, closely followed by Green Agate and Jade . . all unsurprisingly associated with mental health awareness.
PURPLE: The colour often quoted in mental “protection” articles is purple. This is because purple is believed to have a calming and soothing effect on the mind, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety. It is for this reason that Amethyst also has a mental wellbeing association.
What SYMBOLS are best for mental health?
Common mental health symbols include the Semicolon for perseverance, the Butterfly for transformation, and the Green Ribbon for general mental health awareness. Other symbolic shapes like Yin-Yang, the Shell and Lotus or Bodhi leaf coud also help with emotional healing:
BUTTERFLY: Why is the Butterfly used as a symbol for Mental Health
The Butterfly is primarily a symbol of change. This is because it transforms itself from a lowly caterpillar into a spectacular Butterfly which must fight its way out of its chrysalis shell and fly away into a whole new world . . just as we ourselves can move through from behind our barriers into a new and exciting world. Behaviours that served us when we were caterpillars are no longer valid: We can no longer live the way that we used to. So, as we fight and emerge from mental health issues, symbolically, we are asked to accept the changes in our lives . . just as the Butterfly does. This can be particularly true with teenagers moving into adulthood.
So the Butterfly has become a symbol of a new life; of letting go of old cycles and finding one’s true inner self. The Butterfly calls on us to expand our awareness, spread our wings and move forward to find our own place in life. It reminds us to make changes when the opportunity arises, allowing the wind to carry us forward to our new goals and dreams. For this reason, many people wear a piece of Butterfly jewellery (necklace, bracelet or charm) to help better their mental health.
Look on it this way: The Butterfly is synonymous with our soul . . initially trapped within our body but then freed into a whole new life. This connection with the soul is rather fitting to the symbolism of change: We are all on a long journey during which we encounter endless turns, shifts, and events that cause us difficulties and a need to change. A piece of Butterfly charm jewellery therefore makes the perfect gift for a friend’s new start in life . . their new beginning.
Interestingly, the Butterfly is the most popular tattoo worn by women from all walks of life and from all over the world – often acknowledging a lady’s maturing from a girl into a woman with a new free spirit.
YIN-YANG: Symbol for Mental Wellbeing
In Nature, there are no friends, only relationships. But nature lives in harmony – in an ebb and flow of opposing forces that some call Yin and Yang. In this way, the natural world remains inter-connected – although separate, and inter-related, although constantly battling. This is the nature of Yin Yang.
So gifts of Yin-Yang jewellery can be seen as a gift between friends or relatives intended to help with mental wellbeing and other health issues where the ebb and flow of thoughts can sometimes cloud the reality of life.
Yin and Yang are not opposing forces per se, but complementary . . interacting to form a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system. Everything has both Yin and Yang aspects: After all, light could not be understood without darkness, and shadow could not exist without light.
The Yin-Yang symbol therefore represents the concept of harmony – two aspects in a single reality . . each containing the seed of the other. This concept is frequently used to express mutual feelings between two people such as an understanding of problems faced in the mental health sphere: Nothing can exist in isolation by itself; and people with mental health issues can be helped most by social interactions that help them to see that they are not alone, but with friends.
SHELL: Symbol for Mental Protection
Shells are a symbol of birth, good fortune, protection and . . resurrection, the beginning of something new. In addition, in Christianity, the scallop shell is the symbol representing salvation (as witnessed by its ceremonial use in baptism).
As regards its so-called protective qualities (which we believe stems from its ability to provide a safe haven in the dangerous environment of the seas) the Scallop Shell has become a symbol of a strong will, defiant and stubborn, unmoved by the tides, the winds, and the adverse currents of life. For many people it is an integral part of life’s Camino, symbolising strength, commitment and a determination along the journey of life. In this sense, shell jewellery has special meaning to millions of people, and is commonly worn to help individuals feel more secure and confident about themselves.
ANGEL: Symbol for Mental Health Guidance
Everyone needs a Guardian Angel to watch over and guide them – especially when they are feeling a bit under the weather; and many people believe in the protective power of Angels and their ability to bring good fortune to difficult or bad situations.
Protection and wellness jewellery such as Angel jewellery can help us be more aware of the things that affect us on a day-to-day basis – or things that make us feel unsafe or unwell: It’s the perfect gift to pass on wishes of protection and good mental health because it can act as a constant reminder of goals and desires. Gift an Angel to a friend or loved one and it will always be near them, sub-consciously taking them by the hand to protect them, and guide them, and generally help them in their life.
LOTUS: Symbol for Mental Strength and Enlightenment
The Lotus plant is a symbol of enlightenment, self-regeneration and of overcoming difficulties – especially with regard to mental health: Even when the plant’s roots are in the dirtiest of waters, the Lotus still produces the most beautiful flowers. Hence, the Lotus flower implies rebirth and is indicated as inner strength and determination to overcome any difficulties in life: It is a symbol of new beginnings, as well as a representation of mental wellness and it implies attainment of peace and happiness through good mental health.
BODHI LEAF / BUDDHI LEAF: Symbol for Mental Peace
The Bodhi leaf (sometimes called Buddhi symbol) symbolises enlightenment and wellness – especially with regard to good mental health. With historical roots in Asian and Buddhist beliefs (500 years before Christianity), the Bodhi/Buddhi is closely related to the Lotus and implies attainment of peace and happiness through good mental health.
A gift of mental health jewellery featuring the Bodh / Buddhii leaf can pass on wishes for good mental wellbeing and help friends and loved-ones to be more aware of the things that affect their mental health on a day-to-day basis. This leaf jewellery can act as a constant reminder of goals and desires in this respect.
ANCHOR: Symbol for Mental Strength
The Anchor is a symbol for steadfastness, security, survival and hope, especially after a fresh start. Naturally, the anchor has a practical meaning for seafarers – stabilising a ship in one place while it waits to enter port, for example, or in the case of emergency, when a ship is at the mercy of the weather in shallow waters. For this reason the anchor has come to symbolise mental wellbeing and/or recovery where it can be a symbol of refuge and strength – symbolising steadfastness, calmness, and composure, especially when things have been a bit rough.
INDALO: Rainbow Warrior symbol as a Protector of Mental Health
Native Indians of North America believed that the rainbow is a representation of the Great Spirit – the Creator. They use the expression ‘Rainbow Warrior’ to describe this mystical being that would protect them by protecting their environment – being the bridge between the physical and the spiritual worlds.
The Indalo Rainbow Man is similar, with many representations through the world, but principally known as Indalo Man in Andaucía, southern Spain where this ‘Indalo’ symbol is said to impart a sense of protection and safekeeping to the local people. Even today, in the small village pueblos that lie hidden behind the giant sierras that roll down to the Mediterranean shores in eastern Andalucía, the Indalo is known for its good luck properties and as a symbol of protection. It is an integral part of the culture of this part of Spain and represents to some, a little guardian angel, promising good luck, health, protection and prosperity, and it is used extensively as a lucky charm, amulet or talisman.
SEMI-COLON: Why is a Semicolon used for Mental Health?
The Semicolon symbol is used to help people remember how far they have come on their journey to better mental health. Many decide to have a tattoo in the shape of a Semi-colon – a constant reminder, close-by to themselves, of their goals and ambitions. Indeed, it has become an international symbol of mental health awareness. But why? Grammatically, a semicolon is used to combine two sentences that are related. In other words, a semicolon indicates that the meaning of the first sentence is not quite finished: That is to say, there is more work to be done but it is progressing . . just like when travelling along the road to better mental health.
See our STORE for some of the best jewellery gifts for mental health you can buy online – each item having an inspirational information card that can be shipped with the gift (optional and free):
