In a time when socialization is not a healthy option, and going to work and going out with friends is limited, while job security is unstable, people do all sorts of things to maintain good mental health. Here are 6 tips on how to take care of your mental health.
These are strategies that can help us all deal with the effects of this pandemic.
Taking care of your mental health is of utmost importance since, without it, we cannot function normally. Everything will be affected if we do not have mental stability.
With or without a pandemic, our mental health matters.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It determines and affects how we think, act, or feel.
It also affects how we respond, react, manage, and decide about everything in our lives.
Mental health problems can be brought about by biological circumstances or by our environment.
Biological circumstances include ADHD, ASD, among others. Environmental circumstances include childhood trauma or abuse.
A lot of times, we cannot pinpoint the reason for us feeling sick, having trouble sleeping, having no appetite to eat, or eating too much.
Others manifest mental health issues through unexplained feelings of hopelessness or depression or mood swings that are badly affecting their lives.
Others manifest their issues through forms of addiction.
Whatever the manifestation or situation is, mental health should always be addressed.
6 Tips on How to Take Care of Your Mental Health
Take care of yourself. This should be the most important thing that one should do.
Physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and spiritually balanced life can bring you good mental health.
When there is self-love and self-care, your self-esteem goes up.
Give yourself time to process all the things that you go through.
You become resilient and your coping skills become well-developed that anything that comes your way is nothing but a grain of sand.
Connect with others. No man is an island, as they say.
You need to surround yourself with people who bring you good vibes and who are good to your mental health.
It is good to keep yourself in good company, that way, you can keep feeling good about your life and yourself.
Learn new skills. When we learn new skills, our self-esteem and self-worth go up. Do something that you have always wanted to do.
Learn something that you have forgotten but have always wanted to learn.
Not only does it do wonders for your self-worth and self-esteem, but it also widens your horizons.
You meet new people; you experience new things. These are all good for your mental health.
Do something that you are good at. Enhance your skills and shine!
This will make you feel good about yourself. And it can also push you to do more and be more.
There is a reward in perseverance.
Be grateful. Learn to be grateful for all the things that come your way.
There may be a lot of disappointments in your life, but these are also opportunities for you to learn and to grow.
Be grateful for these opportunities because they will only be beneficial to you if you let them be.
Pay attention to the present. Mindfulness will help reduce anxiety and depression.
When you pay attention to the present and be mindful, there is emotional regulation, self-awareness, and emotional stability.
Self-Care Tips for Your Mental Health
Self-care is doing things that will take care of your body, mind, and soul.
These strategies will help us manage stress better, and live happier and healthier.
- Physical:
- Good diet and nutrition
- Get enough sleep
- Exercise
- Take walks
- Go swimming
- Dance
- Drink water
- Go hiking
- Personal hygiene
- Listen to music
- Develop a routine
- Social:
- Go out with friends
- Invite them over
- Join a club or sport
- Ask for help when you need it
- Empathy, compassion
- Volunteer
- Mental/Intellectual
- Learn new things
- Read
- Write
- Start a journal
- Learn new skills
- Take brain breaks
- Solve a puzzle
- Emotional
- Start a hobby
- Get a pet
- Self-love
- Positive affirmations
- Develop coping skills
- Positive disposition
- Forgive
- Spiritual
- Meditate
- Listen to music
- Discover your passion
- Go on solo vacations
- Be grateful
- Pray
Printable Mental Health Journal
I made this journal just for you. Print out all the pages, as many times as you would like and use it to help you get started on self care. Below is a list of items you will need.
Mantras for Mental Health
Mantras are positive affirmations that you can tell yourself for good mental health.
These positive affirmations help you cope with stress and anxiety and lessen tendencies of depression.
Here are some of my favorite mantras that you can use:
- “I am stronger than I think.”
- “This is just a feeling. This will pass.”
- “Today is going to be a great day.”
- “I believe in myself.”
- “My feelings are valid. This is okay.”
- “I have people who love me.”
- “I cannot control what will happen, and that is okay.”
- “Everything I need is within me.”
- “I am enough.”
- “No matter how hard it is, I know I can do it.”
- “I can make a difference.”
Support System
When things get hard or unbearable, it is good to talk about it with your family or friends. It is best to have a support system that will help you with any ordeal.
Your support system should provide you with practical, moral, and emotional support. They will help reduce your stress and anxiety.
It is good to vent out every once in a while. Catharsis is the process of releasing all your repressed emotions.
This is a helpful practice for stress management. You can do this with your mood support system.
Effects of Good Mental Health
It affects how we function daily. If we are depressed or not in a good mental state, everything around us is affected. We cannot perform well in our jobs.
Our relationships are unstable and unhappy. Our disposition in life is not good, hence we resort to things that will make us feel alive.
This includes alcohol, drugs, and becoming part of an endless cycle and bad circle of friends.
However, if we are mentally stable, we are happy and content.
We do things differently. We are inspired to perform better in our jobs, in school, and in all our relationships.
We can process emotions and feelings well. When we can do this properly, we widen our understanding of how we should respond and act on our feelings and emotions.
And then we respond accordingly.
We can think things through and we do not act on impulse. Having good mental health makes us well-rounded individuals.
Improved relationships. With good mental health, we tend to be better people for our partners, our families, and everyone else in our lives.
We are inspired to be better. With good mental health, we think more clearly and soundly.
Great Self-Esteem. With good mental health, we feel worthy. We have high regard for our person and our abilities.
This mostly affects our interpersonal relationships. When you know you are worthy, you don’t settle for anything less.
And you do not tolerate anything that will make you feel less or unworthy.
Always put your mental health first before anything else!
