If you’ve had a hard time caring for yourself lately and have found your mental and emotional health to be depleted as a result, you are not alone. It’s estimated that over half of adults in the United States suffer from a mental illness such as depression or anxiety. Mental illness can be severe and can require intensive treatment, just like a physical injury might require a procedure from Northwest Surgery Center. There are things that can be done every day to take care of your mental and emotional health, however, to ease symptoms of mental illness over time.
If you’ve found yourself struggling lately, here are a few simple ways that you can improve your mental health.
1. Share Your Feelings
Opening up to friends, family, or other loved ones when you are struggling is a great way to process the difficult emotions you might be dealing with and might help you feel less alone. Talking about what is going on in your life (or in your mind) can help you put thoughts to tough feelings, and make things less difficult and overwhelming for you to deal with on your own.
2. Stay Active
While exercising is not a magical cure for severe mental illnesses, studies show that living an active lifestyle can lead to improvement in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Working out, even if it’s just taking a walk around your neighborhood or stretching in bed, can be a natural stress reliever and mood booster.
3. Avoid Burn Out
While this is much easier said than done, avoiding burnout in the workplace or at school can be a major help to your mental health. Try to refrain from taking on too many projects at one time, practice saying “no” to requests that might be too much for you, and learn to ask for help.
4. Start a Journal
Writing your thoughts down in a journal can help clear your head, similar to sharing your feelings with a friend. If you are in the middle of an anxiety or depression spiral, getting out of your head and getting your thoughts out on paper can help you calm down, while also helping you to rationalize some of the thoughts you might be having.
5. Reconsider Alcohol
While some people can drink alcohol with no issues, it becomes a coping mechanism all too easy for others who might find themselves drinking to cope with feelings of stress, loneliness, or isolation. If you are struggling with your mental health, it might be a good idea to take a break from alcohol.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
