Our mental health is complex and something that needs addressing more so now than ever before. However, it often feels easier to ignore it, especially when it comes to the fear of stigma that comes with mental health itself.
Not everyone wants to admit there’s a problem and it’s something that you certainly want to consider changing when it comes to your own mindset. Here are five tips to improve your mental health when you find yourself struggling with it.
1. Find ways to reduce stress and relax
Are there particular stressors in your life that are causing a lot of anxiety or other mental issues? For some people, that might be their job, current relationships or other factors.
Whatever it may be, it’s important to assess how much control you have over all of the above and how this might help in reducing the problems that cause your mental health to be impacted as a result.
Finding ways to reduce stress and relax is important. It’s something that you certainly want to be mindful of and pay attention to when it comes to figuring out what is ramping up those negative feelings.
2. Speak to someone you trust
It’s hard to know who you can trust when it comes to something as sensitive as your mental health. Not everyone you know and think you can trust with your inner thoughts is going to be true to their word and not saying anything.
It’s therefore important to really find those close relationships where you feel you’ve got 100% trust in them – particularly when it comes to your mental well-being.
If you’re struggling, then getting advice or support might be just what you need. My personal go-to is to connect with a friend in a quiet coffee shop. We like to update each other on how we are doing and we try to help each other out if something is not going well in our lives.
3. Seek psychological help from a professional
Whether you’ve got the support of others or you’d rather keep your mental health private, it’s good to explore services in relation to therapy. Seeking out a psychologist might be just what you need in order to take control of your mental health.
There are times when our stress and mental health can be easily solved by a friend or family member who knows you well. However, I’ve found that there comes a point where the problem is much more complex and requires a professional’s help. A psychologist can give you guidance on how to practice skills that will actually rewire your brain so that you can create a stronger foundation for your mental health.
Psychologists are great communicators. They’re experts in their knowledge and practices, helping those with all sorts of mental health needs at all ages. Therefore, if you’ve got an opportunity to find a psychologist near you, then it’s worth doing.
Additionally, if you don’t want to go in person, there is always the option to find a therapist you can talk to online.
4. Spend time offline where you can
While the internet and the digital world can be a great addition to our lives overall, it’s not always the best medicine for your mental health. Sometimes, it can be toxic and cause your mental health to decline further.
With that being said, think about spending some time offline where you can and spend that time needed to work on your mental health instead.
It can even be interesting to do a bit of an experiment to see what aspects of screen time seem to affect your mental health the most.
I’ve experimented with a couple of different things and learned that my mental health is worse after using Instagram and after watching any show or sitcom that is quick to complain about problems in the world.
Because of this discovery, I steer clear of both forms of media content and have found myself in a much better place mentally because of it.
5. Look after your physical health
While your mental health is important, you should also be focused on working on your physical health. That’s something that’s equally necessary and goes hand in hand with your physical well-being.
With these tips, you’ll hopefully be able to improve your mental health when you’re struggling.
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