It’s a fact that mental health has been a recurring theme for discussion as time passes and the world shines a light on its importance and effects in society (thank God!). More and more people see mental illnesses not as a shame anymore, but as a consequence of life and chemical imbalances of the brain. People are forming communities, learning more, and gaining a voice in the media, encouraging others to seek help and to not be ashamed or scared of whatever condition they may have.
It’s also a fact we are living in hard and stressful times all over the world. From terrifying political figures to war, hunger, death of minorities, prejudice, global warming, the truth is: we will always have something to beat ourselves down about. But how can we help ourselves to not let our mental health go to the trash during these tough times?
#1 Let’s get physical!
According to the sports’ psychologist Bruna Soares, physical health directly affects our mental health. She affirms that there are three important things we need to look out in our daily routine, concerning our minds: eating properly, physical exercise and a good night’s sleep. “These are the factors we can control everyday”, Bruna explains. Moreover, studies made by Harvard actually show that physical exercise can help treat mild to moderate depression! In one study, for example, people alleviated symptoms of depression when they exercised a total of three hours a week.
Author’s tip: There’s a billion exercising channels on YouTube for beginners if you don’t feel like leaving your house, like Blogilates or FitnessBlender. Also, start with baby steps. Changing your everyday routine can be really hard, especially when in a nasty mental space. Be kind to yourself and take it slow!
#2 Carpe Diem comes in handy
While it is understandable that everyone needs to work to survive, it is very important to know when to stop working and enjoy life (cheesy, I know). Have some time for leisure on the weekends, a fun activity that has nothing to do with work or studying, something that can break the weekly routine. “It doesn’t help to be working all day, all week, to get to the weekend and be too tired to enjoy”, Bruna affirms.
Author’s tip: Do a “treat yourself” time a few times per week! Whether it’s using a facemask, doing your nails or just shutting off any electronics for an hour, this helps to take your mind off the world surrounding you, and concentrate on yourself. It also helps not to associate how hard you work to your worth in life. You are not your job or your school, you are your body and your mind, so learn to take care of it!
#3 Just keep breathing (the right way)
According to Bruna, nowadays people breathe the wrong way. “In the middle of all of the daily stress, people tend to breathe like they are in a fight-or-flight situation”, she affirms. It’s important to stop, breathe slower and relax. This technique also comes in handy for those suffering with anxiety disorders.
Author’s tip: There’s a lot of breathing exercises tutorials available all over the internet. There are apps for it, Spotify playlists, etc. Creating your own soothing playlist also helps to focus on one specific thing. It takes your mind off whatever’s giving you anxiety.
#4 Balance your time, balance your health
Honestly, there’s about a billion things we need to take care of everyday. Knowing how to split your time with everything it’s also extremely crucial. Know when to dedicate your time to work, to family, to friends, to hobbies. BUT ALSO: for those who are interested, having some psychological help is also something to consider adding to the to-do list. According to Bruna, there are some therapists who don’t mind having sessions only twice a month: “even if it’s a biweekly agreement, [therapy] is very important.”
Author’s tip: If you’re with your friends/family and can’t stop thinking about work, don’t repress those thoughts. SHARE THEM. Tell your friends, talk to them, communicate how you feel at that moment. Sometimes, they could be feeling the same way. That goes as an all-around tip: talk to whoever cares about your well-being.
#5 Know how and when to look for professional help
Even if society has made a significant amount of progress when it comes to its views on mental illnesses, there’s still some taboo on therapy. According to Bruna, there are generally two main cases when people should seek mental help: a mentally healthy individual who’s going through times of reflection and rethinking of life, and those who are going through depressive states, mood swings, going through grief or trauma. Both cases could benefit from psychological help.
And if you have a friend who needs help, be careful with your words. “It’s a delicate situation. [suggesting therapy] It’s only gonna have an effect if that person is open to look for help”, Bruna comments. What you can do is orienting and explaining the objective goal of the professional who can help your friend, whether that’s a nutritionist, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, etc.
Author’s tip: For those who don’t have money to seek for professional health, some Universities offer free aid provided by psychology students on campus. Do some research! Also, talk to a friend or family. Help comes in many shapes and forms, it’s a matter of finding what fits better for you.
Last but not least, just a friendly reminder: there’s only so much the internet can help you with. This article is meant to help you on a daily base. If you feel the need for something stronger than this, look for professional health. Do your research, fight for your mental state. And if you’re not strong enough for it, ask for a friend or family member to help you. You are not alone in this and you don’t have to do it on your own!