6 Ways to Manage your Mental Health

Mental illnesses adversely affect people of all races, ages, and walks of life. According to the World Health Organization, 450 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with mental illness. In the United States alone, 43.8 million adults – almost 18 percent of the population – experience mental illness in a given year

Research has shown that mental health assessment is one of the many early interventions to help patients maintain their mental health and prevent further symptoms. Mental health assessment aims to understand a person’s emotional status and identify those who need professional help.

Here are ways how to manage your mental health:

1. Talk to someone you trust.
   
   It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the negative voices in our heads. But if you’re feeling anxious or depressed, it’s important to talk to someone you trust — a friend, family member, or counselor.
   • Connect with others. Mental health specialists are trained to help people cope with anxiety and depression. They can support and help you understand what’s happening inside your mind. But they don’t have all the answers. It’s important to talk to someone who understands what it feels like to experience these emotions — someone who cares about you and wants to help.
   • Surround yourself with good people. If you feel like you’ve reached out as much as possible and still feel alone, consider finding someone new in your life who could offer support. If no one in your immediate circle seems like a good fit for this role, consider joining an online support group for people dealing with anxiety or depression. You’ll find others going through similar experiences and may benefit from exchanging tips on coping strategies or just getting reassurance that they’re not alone in their suffering.
     
2. Take care of yourself.
   
   Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Taking care of yourself and protecting your mental health can help you feel better, cope with stress and avoid depression.
   • Eat nutritious meals. Eating well helps keep you healthy and strong. It also enables you to feel better emotionally and mentally.
   • Avoid smoking and vaping. Tobacco products can harm your body and can lead to serious health problems. They also have a negative effect on your moods, which can affect your mental health.
   • Drink plenty of water. It’s essential for your body to function properly. It helps flush toxins, keeps you hydrated, and regulates body temperature. Drinking water can also help you feel energized throughout the day.
   • Exercise regularly. When you exercise, the body releases endorphins, which are hormones that promote a feeling of well-being and reduce pain. Exercising also helps you to sleep better, which is another crucial factor in managing stress levels.
   • Get enough sleep. Sleep is essential for your physical and emotional health — if you don’t get enough sleep, it can make you more likely to get sick or depressed.
   • Learn how to deal with stress. There are many ways in which we can deal with stress. We must develop a routine that suits our personality and lifestyle to find ways to maintain our mental health regularly.
   • Define physical boundaries and know when a person makes you feel uncomfortable. Set limits for yourself by creating personal boundaries that will help you keep your stress levels in check. Also, if someone makes you uncomfortable, tell them how they make you feel and ask them not to do it again.
     
3. Do activities that you enjoy.
   
   The key to managing your mental health is to find the right balance between what you do and how you feel. That means doing activities you enjoy and finding ways to manage the stress that make sense.
   • Revisiting an old hobby. Is there something you used to love doing in your free time? Maybe you used to play an instrument, paint or write fanfiction — whatever it was, try bringing it back into your life again. Even if you don’t have much free time, taking up an old hobby can help you relax, relieve stress and reconnect with yourself and others who share your interests.
   • Try meditating. Meditation can be a powerful tool to help manage your mental health. It helps reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and promote relaxation. And it doesn’t have to take up too much of your time; even 10 minutes of daily meditation can make a difference.
   • Learn a new skill. One of the best ways to manage your mental health is to learn a new skill. We all need a distraction from time to time, and learning something new can be an excellent way to escape the stresses of life.
4. Stay away from harmful substances.
   
   If you have anxiety or depression, staying away from drugs and alcohol will help you feel better more quickly after a bad day — and reduce the risk that you might relapse into an addiction.
   • Avoid alcohol and other drugs. These substances can cause you to feel depressed or anxious, and they may lower your inhibitions so that you act impulsively. Drinking alcohol can also increase your risk of having a panic attack or another anxiety disorder. Avoiding these substances helps prevent problems before they start and gives you more control over your behavior, thoughts, and feelings.

Alcohol and Anxiety Statistics from Alcohol Rehab Guide.

5. Give yourself a break.
   
   If you’ve been working on your mental health for a while, you may get frustrated with yourself or feel like you haven’t made any progress. An excellent way to manage this is by giving yourself time off from working on your mental health.
   • Practice gratitude and mindfulness. Research has shown the act of showing appreciation reduces stress and improves mood. A simple way to practice gratitude is by keeping a journal or writing down things you’re grateful for each day. In addition to gratitude, being fully present and mindful participation in what you are doing, will increases your awareness of the great things in life, making you happier and more grateful.
   • Go on a vacation. Try to leave work behind and spend time with friends and family. This can be especially helpful if your job is causing stress or you need more time outside work to recharge your batteries.
   • Make time for reflection. Take time each day to reflect on what happened during the day, what went well, and what didn’t go well. Think about what you learned from those experiences and how you can use those lessons. Reflecting each day helps you become more self-aware and better able to cope with life’s challenges as they arise.
   • Talk to family. Talking to a family member can help you cope with stress. Talking to family and friends about your feelings can be a good way to deal with stress. If you don’t have anyone at home, talk to someone you trust in your community. You can talk face-to-face or by phone. Or you could email or write a letter if it feels more comfortable.
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6. Seek professional help.
   
   A mental health assessment determines whether you need professional care for your mental health problems. If you’re having difficulty coping with stress or other problems, consider seeing a therapist or other mental health clinician who can offer support and guidance through challenging times.
   • Ask for assistance from the Mental Health Management Group. MHMG has the expertise, experience and resources to help you manage your mental health. Their licensed psychologists and psychiatrists provide individualized, evidence-based treatment for various mental illnesses and other conditions.

Conclusion

Remembering how to look out for yourself when going through a rough patch can be challenging. It’s easy to get caught up in the sadness of everything and forget that you’re more than your mental health. Implementing these strategies will allow you to protect yourself from unnecessary stress, anxiety and low moods—and hopefully allow time to explore some of the other parts of yourself that these symptoms may have overshadowed.

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