Watch your thoughts: Here’s how to boost your mental health through self-care
Mental health problems are on the rise like never before. The pandemic has worsened the situation. Here’s some advice from a counselling psychologist on how to handle the situation
With the proliferation of digital technology and hectic pace of work, life has become increasingly mechanical and monotonous. There are numerous lifestyle diseases and mental health problems affecting hundreds of millions of people globally – and mental health issues are a major one among them.
Estimates by the World Health Organisation indicate that over 90 million Indians, or 7.5% of the country’s population of 1.3 billion, suffer from some form of mental disorder. This need has further increased in the wake of the recent pandemic.
Panic attacks can happen at any time
On World Mental Health Day, there is a need to raise awareness on the fact that paying attention to one’s mental health and wellness as much as physical health is of utmost importance. The focus should be on cultivating a mindset of harmony, peace and mental fortitude within oneself.
There are various ways to keep the mind healthy and active. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ways to boost mental health...
Be aware of your thoughts
We often complicate our mental situation by unhelpful thinking patterns like catastrophising (viewing a situation as terrible or awful, even though the problem may be small), personalising (blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong or could, even when you may only be partly responsible or not at all), black and white thinking ( for example, I am a total failure), etc.
These unhelpful thinking patterns can cause a great deal of emotional distress. However, if are aware of our helpful or unhelpful thinking patterns, we can learn to dispute them and avoid emotional distress.
Nutrition is the key
Follow a nutritious diet to prevent stress
Our body needs the right kind of nutrition and energy. When we are short on energy and nutrients, we tend to become irritable, weak and stressed. This can take a toll on our mental health. Eating food that makes us happy and our body stronger is a must.
Take time for physical activity
Physical activity can keep your mind fresh and energetic
Regular physical activity boosts hormonal release and helps in achieving holistic health and wellness. We become happier, more energetic and confident about ourselves by exercising regularly.
Get a good night's sleep
The impact of sleep on our mental health can’t be exaggerated. Sleep is essential to us, just like air, water and food. Quality sleep time is the period when our body relaxes and recharges itself. People vary in terms of how much sleep they need - while the average sleep duration for adults is 6-8 hours per night.
Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can have effects like poor attention, concentration and memory, irritability and other mood disturbances, impaired judgement and reaction time.
Hence, it is very important to take good sleep and keep ourselves mentally fresh.
Take mini-breaks
Taking breaks is an essential requirement. We often become bored with the monotony of life and start losing sight of the joys and the exciting things that we do or can do in our daily lives.
Taking breaks and vacations is a highly effective way of refreshing our minds. Whether it is a short break, a weekend vacation or a long cross-country trip, it is a must to take breaks and do things that please your heart and mind.
Consult a therapist
In cases where these lifestyle changes do not help, it is highly advisable to consult a therapist and to take any medication as deemed fit by them. These medicines can be effective in relieving symptoms of mental health issues and typically work by changing the balance of certain chemicals in the brain by reducing the presence of stress-causing elements.
Seek help when you are unable to cope with mental health on your own
When a person is prone to suicidal thoughts it becomes imperative to screen for mental health issues and provide preventive or remedial counselling options, cognitive and behavioural therapy, among other things.
Sometimes, no matter how healthy a person’s lifestyle or daily routine is, there could be external factors that can lead to depression or mental health issues – and many a time, there is no underlying cause too.
The need of the hour is to move forward and help each other in generating awareness around mental health issues, removing the stigma around it, and creating an enabling environment to openly discuss what may be ailing people and seeking solutions for these problems.
(Images credit: Shutterstock)
Edited by Asha Chowdary