10 tips to stay mentally healthy
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it … right? No! One of the best mental health recovery methods is to maintain an environment prone to recovery from mental health and mental illness. Staying mentally healthy is a way of life, not something you do when things start to go wrong. Read on for the top 10 tips to stay mentally healthy! Remember that sometimes the best treatment is prevention.
For some great cutting edge research, plus the tips below, check out the Denver Mental Health Center Research and Assessment Team publications.
1) Be physically active: The human mind evolved in an environment that requires one to travel the equivalent of 12 miles a day for sheer survival (and no, that doesn’t mean jumping into the car and knocking it down!). Recent research has shown that increased physical activity can actually create new brain cells (previously thought of as a static number), this explains why it is strongly recommended to almost all consumers of mental health services in facilities like MHCD start a regiment of exercises immediately.
2) Be Socially Active – We are social creatures, therefore one’s support network, be it family or friends, is of immense importance to one’s overall well-being. Of course, it’s okay to take a few nights to yourself, but don’t get locked in. Get out there, keep your social relationships strong.
3) Get a hobby – Find a creative outlet that you want to do just for yourself. Depending on what you choose, a hobby can be a great avenue to sports clubs, night classes at a local university, or being physically active; Also, if it’s something you enjoy, it’ll be a lot easier to follow!
4) Be Self-Reflective: Do you know those few nights a week that I said it was okay to take a night to yourself? Has to! Read a good book, walk your dog, just think things over. Examine where you are in life, where you want to be and where you come from. Be honest and complimentary to yourself. You are a brave and amazing person, so act like one 🙂
5) Play: Play is tremendously important to staying mentally healthy. Spending time having fun can recharge your battery, revitalize your social networks, and reduce stress / anxiety.
6) Eat a healthy diet – This goes hand in hand with staying active. Stay healthy, both in terms of exercise and diet. Now don’t freak out here, you don’t want to make yourself miserable being the food cop, just be aware of what’s getting into your body. And allow yourself some legroom to cheat once a week or so!
7) Set Goals: When people feel depressed, aimless, or as if they are just following the motions, it is often because they lack a general direction. Set realistic goals for yourself so that you are continually aiming for something, this is a practice known as positive dissonance (you are constantly reaching for a new goal that you set, so you are always trying harder and harder, even if you achieve a goal along the way). More importantly, however, one should not take this too far and find no joy in overcoming a given subgoal; This will prove to demoralize the individual. You should celebrate your successes! Each and every one of them, and then strive to be even better. Once you reach your goal, set another one to go even further. This will constantly boost you, give you reason to celebrate as you reach your goals, and increase your overall content and mental health level.
8) Balancing free time: this is very important! Don’t let yourself lie down in front of the TV. That is really conducive to depressive environments. Relax, watch TV, read a book, go for a walk, spend time on your hobby. Do it all, not just one of them.
9) Examine your locus of control: In the midst of your own reflections, it is important to examine where your locus of control is. Are you blaming others for things? Or are you taking all the blame? Nothing is one-sided, remember that. Especially if your depression focuses on relationship problems. Think about what you really did, what others really did, accept that it is in the past and that the best thing you can do now is learn from it and live to never make that mistake again.
10) Don’t be afraid to seek help: It is a great shame that seeking mental health professionals in America has become a taboo or a secret endeavor! If you are concerned about your mental health, you should be proud of yourself for making an effort to improve. If you are in the general area, I would recommend a recovery-based treatment center, such as the Denver Mental Health Center, or MHCD. The only shame in finding help is not getting help when you can benefit from it!