Positive Well-being

Ideas to help you stay Mentally Healthy

We are living through one of the most stressful and uncertain times that most of us will have ever experienced. As a result mental health issues are on the rise, with many people feeling scared, isolated and unsure. This blog will hopefully give you ideas you can explore to help you stay mentally healthy.

2020 has made words and phrases such as isolation, lockdown, unemployment, death toll, social distancing, become part of our everyday ‘normal’ vocabulary. This is itself has caused huge anxiety among us. I think, like many, my healthy habits definitely took a dip throughout the early stages of lockdown, resulting in me feeling sluggish, on edge and fixating on things out with my control. Having lived with mental illness for over a decade, I am aware that for me I require the assistance of medication and have had different therapies to help, however there are still many ways we can also help our mental well being. Not everyone who may be struggling with their mental health, has a mental illness, however we are living in very strange times and we need to stop and prioritise our well being.

Please be aware: Although these things can help, I urge you to seek professional help if you are struggling with your mental wellbeing. This blog just gives suggestions of ways to help, but you must never avoid getting professional help for your mental health, just like you would with your physical health.

Right, so let’s go through the different things you can try

1) Gratitude

Yes, I know this is thrown around a lot, and you probably feel you are grateful, however, if you start making this part of your daily routine you will see over a period of time that you will feel more content and therefore mentally calm. Try and write 3 things daily that you are grateful for. You could be grateful for still being in a job, grateful for the friend who text to check in, grateful to have a moment of quiet and hear the birds sing. When you really think of it, you will realise there are so many small things for us to be grateful for. The best thing about this, is once you have done this for a while, you will have your own bank of things you are grateful for, that will make looking back at this hard time in the future, a little more bearable.

2) Routine

I realised during lockdown, the reason why I lost some of my healthy habits, was because I had no routine. I think we were all in a novel situation in the first couple of weeks, where we felt this slowing down of life, however human nature likes routine. We respond better to routine. This certainly does not mean jam packing your days, however it does mean having some clear things you do daily, set bed and wake up times, times for lunch etc. Ensure you map out breaks in the day. Plan out what you will do. Following a simple structure in your day will help your mind feel less overloaded. Ensure you take a walk in the fresh air (if you can) every day. Even if just sitting in the fresh air, a few deep breaths will really help your well being.

3) Re-evaluate your social media

I think for many, social media takes up a large proportion of our day, however over lockdown this probably escalated. I have mentioned in my previous blogs and book about limiting our social media, or having a social media spring clean. Decide if you think your relationship with your social media accounts are healthy and balanced. If not, make changes. Delete accounts that don’t help you live a positive life, limit your time on there, realise that social media need not be a competition. Only this morning I left a group I was in as I felt it causing me unnecessary anxiety.

4) Talk

Sounds so simple doesn’t it? But actually so many of us may have the chit chat, polite pleasantries, but how many of us really feel we can or do talk openly about all the fears and thoughts we have. So often we ask someone how they are, however if someone actually stopped and really talked we would be dumbfounded. If you have people in your life you know you can trust, reach out to them. They may have no idea that you are struggling, you may also find that they too could be struggling. TALK.

5) Relaxation techniques

We will all find different things relaxing. Some will enjoy yoga, some meditation, some mindfulness, some reading etc. Work out what makes you feel relaxed, that can occupy your mind and body without causing any stress. Once you have worked this out, it is your chance to explore this area further and then start setting aside a time each day for you to do whatever it is that relaxes you. You made need to try a few different things to work out which works for you.

I am not saying that these are fixes to your problems, however they may be a helpful way to guide you in keeping on top of your mental well being. Don’t ever suffer in silence, there is always someone to talk to.

The Samaratins are fantastic. You can call or email.

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Mind is another fabulous organisation you can contact

Infoline: 0300 123 3393

Email: info@mind.org.uk Text: 86463 Post: Mind Infoline, PO Box 75225, London, E15 9FS

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