In our world today, it is not just enough to take care of your physical health and it’s also advisable to take good care of your mental health. In fact, it should be a priority to make sure that you are okay mentally, since being unable to do so can lead to depression, suicide, stress and trauma. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Infact, it is the basic foundation of a healthy lifestyle. It does not only help you keep organized, focused and happy, it also has a big role to play in your life experiences and decisions. That’s why learning ways to improve mental health is important, which is what we are going to discuss below.
Definition of mental health
Mental health can be defined as the state and stability of the mind which involves our psychological, social and emotional well-being. It’s what determines how we feel, act, think and cope with the daily activities of life. It also affects how we handle stress, relationships and how we make our choices.
Negative effects of mental health
If your mental health is not well taken care of, it can make you unhappy, miserable, and sad while causing problems for you in your day-to-day life. It can have a negative impact on your work, relationship, productivity, or studies. In order to prevent being in such a state, it’s advisable to look out for the signs and symptoms that indicate you are paying attention to your mental health. Which may include the following symptoms.
- Anxiety
- Not being able to concentrate
- Being confused
- Excessive anger
- Hostile and violent behavior
- Feeling unhappy, sad, or miserable
- Mood swing
- Being delusional, paranoid, or having hallucinations
- Withdrawal from family, friends, and activities
- Always being in fear or guilt
- Having problem sleeping
- Low sex drive
- Suicidal thinking
- Inability to cope with stress
Some other symptoms sometimes do appear in you physically. It can cause physical discomforts like unexplained pain and aches, stomach pain, headache, or back pain.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek help, either medical or from family and friends. Do not be ashamed to admit it or to ask for help. There is nothing wrong with improving your mental health, especially if it needs attention
How to improve your mental health
One needs to learn and discover ways to improve mental health and the factors that affect mental health. The latest survey conducted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (2017) showed that 30.5 million people aged 12 or older used an illicit drug in the past 30 days and such drugs are directly affecting mental health. It is important to consult with a commercial drug testing lab to overcome drug addiction for mental health and for positive outcomes.
Identify the problem/cause: Before doing anything else, try to identify the cause of your unhappiness and why it is affecting your mental health. It’s important to know exactly what the problem is, so one has to be able to deal with it from the roots. Is it childhood trauma, is it related to work, is it due to underachieving a life goal? These things need to be found out in order to fix the problem.
Practice self care: Make out time to take care of yourself. Self-care is the backbone of being in a good mental health space. It also promotes self-esteem, confidence and love, which is also one of the many ways to improve mental health. Try to prioritize your own happiness and stick to what makes you happy as long as it hurts no one else. Do the things you love to do, and try to eat healthy, especially healthy foods that stimulate the brain.
Exercise regularly: Engaging in exercises is not only good for your physical health but also for your mental health. Exercise is a well- known mood elevator. According to Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health in its research on exercise, 15 minutes of running a day can reduce the risk of depression by 26%. Apart from reducing depression, exercise also helps with PTSD and Trauma, ADHD, anxiety and stress.
Relate with other people: Try to build a relationship with other people, do not self isolate, go out and meet people and have fun. Try to have a social support system that can help you when you are in distress, pain or sadness. Connecting with friends and family helps reduce the negative effects of mental health and gives you that love and affection you need as a human.
Practice meditation: Meditation helps to keep your mind focused and make you become aware of yourself. It also helps you to cope with stress and anxiety, which improves your mental health.
Taking care of your mental health should be one of the most important things to do. You should prioritize your mental health because, if neglect can lead to devastating consequences.
