If you’re struggling with your mental health, the first thing to realize is that it’s not your fault. Even though people are so much more open about their mental health than they once were, it can still be hard to be understanding of yourself. You might be able to accept that your friends or loved ones are struggling and give them some leeway, but for some reason, you see your own mental health issues as some kind of moral failing or weakness.
While it isn’t uncommon to feel this way, it’s also not healthy.
But, just like your physical health, there are things you can do to improve your mental health, and there might well be things that you’re doing that put even more pressure on. So, if you’re struggling with your physical health, you might decide to change your diet or start exercising. What can you do if you think your mental health might be at risk?
Mental Health Checks
One way that you can put your mental health at risk without even realizing it is by ignoring it. Let’s compare it with a physical health problem. Someone who has a cough might ignore it or put it down to just a cold for a while, but if the cough doesn’t go away or gets worth as weeks go on, it’s important to go to the doctor and get it checked out.
The same principle applies to your mental health. You should do regular check-ins to make sure that you’re healthy. Everyone has times when they feel low or have issues, but this can be a natural and healthy way to react to difficult situations. But when those feelings don’t go away or get worse over time and start to interfere with your life and general happiness, you should take them more seriously.
Keeping a journal can help you keep track of how you’re doing emotionally, as well as give you a healthy outlet and a good way to process your emotions and the things that happen to you. If you do find that you’re struggling, you may need to go to a doctor, just like you would if you have physical symptoms that concern you.
Burnout and Balance
One of the most common issues that people have is burnout. Burnout is an emotional, mental, and physical problem where your body and mind simply have had enough. It’s a type of exhaustion that basically forces you to actually take a break. The problem with burnout is that you can’t control it, and if you ignore the signs, you can end up out of commission for a long time.
There are a few reasons that people get burned out.
A poor work/life balance is a very common reason for burnout, especially if you have a stressful job. People in the emergency services, the medical field, or in high-pressure careers are far more susceptible to burnout, simply because they push themselves more and more. Even if you love your job, you can’t keep up the same pace forever without something giving.
Another common reason for burnout is caregiver burnout. If you’re the primary caregiver for someone with high needs, you can often end up neglecting your own physical and emotional needs for someone else. There’s often a measure of guilt involved in not always putting other people first, but if you burn out, you won’t be able to help yourself, let alone the person you’re caring for.
So, what can you do to prevent burnout?
Balance is vital to helping you to make sure that you don’t end up exhausting yourself. If you have a stressful job, take advantage of vacations, personal days, and other opportunities for some precious time off. If you’re a caregiver, make sure to look into respite care and asking other people to help so you get some time to yourself.
Addiction and Mental Health
Substance abuse is much more common than a lot of people realize, especially for people with trauma or some mental health problems. You might drink or take drugs to try to self-medicate and cope with your symptoms, but it can cause more problems in the long run.
If you have an addiction, then the best thing you can do for your mental health and your general well-being is to seek appropriate treatment.
The consequences of addiction can be severe, as some people end up losing money, their jobs, their homes, and even their families. Unfortunately, there’s a huge amount of shame surrounding addiction disorders, which can make it harder to get help. Still, it’s worth it to get clean and rebuild your life.
How Socialization Can Help
We have busy lives, which means that some things take a back foot. It can be very easy for adults to end up with very limited social lives and circles, because they focus on their careers and the general stresses of life. If you have a family, they also become your priority.
But this can lead to its own problems. Humans need human contact. Even introverts benefit from social interaction with friends and family.
Loneliness has been linked to mental health issues, especially depression. If someone feels isolated, they find life a lot more difficult. Even people who are married with kids can feel lonely without a peer group.
If you seek out social connections, it can improve your mental and physical health. Even if you don’t have friends, look for opportunities to make them. Take classes, go out to public places, and catch up with old friends.
Therapy and Treatment
As mentioned before, if you have a physical health problem that concerns you, the best option is to go to a doctor. The same thing applies to your mental health.
While there are steps you can take in your life to improve your mental health, sometimes the best option is to seek professional help. Therapy and counselling can give you coping mechanisms, and in some cases, medication can make it easier to manage mental health issues.
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