It's never too late to make an action that will better your life and your mental health. Living with depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses is difficult, but there are simple actions you can take right now that will alleviate some of the mental anguish and help you live a fuller life. If you want to take steps toward bettering your mental health now, here are seven tips.
1. Ditch your unhealthy habits
One of the top things you can do to better your own mental health is ditching the unhealthy habits you have in your life. Make a mental list of the things you're doing that perpetuate your negative feelings. Perhaps you are a smoker, either of electronic or natural cigarettes. One thing you can do is stop smoking or vaping so that you can not only avoid a vaping or lung injury, but also have the satisfaction that by ditching tobacco products you are doing something to improve your overall wellbeing.
2. Get moving
Exercising is one of the top tips that is recommended to anyone who is struggling with overwhelming mental health issues. That's because it really does work. Exercise improves your mood and decreases anxiety, which can improve your long time mental wellbeing. So get your blood pumping at the gym, outside, or at home.
3. Find a friend you can talk to
Finding a trusted confidant to talk to about how you're feeling is key when you are grappling with mental illness. A close friend will listen and love you regardless of what you are going through, which can improve your mental wellness. Young adults especially need a network of trusted friends to help them navigate stressors in life.
4. Set goals
Goal-setting is a big tactic for helping you feel like you're on your way to completing the things that will better you. Try using OKRs software to track your progress along the way to achieving target outcomes. Being intentional about your goals and tackling your current problems through actionable steps will help you feel better in the long run than if you aimlessly go through life, hoping that your issues are solved and your wants are met.
5. Take time to be grateful
Gratitude has been proven to improve mental health and overall wellbeing, so being intentional about it is the best way to get the maximum positive effect. Try writing down the things you are grateful for each day, each week, or each month. You can keep a small journal of things you are grateful for and have a set time each day you write about them. This will also help build a habit, another positive practice for mental health.
6. Have a healthy meal
When you have a good, filling, nutritious meal it will nourish not only your body but also your mind. Having a meal that provides a decent amount of nutritional vitamins and minerals may do more for your brain health than what you may think. Fruits and vegetables especially are rich in nutrients that have been scientifically proven to lessen the effects of depression and anxiety.
7. Seek professional treatment
Sometimes you reach your limit of habits and behaviors that can improve your medical condition, and you need to seek the help of professionals. Seeing a therapist, psychologist, or psychotherapist can be very beneficial as those doctors can help you find a form of therapy, such as CBT, that will improve your condition. CBT is cognitive behavioral therapy and is traditionally used by CBT therapists or psychiatrists treating patients with a variety of mental illnesses. Typically CBT is used in the treatment of anxiety, depression, or traumatic experiences that are affecting their current mental condition.
Alex is a professional writer and digital marketing expert