If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it… right? No! One of the best methods of mental health recovery is to maintain an environment conducive 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 sometimes, the best treatment is prevention.
For some great cutting-edge research in addition to the tips below, check out the Denver Mental Health Center Research and Evaluation 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 to survive (and no, that doesn’t mean getting in the car and smashing it!). Recent research has shown that increased physical activity can actually create new brain cells (once considered a static number), which explains why mental health care facilities like MHCD are strongly recommended for nearly all consumers. have them begin an exercise regiment immediately.
2) Stay Socially Active: We are social creatures, so 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 spend a few nights alone, but don’t stay cooped up. Go out, keep your social relationships strong.
3) Get a hobby: Find something creative that you want to do just for yourself. Depending on what you choose, a hobby can be a great avenue for sports clubs, night classes at a local college, or staying physically active; Plus, if it’s something you enjoy, it’ll be a lot easier to stick with!
4) Reflect on yourself: You know those few nights a week where I said it was okay to just take one night to yourself? Has to! Read a good book, walk your dog, just think things through. Examine where you are in life, where you want to be, and where you came from. Be honest and complimentary with yourself. You are a brave and amazing person, so act like it 🙂
5) Play – Play is tremendously important to staying mentally healthy. Spending time just having fun can recharge your battery, revitalize your social media, and reduce stress/anxiety.
6) Maintain a healthy diet: This goes hand in hand with staying active. Stay healthy, both in terms of exercise and diet. Now don’t go crazy here, you don’t want to be miserable being the food police, just be aware of what’s going on in your body. And give yourself some leg room to cheat once a week or so!
7) Set Goals – When people feel down, aimless, or like they’re just going through the motions, it’s often because they lack overall 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, therefore you always push yourself harder and harder, even if you achieve a goal in the path ). However, it’s important not to take this too far and not find joy in exceeding a given sub-goal; 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 keep you going, give you reason to celebrate as you reach your goals, and increase your overall content level and mental health.
8) Balancing free time: this is very important! Don’t let yourself lie down in front of the TV. That is actually 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 self-reflections, it is important to examine where your locus of control is. Are you blaming everyone else for things? Or are you taking all the blame? Nothing is one-sided, remember that. Especially if your depression is centered around 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 the United States has become a taboo or secret endeavor! If you care about your mental health, you should be proud of yourself for striving to improve. If you are in the general area, I would recommend a recovery based treatment facility 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!
