As We Near World Mental Health Day – Tips For Looking After Our Mental Health 💆
Mental health and wellbeing are very close to my heart. Therefore as we approach World Mental Health day, I also wanted to reshare some tips from an earlier post for looking after our Mental Health which have been helpful for me personally. 💜
Looking after our mental health shouldn’t just be something we do when things are bad, but something we should proactively invest in. By doing this, it will help us to cope with difficult times we then do arise. It can also help to benefit our physical health.
Below are some tips to help improve our mental wellbeing. These have been sourced from various places including the NHS website.
Reframe unhelpful thoughts 🧠
How we think, feel, and behave are linked. So it's easy for us to develop patterns of thought or behaviours that are unhelpful. By identifying these patterns, and taking steps to change them, we can improve our mental health. If you'd like to learn more about how you can achieve this, here is a great video - Reframe Unhelpful Thoughts - YouTube
Get good sleep 🛌
A decent night’s sleep is hugely important. If you’re getting the right amount of sleep and going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, your mental and physical health will be better. NHS tips for better sleep
Live a healthy life 🍏
Each of us are unique, and so how we do this will differ based on our own needs and capabilities. But where possible, being active, such as enjoying a walk outdoors and a healthy balanced diet both contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Cutting out bad habits such as smoking and drinking will have a positive effect on our mood.
Moderate social media 📲
Social media can be a great way to stay connected to people, but excessive use can fuel feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation. If you want to look into this in more detail, then Social Media and Mental Health is a great source.
Connect with others 👨👩👧
Spending quality time with people you care about, talking to them about our feelings, and helping others can help us to feel less lonely. This doesn’t always have to be in person. It can be online like here with our wonderful online community, or a chat with a loved one over the phone. But if you are able to get out for a walk or some lunch with a friend, that’s great!
Be in the present 💛
Sometimes known as being mindful, it’s when we are aware of our thoughts, feelings, and the world around us in the present moment. This can help us gain better perspective. A great way to improve mindfulness is by breathing exercises - Mindful Breathing
Do something for yourself 💆
This is one of my favourite ways to improve the way we feel because it doesn’t have to require a lot of energy. It doesn’t always need to be something extravagant; it can be something small and simple. From enjoying your favourite hobby, starting a new interest, or even relaxing with a cuppa tea, it’s important to do things that make you happy.
Take an inventory of how you feel 📖
It can be helpful to regularly take an inventory of your feelings, using a notepad or journal, focusing on the strongest emotion you feel at that time (i.e. happy, stressed, anxious, etc.). Acknowledging your emotions will help you be more aware of your emotional health, and provide you with something to look back on. A few months down the line, you’ll be able to track the ebb and flow of your mental health.
You can find some more tips that might be helpful here - Emotional Wellness Week! 💜
If you have any suggestions or tips for how to improve mental health, please share these in the comments. We'd love to hear from you! 😊
Comments
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Limiting social media has certainly been good for my mental health! Thanks for the super tips there Holly. 😁
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Thank you @Holly_Scope for the reminder. I see it's International Mental Health Day this Friday, October 10. I haven't celebrated the day in many, many years. So I'll be sure to celebrate this Friday, though I don't know how yet. How are you going to celebrate the day? Does anyone else have any plans?
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Morning @StarryEyed and thank you. That's a really good question. For me, it's a really important day for personal reasons. I think I'll be taking a bit of time to appreciate how far I've come and also just revisit the coping techniques and things that can help to improve mental health day to day. 😊 How about you?
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Im really trying to limit social media I dont go out but went to dentist everyone in waiting room like zoned out on thier phones quite disturbing how phones have become the best tool to control the masses definitely black mirror moment for me i really wish could go back to 80s what a time to be alive I fear this tech world
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That's a great idea. I feel a lot more refreshed and clear headed after a bit of time away. It's healthy to do sometimes especially with how easily accessible things are now as we saw with the Green Paper and a lot of false scare-mongering news. I hope a little time out helps you to feel a bit better and I hope you're doing ok at the minute @Catherine21. 😊
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Oh thanks Holly up and down hope your well x
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That's ok @Catherine21, sometimes it can be like that. Just remember to make the most of the good days, and be kind and patient with yourself on the not so good. I'm doing ok thanks. I've got lots to focus on recently so that always helps keep me distracted 🤗
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I always try to have "digital holidays" @Catherine21 keeping away from all social media for a week can really do wonders for your mental health.
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@Holly_Scope I really love all your ideas on how to celebrate. I've decided on the idea "connect with others" by spreading the word to friends and family with mental illness about this special day tomorrow. I will also be connected by watching a YouTube conference event for this special day on YouTube, which will be chaired by the Queen of Spain.
In case anyone is interested, here is information on World Mental Health Day in Spain (Google Translate add-on works like a charm):
And here is the YouTube channel that will be streaming the conference from Madrid starting at 10:40H tomorrow.
Also, as I have posted in another thread, I'm looking for an international forum for disability support (mental and physical), and I'll dedicate up to an hour tomorrow in looking for one.
A week off social media would make me suicidal 🤭🤭🤭😁 Hats off to those of you with such a strong backbone!
Again, Holly, thank you for the reminder 🙏🏼😊
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Happy International Mental Health Day!
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I absolutely love your idea's to connect with others - thank you so much for sharing. I can't wait to hear all about it! 😁
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Hi all. I try to be pro active in all I do, planning ahead in my diary to shape the day, week, month and look back at what I have achieved to motivate me to continue. Having a diary is key in keeping a record.
I do have a secret joy of finding faces in the most peculiar places. They present themselves and make me smile, a bit of sparkle to lift my day. Here are a couple of recent ones. The unhappy avacado
and the 'hello' sponge.
My garden is an ongoing project. To be immersed in natural beauty always has a therapeutic effect. I keep a photographic journal of the seasons. It motivates me with my ongoing projects. I always celebrate whatever 'wins' I have along the way.
Creating a tranquil space in which to sit helps settle me into a deeper state of relaxation.
Be present in all you do. Each task fills a day and carries you through. It all counts.
🤩
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thank you for sharing
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Mental health is close to my heart also. But unlike normal people mine is horrifically bad. I live alone with 2 cats and have no family or friends so I am totally isolated. Most of the time I feel like dying because life is not worth anything to me.
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@ChristineC1 love your creative thinking!
@Jampa ((hugs)).
The theme of the day this year is "access to services - mental health in catastrophes and emergencies". In the past year I've been in two catastrophes - loss of power throughout Spain and a widespread flood in Spain. In both situations I fell apart emotionally particularly because I'm practically immobile. I'm a sitting duck. In catastrophic emergencies, the emergency services are overloaded. So I am going to set up my own emergency services through family, friends and neighbours. I started the conversationon on how to do this yesterday with one of my cousins. I'm wondering if other people here have an emergency plan.
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Hi Jampa,
Hugs back to ya! I may not be physically immobile but I am the equivalent psychologically with my agoraphobia. I was housed by the council because I couldn't function in the outside world when my parents were retiring and downsizing. So any repairs or emergencies I just call them, even out of hours. I'm essentially trapped in the house but do see my therapist once a week for one hour. Family live hundreds of miles away and the neighbours are vile. So I have nobody to call on for help. You're so lucky to have a network around you, whoever they are. Kindness has such a massive impact on how we feel, and the reverse of that is also true. My next door neighbour drilled out a section of the adjoining loft wall so he could climb down into my home through the ceiling hatch. I only discovered what happened because I'd ordered flooring for the loft. He has stalked me since he moved in approx 15 years ago.
It must be wonderful living in Spain. No cold winters ahead of you. I have lots of big fig leaves waiting for me to bag up today. If I don't do a bit every time they wall I'd have to tunnel my way out to feed the birds and foxes. My cat will be skipping up the garden with joy when she sees me out there. Need a boost with all the cancer stuff going on.
Take care hun and I'll pop back again. If you get everyone on a list to share they will hopefully extend it. The more the merrier. Good deeds are filled with the feel good factor. And being part of a group helps motivate others.
😄xxx
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@ChristineC1 now you have us virtual neighbours on this forum. 😊 I can't imagine having agoraphobia. I'm sorry you have that experience.
My birth family (Mom, sister and brother) is a long way away too - in Canada. We communicate with WhatsApp text and videocalls. It's a life saver. Have you tried that with your family?
Fig leaves are spectacular! They're so boldly shaped and incredibly strong and unapologetically large.
Just the word "Spain" is like opium to the masses, with people believing it is a paradise apart from the world where all problems magically disappear. Lol! Yes, some aspects are better (like the climate except June to September). Other aspects are a lateral move. And other aspects are like going from the frying pan into the fire. And sometimes simply the confusion of trying to make comparisons knocks me out (apples and oranges, you know).
I totally agree, from experience, that good deeds are contagious. Could you please explain your vision of a list? I'd love to hear it!
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Good afternoon @ChristineC1, I'm so sorry to hear about the situation with your neighbour. You mentioned he's been stalking you since he moved in and drilled out a section of the loft. Can you tell me if you've reported this to the police at all?
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"Kindness has such a massive impact on how we feel, and the reverse of that is also true."
Christine, thank you ❤️
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World Mental Health Day 10/10
We'll remember this date with great sadness.
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