I love fall. The leaves are changing, the air is nice and crisp, seasonal depression is starting to creep in…
I like to think that I’m pretty self-aware. At least, for the most part, I can tell when things are getting bad again, like when I start sleeping more than usual.
But there are some less obvious things that you might be doing that are actually pretty self-destructive, and they’re taking a toll on your mental health whether you know it or not.
- Eating Too Much (or Too Little)
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We’ve all binged on our favorite food (I myself will never turn down a spicy tuna roll) but if you find yourself constantly stuffing or starving yourself, that might be a sign of a larger problem. Think of it this way: food is the fuel that your body needs to function, just like gas is the fuel that your car needs to function. You can’t put too much or too little gas in your car, otherwise, it won’t work. So just like your car, you have to take care of your body and give it the fuel that it needs to function, too.
- Overspending
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Have you ever had something catch your eye in a store? Maybe it’s a nice scented candle, or maybe it’s a cute pair of jeans. Maybe you think, “why not?” and you buy it. You probably don’t think much of it. Maybe you never think of it again. But it starts to add up, especially when you start impulsively spending money on really frivolous purchases. A good way to deter this before it becomes a habit is to track your spending, so when you start to notice that you’ve spent $200 at TJ Maxx in the past week, it’s a red flag.
- Isolating Yourself
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Remember when you would grab a coffee with a friend in between classes? Me too. But with the spread of COVID and most universities switching to exclusively online instruction, it’s been a lonely semester. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t stay in touch with your friends (and family!) virtually. Most people are only a text, a phone call, or a Facebook message away, so there are tons of ways to stay connected.
- Casual Sex
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Let me preface this by saying that there’s nothing wrong with having casual sex as long as you and your partner are practicing safe sex. However, if you are finding yourself hooking up with more of your Tinder matches than usual, you might want to ask yourself why. Do you crave intimacy? Are you feeling lonely? Or maybe you’re just bored? Whatever you’re feeling, whatever the reason, it won’t go away when you’re having sex.
- Putting Others First
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This may seem counterintuitive, but always putting other people before yourself is NOT actually being kind and considerate. You can’t take care of others if you aren’t taking care of yourself, and you aren’t taking care of yourself if you’re always putting your needs second to everyone else’s.