Mental health can be a scary thing to deal with when it starts to plummet – but remember you are not alone. Taking care of yourself mentally isn’t always the easiest thing to do when you’re trying to juggle school, work, relationships, and other things all the same time. It is important to know that you don’t need a reason to be feeling down. You shouldn’t invalidate your feelings just because you don’t know how to justify them. Here are 5 things you can do to help improve your mental health.
Have a routine
What many people don’t realize is that sometimes we need some familiarity throughout our day to feel more relaxed. Some big things to add to your routine is making sure you wake up and sleep at the same time, you’re eating 3 meals a day, you are making your bed and practicing regular hygiene. When our emotions start to overwhelm us day-to-day, it is easy to forget what we are supposed to be doing.
Knowing you have completed some basic chores can be very relieving as well, so make sure to get up and clean your room or the bathroom every once in a while. Try creating a checklist so you don’t forget what needs to be done.
Open up
Open up about your feelings. This can mean talking to someone close to you, talking to a stranger, or even starting a journal. Socialization is a very important part of taking care of yourself and you don’t want to find yourself becoming lonely, so opening up to a person you are close to can be very beneficial. This does not mean you need to be 100% transparent with them but giving them a small glimpse of what you’re going through might give them ideas on how they can help you.
If you’re not feeling ready for that yet, journaling can be an extremely effective way to express your feeling without having to tell someone. Write about how you feel, why you feel that way, and what you can do to help yourself. Build a relationship with yourself and practice identifying your emotions, which can later help you learn how to overcome them.
Work on a hobby
Self-care
We are always trying to build a relationship with ourselves which can also be done through self-care. Think of yourself and what your body and mind may need. Try stress-relieving activities such as mediation, yoga, and ASMR. Give yourself a night to yourself while you watch Netflix and paint your nails. Try exercising – and no! That does not mean you need to go for a 5k run or sweat like crazy at the gym. It means going for a short walk every once in a while or choosing to bike to work instead of driving. Take care of yourself by working towards building both a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Social media detox
It is way too easy to compare our lives to the pictures we see online and forget that not everyone is honest in their pictures. Being able to let that aspect of online socialization go can improve your quality of life in ways you wouldn’t know until you try. Try opting towards in-person social interactions or calling and messaging people directly.
If you need immediate help, please reach out to emergency psychological services. Good2Talk for Ontario residences can call 1-866-925-5454 or call Crisis Services Canada at 1-833-456-4566. There are always people willing to support you, you are never alone.