Let’s face it: To achieve better mental health, you do sometimes need the help of a professional. Mental illnesses, like anxiety and depression, often require a therapist and even medication to be dealt with. However, those diagnoses aside, improving your mental health doesn’t always mean chatting to men in white coats or picking up repeat prescriptions. We could all do with a little mental tune-up now and then, and, thankfully, this is something you can usually handle yourself. To improve your mental health, here are ten weird and wonderful things that you can do.
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Grab A Crunchy Snack
As you start to feel stressed and anxious, tension can build in your face and jaw muscles, causing you to grind your teeth and resulting in jaw ache. A simple remedy for this is munching on crunchy snacks, like nuts, carrots, and apples. This will help to relieve the physical tension in your face, while the rhythmic sound and motion lull you into a state of calm. The added effort of eating these foods will also act as a distraction, taking your mind off whatever was worrying you.
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Have A Little Boogie
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan of pop, classical, or heavy metal music; Listening to your favourite song is always sure to enhance your mood and brighten your day. To feel that much better, you should add some movement to your musical break and sway, jump, jiggle, or spin to whatever track you’re listening to. This impromptu dance party will help you to refocus and refresh. It will also be a distraction and sneaks in some exercise, which is a know stress reliever.
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Buy A Colouring Book
While unheard of a few years ago, adult colouring books have been flying off the shelves recently, and for very good reason. As more and more of us find ourselves overstimulated and overworked each day, a colouring book serves as a nostalgic and unplugged distraction. While this activity isn’t very mentally intensive, it does require a lot of focus, making it difficult for your mind to wander onto negative things. Choosing calming colours will offer even more comfort.
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Curse Like A Sailor
You may do your best to mind your Ps and Qs usually, but dropping the occasional F-bomb isn’t going to harm anybody. In fact, according to a number of research studies, it can actually serve as an effective method for stress relief. Whether you do so in public or alone at home, swearing will tap into the emotional part of your brain, which will help you to release any pent up feelings. If you’d rather not curse, you could try hitting or screaming into a pillow instead.
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Go Back To School
School is stressful for many of us. In fact, for some people, it’s so stressful, they want to leave as soon as possible. If you had a rough time in education, you might be left wondering why is a Master’s Degree worth having? However, there are a number of benefits and advantages to consider. The most obvious one is that you’ll find it easier to get a better job, which will reduce your stress levels in the long run. You’ll also have a greater degree of self-worth and self-esteem.
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Cuddle A Furry Friend
You can’t help but feel happy when you’re around a cuddly animal. They are so cheerful and carefree that you automatically start to feel the same way. Their unconditional love for you also shows that, no matter what, you have value and matter in some way. If you don’t have a pet of your own, you can always go and adopt one from your local animal shelter. Of course, if this isn’t possible, you can volunteer at one instead or offer pet sitting services to friends and neighbours.
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Give A Helping Hand
Rather than focus on your own problems, try tackling someone else’s. Offering your support, in whatever form, is a remarkably effective way to reduce stress and increase your sense of self-worth. Because of this, you should find ways to help those around you. This might mean donating money to a charity close to your heart or volunteering at a food bank or animal shelter. As long as you’re making a positive impact, you’ll feel better about yourself and your life.
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Try Out Some Aromatherapy
Scents and smells have a way of reminding us of certain memories. With that in mind, you should try out some aromatherapy and see if you can find any smells that bring up calming and happy thoughts for you. Cinnamon, freshly cut grass, and lavender are just a few popular ideas to consider. Once you have a list of favourite scents, stock up on them and invest in scented candles and soaps. Whenever you feel down or anxious, use these things to calm yourself.
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Reach Out To Friends
Most of the time, relieving stress and other negative feelings are as simple as finding a friendly ear to listen. When you speak about your emotions and say your worries aloud, you eliminate their power over you. You can also see them from a new point of view and may come to realise that they’re not as serious as you first thought. Because of this, it’s vital that you prioritise spending time with your loved ones. Ensure you make plans regularly and reach out when you need to.
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Always Say Thank You
When something goes wrong in your life, it’s very easy to focus on that one negative thing. However, you should try to avoid this wherever possible. Instead, get in the habit of saying thank you for the good things in your life. Ensure you think about the things that you may be grateful for and consider keeping a gratitude journal to write them down. Focusing on the bad stuff will only manifest more negativity, whereas positivity will improve your overall well-being.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, hopefully, the unique tips above will be able to help.
Disclaimer: this post is in collaboration.
