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Helping Your Mental Health: It’s Time To Put Yourself First

Thankfully, the world is becoming more and more aware of mental health and those who are suffering with it, can talk more freely about their problems because more people are trying to understand it rather than shrugging it off.

No matter the state of your mental health, it’s always important to keep your mental health a priority. It’s time to put yourself first.

What You’re Eating

Did you know that the food you’re putting into your body can massively affect how you’re feeling mentally? Foods that are high in nutrition send power to the brain and cause a chemical reaction that in turn, makes you feel happier and more optimistic.

Junk food however, does the exact opposite. Junk food often contains substances that send harmful chemicals to the brain which cause a myriad of effects across the body. While these feelings might just be a side effect of the food you’re eating, if you’re constantly eating bad then your mind is going to always feel low; therefore affecting your mental health massively.

Make sure you’re eating a healthy and balanced diet so that your brain is getting all of the nutrition it needs! Check out this handy list of foods to help mental health and see if you can incorporate any of them into your diet. Also, remember to drink the recommended two liters of water each day to help your body flush away any nasty toxins, and also stay nice and hydrated.

Consider Moving

Admittedly, this idea seems a little strange because moving home can be one of the most stressful experiences that someone can go through. However, if you’re living in an area where your neighbors are particularly disruptive, or you feel intimidated by anyone then that is only going to contribute negatively towards your mental health.

If this is sounding familiar to you, then a move should be something that you’re considering. There are many ways in which you can find a new property to live in:

  • Newspapers.
  • Your local housing associations.
  • Online using search terms like “houses for rent near me”.
  • Word of mouth.
  • Estate agents.

Moving home or to a new place might temporarily make your mental health issues worse, but once you have found a neighborhood that you’re comfortable in, you will soon find that you’re improving your mental health in a much nicer area.

Get in Some Exercise

Exercise can be wonderful for helping mental health issues. It can take you away from the stresses of each day in one fell swoop. Many people find that once they start working out, that their minds clear and stress seems to float away. Others find that working hard on their bodies can help push out any pent up anger and stresses from the day.

Exercise also releases endorphins into your brain which make you happy. Much like eating healthy and nutritious food does to your body, the chemical reaction will make you feel good. Also, if you’re improving your body then it’s likely that you’re going to feel more self confident as time goes on too!

Thoughtful Company

If possible, spend time with a family member, friend or loved one. While it’s useful for them to know what you’re going through, you don’t necessarily have to talk about that all of the time. Being around good company can be great distraction from how you’re feeling inside. Also, being around someone that you enjoy will help make you happier in the long run too. It’s true when they say that laughter is the best medicine

Saying all of that, sometimes it’s okay to be alone. Being able to remain independent and live without having to rely on the company of others is important to keep a hold of. Remind yourself that you’re never far away from help if you need it, and set up a friend to call if you’re struggling alone.

Seek Professional Help

While all of the above advice will certainly help, the best treatment that you could get is professional help. The first step that you should take is to go and see your doctor to talk about how you’ve been feeling. Many people make the mistake of not going because they think that they are going to be put on medication and forgotten about. This is definitely not the case.

Your doctor can offer you many different options and will help you choose the right route for you. This might be medication, cognitive behavioural therapy, self help sessions and much more. It all depends on each person’s experience with their mental health, and no two people are the same.

Remember that no matter how insignificant you feel your problems are, that a doctor will always be more than willing to offer you help and advice into taking the necessary steps to recovery. It’s going to be a long a difficult road, but it’s definitely worth fighting for.