Five empowering ways to tackle your mental health problems
Are you struggling with your mental health? Read on for five empowering ways to proactively tackle your feelings.
Mental health problems are becoming all too common in society. The everyday struggles of the cost of living, political unrest, social media pressure and the more common stresses and strains on relationships sees a quarter of women between the ages of 16 and 25 report mental health problems, while that figure is around one in five women as a whole.
That’s a lot of people. And yet still so few people reach out and get the support they need. Swapping the life changing and often life reaffirming treatment of a private mental health clinic for a stiff upper lip, usually to the point of breakdown.
It shouldn’t be that way, and in fact tackling your mental health problems could in fact be an empowering experience, giving you your confidence back and a feeling you can take on the world.
So, if you are battling the likes of anxiety, depression, addiction or any other form of mental health issues, here are five of the most empowering ways you can tackle it.
1) Prioritise yourself
We spend much of our life caring for or being concerned about others, but taking the time to establish a self-care routine is a really useful way to nurture your own physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.
Tailor your self care routine to your needs, thinking about the likes of regular exercise, a healthy and balanced diet, mindfulness practices and regular sleeping patterns. Alongside this, ensure you get the time to take part in hobbies and activities you love. Sometimes just giving yourself a bit of me-time and prioritising your own wellbeing can make all the difference.
2) Seek professional help
Reaching out to a mental health professional requires a lot of courage, but it’s actually the single most transformative step you can take. Consulting Brisbane psychologists can be a pivotal move towards healing and personal growth.
Reaching out for help is an achievement in itself and therapists and counsellors can provide you with a safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings, get to the root of your mental health problems and develop successful coping strategies to manage and maintain a more positive mental outlook.
3) Build a support network
Actually you may find that reaching out to people in general can be really helpful and empowering, creating a platform for you to express your emotions in a supportive environment.
You can reach out to family or friends, and may even inspire them to speak up about their own troubles, while support groups are also a good option where you’ll find invaluable emotional support from people who are going through similar experiences and challenges.
4) Practice mindfulness and stress management
This goes back slightly to enjoying a bit of “me time”, but mindfulness techniques such as meditation are scientifically proven to help reduce stress. It can be difficult to concentrate at first, but going to classes or following online tutorials can get you totally immersed within a few sessions or weeks.
It can help reduce stress, anxiety and allows you to be grounded in the present moment, helping you develop a greater emotional regulation and become more resilient during times of adversity.
Alongside meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi and even keeping a diary can have a similar effect.
5) Set realistic goals in life
Often the stress we feel in life can be brought on by ourselves. By taking a step back and setting realistic goals and boundaries can make your life more manageable and reduce the risk of your mental health spiralling.
By breaking down tasks and being more realistic with what’s possible to get done in a day, week or month can not only preserve your mental health, but also transform targets and goals from something you dread to something you gain a real sense of achievement from.
