Mental Health Strategies
Taking care of our mental health is just as important as our physical health. In fact, our mental health can often effect our physical health!
Taking care of our mental health is just as important as our physical health. In fact, our mental health can often effect our physical health!
Below are strategies you can use if you are feeling: anxious, overwhelemed, frustrated, angry or when you are experiencing any emotion.
Below are strategies you can use if you are feeling: anxious, overwhelemed, frustrated, angry or when you are experiencing any emotion.
Breathe
Breathe
- Sit comfortably, with feet on the floor, eyes closed and hands relaxed and resting on your thighs.
- Sit comfortably, with feet on the floor, eyes closed and hands relaxed and resting on your thighs.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose. As your lungs fill, let your chest and belly expand. You might try counting up to five, seven, or whatever feels comfortable. Or focus on a phrase, such as “Breathing in calm” or simply “Breathing in.”
- Breathe in slowly through your nose. As your lungs fill, let your chest and belly expand. You might try counting up to five, seven, or whatever feels comfortable. Or focus on a phrase, such as “Breathing in calm” or simply “Breathing in.”
- Breathe out slowly through either nose or mouth, whichever feels more natural. You can count during the exhalation. Make sure the exhale is as long or longer than the inhale. Or use a phrase, such as “Breathing out calm” or simply “Breathing out.”
- Breathe out slowly through either nose or mouth, whichever feels more natural. You can count during the exhalation. Make sure the exhale is as long or longer than the inhale. Or use a phrase, such as “Breathing out calm” or simply “Breathing out.”
- If you get distracted, bring your mind back to focusing on the breath.
- If you get distracted, bring your mind back to focusing on the breath.
- Repeat for several minutes.
- Repeat for several minutes.
- Notice how you feel. Is your body more relaxed than before you started? Is your mind calmer?
- Notice how you feel. Is your body more relaxed than before you started? Is your mind calmer?
Focus on a calming activity:
Focus on a calming activity:
- Listen to music
- Listen to music
- Draw/ Color
- Draw/ Color
- Walk outside
- Walk outside
- Write what is on your mind.
- Write what is on your mind.
- Read
- Read
- Watch T.V/ movie
- Watch T.V/ movie
Grounding technique: 5,4,3,2,1
Grounding technique: 5,4,3,2,1
While focusing on your breathing, slowly in your nose then out of your mouth do the following:
While focusing on your breathing, slowly in your nose then out of your mouth do the following:
- 5 things you see
- 5 things you see
- 4 things you can touch
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you hear
- 3 things you hear
- 2 things you smell or two smells you like
- 2 things you smell or two smells you like
- 1 emotion you feel right now
- 1 emotion you feel right now
You can say these things outloud or silently in your head.
Push, pull, dangle
Push, pull, dangle
Sit in a chair and grip the seat of the chair with both hands. Push down on the chair, straightening your arms and tensing them up. Hold for 5 seconds. Then while still gripping the seat of the chair, pull up and tense your arms. Hold for 5 seconds. Then release the chair, letting your arms dangle. Do this however many times it takes until you are able to control the emotion.
Sit in a chair and grip the seat of the chair with both hands. Push down on the chair, straightening your arms and tensing them up. Hold for 5 seconds. Then while still gripping the seat of the chair, pull up and tense your arms. Hold for 5 seconds. Then release the chair, letting your arms dangle. Do this however many times it takes until you are able to control the emotion.