Understanding Mental Health
What is mental health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood and aging.
Source: NIH
Why take care of your mental health?
Mental health affects how you feel day to day. When you're feeling calm, happy, and confident, you get more joy out of life. On the other hand, if you're feeling sad, angry, or anxious, regular day-to-day life can be a struggle
Mental health affects your relationships. Your relationships with family, friends, and classmates are all impacted by how you feel. If you're unhappy, upset, or feeling down, building and maintaining relationships is much more difficult.
Mental health affects your success. Whether it's success in school, sports, your career, or achieving any goal you've set, you're more likely to succeed when you're in a good place mentally.
Source: Woodburn Press
SELF EVALUATE
Think about your answer to the following questions about your mental health.
Do you often feel sad for longer than a day or two?
Do you have trouble sleeping?
Do you often feel frustrated, angry, or nervous?
Do you get a lot of headaches and/or stomachaches?
Do you have a hard time relaxing?
Do you eat too much or too little?
Do you often feel dread or panic?
Answering "Yes" to any of the above questions can be an indicator that you need to pay more attention to your mental health.
Source: Woodburn Press
Improving Your Mental Health
Maintaining your mental health is just as important as maintaining your physical health.
Get regular exercise. Just 30 minutes of walking every day can help boost your mood and improve your health. Small amounts of exercise add up, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t do 30 minutes at one time.
Eat healthy, regular meals, and stay hydrated. A balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day. Also, limit caffeinated beverages such as soft drinks or coffee.
Make sleep a priority. Stick to a schedule, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Blue light from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep, so reduce blue light exposure from your phone or computer before bedtime.
Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy activities you enjoy such as journaling.
Set goals and priorities. Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. Try to be mindful of what you have accomplished at the end of the day, not what you have been unable to do.
Practice gratitude. Remind yourself daily of the things you are grateful for. Be specific. Write them down at night, or replay them in your mind.
Focus on positivity. Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.
Stay connected. Reach out to your friends or family members who can provide emotional support and practical help.
Spend time in nature. Spending time in nature can help improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anger.
Cut back on social media. Spending time consuming information about other people's lives can cause you to compare yourself and lead to feelings of low self-worth, which can increase feelings of anxiety and depression.
Seek help. The SPHS counselors and mental health team are a great resource to use if you think you might need help. They can connect you to a variety of professional help resources or you can explore the "professional help" section below.
Self-care looks different for everyone, and it is important to find what you need and enjoy. It may take trial and error to discover what works best for you. In addition, although self-care is not a cure for mental illnesses, understanding what causes or triggers your mild symptoms and what coping techniques work for you can help manage your mental health.
Source: Healthline, Woodburn Press, and other
If your mental health is keeping you from performing at your best and enjoying life, talk to a counselor or someone who can help you. Taking care of your mental health and reaching out when you need help is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength.
