Self-care is critical to recovering from mental health problems. Oftentimes, mental health patients take on a detached approach, hoping to get similar results. It couldn’t be further from the truth.
Mental health care treatments are only as effective as your ability to take care of yourself. That’s why self-care is an essential part of a patient-centered approach to managing long-term health conditions, including mental health problems. We explain what self-care entails and the best practices to improve mental health conditions.
What is Self-care?
Self-care is a multi-dimensional process of purposely engaging in strategies that promote healthy functioning of your body and mind. It’s consciously taking care of your mental, physical, and emotional health.
Self-care helps you build resilience against life stressors which trigger mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD, to mention a few. Taking steps to take care of your mind and body makes you better equipped to deal with such stressors.
Sadly, many people have a misconception that self-care is a luxury, not a priority. Self-care is an everyday activity that requires individuals to become more proactive at maintaining their mental health and overall wellbeing. Self-care takes on different forms:
- Physical self-care: This form of self-care involves taking care of your body by getting enough sleep, exercising, showing up for medical appointments, and eating healthy foods
- Mental self-care: Here, you indulge in activities that keep your mind sharp and mentally healthy. You could read books, watch movies that inspire you, practice self-compassion and acceptance
- Emotional self-care: This form of self-care requires that you develop healthy coping skills to deal with uncomfortable emotions like sadness, anger, and anxiety. Emotional self-care helps you acknowledge and express your feelings safely and regularly
- Spiritual self-care: This form of self-care nurtures your spirit, allowing you to develop a deeper sense of understanding and connection to the universe
- Social self-care: Developing and maintaining close connections is important to your wellbeing. It’s essential to create time to nurture such relationships to develop an optimal social life
How to Practice Self-care to Improve Mental Health
Practicing self-care equips you to deal with mental health conditions better. Clinical trials show that self-care routines can reduce or eliminate depression, anxiety, stress, and increase happiness.
In a national survey on self-care, researchers found that Americans who engaged in self-care practices were happier, more productive, and self-confident. So, how can you practice self-care?
Be More Active
Physical activity helps the mind cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. It stimulates the mind to release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones, making it easy to manage mental health symptoms like sadness and frequent mood changes. You could do yoga, create a workout routine you enjoy, or go for walks.
Learn to Accept Yourself
Mental health patients often indulge in negative self-talk, which can demotivate you and kill your energy and creativity. Thus, you must be intentional about keeping your inner critics in check.
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad (Proverbs 12:25)
Talk back to them and reaffirm yourself. You could also create a list of the things you love about yourself and refer to them during such episodes.
Take a Healthy, Balanced Diet
The food we eat not only affects our physical health but also our moods. When you’re anxious, you could incorporate foods that help alleviate anxiety or stimulate the body to release neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Also substitute fast foods with cooked meals to ensure the body gets the nutrients it needs. Cooking is also a great way to relax and unwind.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep helps regulate one’s mood, increases energy, and improves brain function, which are critical components of improving one’s mental health. Try sleeping for 7-8 hours, and if you’re experiencing challenges falling asleep, try some relaxation exercises.
Understand Your Mental Health Condition
Understanding your mental health condition goes a long way in getting the help and support you need. One of the best ways to do it is to find resources explaining about the condition. You could read books, watch documentaries, or online resources. This way, you familiarize yourself with the triggers that come with the mental health condition and avoid them to find ways to manage them.
The Bottom Line
Self-care is personal, hence the need to find what works best for you. Consistency is critical, so make these practices a regular part of your routine. If you find it challenging to implement self-care on your own, consider seeking support from friends, family, or a mental health professional.
