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Our mental health is more important than we think. Day to day, we may believe that our mental health is normal, that our outlooks are positive, and that we can think rationally. We may feel confident in our capabilities to manoeuvre through the ‘fight or flight’ response.
However, through trying times, our response can be very different, where our mental health may slip, and we reach a stagnant phase of ‘fight or flight’. Life is unpredictable, is uncontrollable and is impulsive at times. Whether we already suffer from mental health vulnerabilities, or not, it’s very important that we’re prepared and confident in working through trying times.
Without preparation, without understanding and without preventive steps, coping with mental health throughout the turbulence, the sad, to distressing and the overwhelming can be tough. Of course, there are many positives in life which we should build up and take inspiration from, to stabilise our mental health. Yet, at some point, any individual in the world can experience stress, fear and further emotional vulnerabilities, increasing the risk of mental health issues.
Here’s some guidance on coping with mental health – tips for trying times to digest and put into practice through the inevitable. For professional support at a greater level, we at Rehab Clinics Group are here for you.
Securing your mental health for every eventuality
As we’re sure you already know, life is so unpredictable. From small changes to significant life-changing events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, while we think we can plan for tomorrow, we unfortunately cannot. For example, you may set your alarm for the morning, but sleep in, which you wouldn’t have anticipated. You may have a meeting which should last 1 hour but runs over. Or sadly you may feel happy and healthy, soon suppressed by an accident or distressing issue. This is how unpredictable life can be.
Of course, trying times are defined differently by every individual. Some people can cope through greater tests, meaning that their mental health is stronger. Others experience many small tests which accumulate and cause a potential mental health crisis. This is why it’s important to secure your mental health for every eventuality and have a plan in place to overcome the severity of potential tests.
As we’ve shared above, coping strategies are essential for everyone, whether they have pre-existing mental health vulnerabilities or not. As a result of this, it’s recommended that you consider your management steps by following our overview of coping with mental health – tips for trying times.
Coping with mental health – Tips for trying times
There are some steps you can take, to preserve your mental health, for everyday life and to alleviate the effects of trying times. Not all tips will personally work for you, while others will help you cope on a significant basis. It’s about finding what’s supportive for you for coping with mental health vulnerabilities and symptoms.
- Maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle
Your lifestyle can control your outlook, your health and your attitude. While it cannot prevent trying times, a healthy, balanced routine can help you manoeuvre through such times, think rationally, and take care of yourself in the process.
It is found that optimal levels of sleep, that physical movement, that nutrition and that positive exposure of environments, relationships and influences can all improve mental health. A strong lifestyle, which oozes positivity can therefore help to combat the unpredictable.
- Promote self-care
Self-care is something that we all forget. We’re usually too busy caring about others, that our mental health falls to the bottom of the list. The promotion of self-care can assist with coping with mental health vulnerabilities, by finding an escape or activity which can inspire love, balance, relaxation and feel-good chemicals. We only encourage healthy, holistic and positive coping strategies and self-care tips for mental health.
- Breathing exercises
Through trying times, panic and symptoms of anxiety can heighten. Through such times, to maintain balance, we must stabilise our emotions and feelings. Breathing exercises, such as box breathing are a proactive way to quickly find balance and suppress symptoms of panic.
- Mindfulness exercises
One of the most effective ways of coping with mental health – tips for trying times is the promotion of mindfulness exercises. Mindfulness helps to motivate greater presence, helps to secure rational thinking, and offers perspective.
Through difficult situations, practising mindfulness, in conjunction with breathing exercises, physical activity, relaxing techniques and meditation can help you feel grounded and balanced.
- Building up positive distractions
If you’re aware of mental health vulnerabilities or experience high-stress levels, it’s encouraged that you fill your spare time with positive distractions. Your routine should be balanced yet providing enough exposure to positive reinforcements to help improve your mental state. As trying times can showcase themselves on an unpredictable basis, having a wealth of distractions will be wise.
- Having support readily available
As we cannot predict the tests of tomorrow, it is encouraged to have support readily available. Whether that’s your loved ones, local support groups, or mental health specialists, online resources, face to face group settings and even treatment is available. By already developing a strong support network, you’ll have the security in place to improve your mental health.
- Work on your outlook
Coping with mental health issues can define the way that we respond and move forward. By working on your outlook, and by growing a positive mindset, common tests which would usually hinder you can soon become insignificant. There is a multitude of resources out there focusing on positive mindsets and growth mindsets.
Trying times can hit us all very differently. However, it’s inevitable that at some point, emotional struggles are encountered. Learning ways of coping with mental health, through tips for trying times will be beneficial, to protect and stabilise our emotions and thoughts for the inevitable.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, please know that support is available. At Rehab Clinics Group, we’re here for you with a range of confidential services and treatment programmes to aid the boosting of mental health. Reach out for more tips for trying times, with the capabilities to cope with your personal mental health battles.
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